An authentic experience Past Review
By Karina (College of the Canyons) - abroad from 01/01/2017 to 04/16/2017 with
Linguistic Horizons: Nutrition & Natural Medicine in Peru
A hunger for further travel. It was one of the best experiences in my life so far.
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 |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
If you are looking for the most authentic experience possible I would highly recommend this program. Nicole, the program coordinator, offers a far lower price to intern abroad than my own school does! From the moment I turned in my application for this internship, Nicole was great with communication. Even without all of the amazing hikes(MACHU PICCHU!!), food, markets, and hands on medicinal experiences, I would say Nicole alone is what made this trip worth it for me. She is very attentive to detail and genuinely cares about you. When I would email her prior to departure, I would receive a reply within a few hours max. Upon arrival in Peru, she was constantly checking on us to make sure that not only were we hydrated and adjusting to the altitude, but that we were enjoying the activities we were doing. She and Max made a great team, he is very educated on the many ruins that we visited and knows the mountains like the back of his hand. If there is something you are interested in that is not included on the day's itinerary, Nicole will go out of her way to help you book that activity or make a day trip. This truly is as authentic as you can get. You truly learn your way around the town of Urubamba and might run into a cow or two. Even if I had planned by Peru trip on my own, I would never been able to meet the healers that I did through Nicole's contacts. She has some truly amazing friends and shares great advice/travel experience. This was a very spiritual experience for me, and it left me viewing my own world through a different lens. |
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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 Maximum, came with the intention of purchasing souvenirs and dining out often. Can easily spend much less. |
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? | Intermediate |
| 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? | College Spanish 2 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
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 would have practiced my Spanish a lot more prior to departure to feel more confident when speaking to locals. |
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.' |
