Past Review
By JessieB264 (Spanish Language and Literature., New Mexico State University) for
Instituto Cultural Oaxaca: Spanish Language Classes
It was a great experience. I'm a huge proponent of getting breaking out of your comfort zone and exploring something new.
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Summer 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
For the first two weeks I was placed in a level that was below my abilities; thus making it a bit of a waste of time. After I spoke with the director of the school, I was placed into the correct level which made it completely worth my time. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I'm a rather assertive person. So when I first complained on the second day of classes that I was placed into a level that was too low for my abilities and I was told "we'll work on it" I was a bit disappointed. All I could think was that I was paying money and they're ignoring me. Eventually, they listened and I was once again happy. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Mexican houses are kept very clean, although they might not be as fancy as your home in the States. |
| * Food: |
You can't go wrong in Oaxaca. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was a nice school. They facilitated a convival feel between the students. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Upon arrival, the school informed us about Swine Flu. They were very forth coming with information. They also assured us that they would help anyone if anyone were to get sick. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If you have an ATM card that says "plus" on the back, it will work in Mexico. Don't go to Mexico with a wad of cash and look for somewhere to exhange it. ATM cards are MUCH better. |
Language
| Language acquisition improvement? |
You can't help but improve when you're in class for 4 hours plus workshops in the afternoon to get better. It's a pretty fool-proof system. |
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Americans tend to speak very loudly. Try to keep it down. Plus, we tend to wear skimpy clothing (attention: ladies). Have some respect for the local people and yourself. If you don't want men undressing you rapidly with their eyes, wear more clothing. |
