Holy moly, did that just happen? Past Review
By Rachel K (University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 03/04/2013 to 07/15/2013 with
IFSA: Lima - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
Definitely worthwhile! I gained a lot of understanding and patience and I learned more than I could ever begin to write in this tiny box.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Very intense. I think that Latin American schools in general are typically more focused on fine arts than they are on sciences. That being said, the classes are very reading and writing intensive...more so than they are in the United States, plus it is all in a foreign language. It is great if you are studying abroad to learn and study, but not if you are doing it hoping that you can go out and travel on the weekends stress free. Then again, you have almost free reign on the classes you take, so you can choose how difficult you want it to be. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Absolutely wonderful, I loved my program director. She is one of the smartest, coolest, understanding people I know. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
This program has most of the housing assignments in districts that are decently far from the school. Getting to school required an hour long bus ride to and from campus. However, the house I lived in was very nice as was my host family. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program requires students to take two required courses, both of which are with the other American students. The classes were in Spanish and taught by Peruvian professors, however, by spending this much time a week with the other American students, we tended to stick together more and not integrate ourselves as much with other Peruvian students. However, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with intramural sports and other extracurriculars. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The university has a clinic on campus and it is very efficient and consultations are free for students. My program helped me get an appointment the first time, but I was able to do it on my own the times after that. I am not sure about logistics of the system itself, but I did not feel like it was that different from what I was used to. |
| * Safety: |
Just like any city, it can be dangerous; you just have to be smart and aware of your surroundings. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
Of course, it all depends on your lifestyle, but in general, food and public transportation are pretty cheap. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $60 during a normal week, but more if I went out of town. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The little things add up. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 4000 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Talk, talk, talk whenever you have the chance. It is not enough just to listen. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew how far I was going to have to travel to get to school. The time I spent on the bus really added up and affected how much time I had to spend with local friends. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
