Peruanísimo! Past Review
By Benjamin H (Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General., Brandeis University) - abroad from 03/04/2013 to 07/15/2013 with
IFSA: Lima - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
I gained fluency in Spanish (a lifelong goal), made many connections, both professional and personal, and experienced a world so alike and different from my own. I made another home
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Lali is wonderful. She's very helpful, and incredibly hard working. She always takes time for the students, and makes sure to get to know them on a personal level. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family treated me like a long lost son. I couldn't love them more. |
| * Food: |
It was Peruvian food, you can't go wrong (unless you don't like fish). |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no health issues to deal with, except for getting a vaccination, which was very simple. |
| * Safety: |
Lima is a city, so you need to be smart, but Miraflores and San Isidro, the neighborhoods where we all lived, are the safest neighborhoods. I felt fine walking around them at night. |
| 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) |
Latin America easily trumps Europe in this respect, it's so much cheaper. Plus, you can negotiate the price of lots of things. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 40-50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | fight prices down in places where that is the custom. Don't accept the gringo price. |
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 |
We were basically required to only speak Spanish in group settings. And the program staff would only speak English in emergencies. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 5th semester |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Don't speak English. Talk to lots of people. Go to a bar, people are chatty there. |
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? | Nothing, I was happy with how I entered. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
