Oaxaca! Past Review
By saul goodwin (The Evergreen State College) - abroad from 09/01/2018 to 04/15/2019 with
Mexico Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
A different political perspective on the world, new friends around the world, the ability to dance salsa, and fluency in the spanish language
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
-Great teachers -infrastructure not the best -not many resources -helpful director to ensure you take your preferred classes |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
|
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
fantastic host family, we're very close after the 6 months |
| * Food: |
Best food in mexico! My host mom cooked better than any restaurant |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wish the school was at the main university so we could have interacted with more locals. besides that, i had to go on my own to interact with oaxaquenos. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
good care, affordable. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safer than when i was in the states! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Great experience. I don't know about the other programs, but this was affordable and very different from the typical study abroad experience. |
Finances
|
* 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) |
oaxaca is one of the most affordable places in the world for a US citizen. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | i spent around $50-$70 a week on my own stuff/activities |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | don't eat out often. save money for classes to build new skills or more beneficial things. i paid for the gym and dance classes. great investments. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
|
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
|
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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? | barely anything |
| 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? | don't spend time with fellow gringos/europeans and instead, meet locals! |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | start dancing right away, make a fool of yourself, do whatever it takes to interact with locals- thats the only way to learn the language |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
