Short and Sweet Past Review
By subarr (Texas A&M University - College Station) - abroad from 12/26/2013 to 01/11/2014 with
Mexico Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
It was definitely worthwhile. The excursions really made the difference for me. If I had been stuck in town going to class, I might as well have been back home instead of in a foreign country.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
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
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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) |
Program expenses were pretty low and they included room and board with host families. I don't know what costs would be if I hadn't been living with a host family. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 85 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't buy things you don't need |
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 encouraged often, but my fellow English-speaking students were at a significantly lower level of fluency, so we spent a lot of time speaking English. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| 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? | A 300-level writing and speaking course. I had also spent significant time abroad in another Spanish-speaking country. |
| 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? | Try not to rely on fellow English-speakers while around town. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
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? | N/A |
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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Mexican Cinema |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Carlos |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The course was challenging but very rewarding. I learned a lot about Mexican culture and history in a very short period of time. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | My credit has not yet been added to my transcript yet. My host institution has accepted it, but it has taken a while. It's May and I got home in January. Good thing I'm not graduating this semester! |
