Understanding our Neighbor to the South So Much More! Past Review
By Miriam P (History and Literature, Harvard University) for
Mexico Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs
Yes!!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The teaching system was mainly just lecturing, and the quality of the class was largely dependant on the professor. However, I learned a ton about Mexican politics and history. Students were friendly and engaged. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
You have to be very independent to do this program. No one will be holding your hand. We had to figure ou our housing pretty independently as well as transport, navigation- everything. For some (like myself) this is a plus. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Myself and another Harvard student rented rooms from an older woman. We lived in Coyoacan, a fantastic neighborhood. The woman we lived with was very helpful and friendly. Security is always something to consider when choosing a place in Mexico City as well as closeness to public transport. In Mexico you can buy everything you need. |
| * Food: |
Yum. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
n/a |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The city has great health facilities, and we kind fo had to figure out the safety issues on our own. It was nice to live with another student, because it meant I was never going out alone. It is important to be aware of safety issues, especially 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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | under 100$ |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You can spend a lot of money, or a little bit of money. Going out (especially taxis to go out) can be quite costly. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 71b (but I have had a lot of spanish immersion experiences) |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
All of the students do speak English, but I only ever spoke in Spanish. All instruction and interactions are in Spanish. |
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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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? | see above |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Mexico Siglo XX |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | 2 different |
| Instruction Language: | spanish |
| Comments: | It was a fantastic overview of 20th century history, which I found to be invaluable knowledge living in Mexico |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Hopefully! |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Temas EEUU-Mexico |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Lorenzo Meyer |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Meyer is great and very entertaining. It was a lot of fun and I got to analyze a lot of the biggest themes of relations between the US and Mexico. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
