Puerto Rico: [cada día] será bonito August 02, 2023
By A student (Luso-Hispanic Studies, Italian, Education, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/12/2023 to 05/19/2023 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Puerto Rico
I learned how to budget, be comfortable with speaking Spanish, be a leader with our group, plan events, go with the flow, get comfortable with doing things out of my comfort zone, so much about European and Puerto Rican politics.
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. |
La Universidad del Sagrado Corazón was a kind Host University who took the interests of the international students in mind. Meaning, it was generous and accommodating. Just understand the the add/drop period is VERY short (some people didn't even attend some of their first courses before it closed). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I was delighted with the administration from both Middlebury College and the host university. Even when I tested positive for COVID I was well taken care of and that is much appreciated. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I appreciate the culture and my room and suite mates were genuine and kind. I was not pleased when there was mold in my room but I was fortunate enough to only have this at the end of the semester. Also, you have 24/7 security which is convenient but you have to sign in if you come home after midnight and you have to provide your id at the gate every time you leave and return to campus. |
| * Food: |
Had to cook most meals but it was a wonderful experience when I did it with my suite mates. The food that we bought around the island though was always scrumptious. Also, the Comesa initiative was life changing. THANK YOU COMESA!! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Full immersion with the Puerto Rican culture and people was a marvelous experience with incredible people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was able to receive mental health services at my personal convenience and was cared for entirely during covid. |
| * Safety: |
Heard stories of incidents but was fortunate enough to never experience them. There were only two incidents where my friends and I were catcalled which was a nuisance but we didn't feel threatened. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I studied abroad in Florence the year before and was disappointed that it didn't live up to the image that I had painted in my head. In the case of Puerto Rico I was not as excited to leave but had my expectations blown out of proportion by the people, place, and the everyday adventures. |
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) |
Was fortunate enough to have supportive parents but the money I spent was mostly mine. I have been abroad in the past so I have previous experience in the field. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | depended on the week -- my expenses were catered and planned out based on when we were doing activities. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | write down expenses the first few weeks and evaluate your budget from there. (ex: how much you wanna spend on food; social; trips, etc.) |
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 |
Language pledge was intimidating but rewarding. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 440. |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | journal conversations that you would actually have with people in your target language if you're shy at first. your vocabulary will grow with words and phrases that you actually use. and don't be afraid to mess up -- people are just really happy that you are trying to learn their language. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 10+ |
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? | How cheap renting a car is if you do it as a group! Rent more cars together to take weekend trips. Budget well for meals but cook in groups and split groceries -- it will save you so much time effort and money! |
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.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
SPAN 2401PA: Writing:Cult & Linguistic Comp |
| Course Department: | Middlebury (Spanish Literature) |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | I was challenged just enough; went on field trips; The instructor was amazing!! Even given the fact that this was the first year of the program, went to all but one class; and was assessed by various academic formats (papers, photo diaries, diaries, videos, etc.) |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | na. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
SPAN 2400PA: Internship in Puerto Rico |
| Course Department: | Middlebury (Spanish Literature) |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Challenging but rewarding! Worked in the internationalization department and was more than happy to shadow appointments and understand the inner workings of the department. Wrote diaries, an investigation, and completed tasks upon request. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | na. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
El Desarollo de la Nación Puertorriqueña |
| Course Department: | History |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Challenged, informative and pleased. Very understanding professor. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Arte de Puerto Rico |
| Course Department: | Art |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | challenged, just wish I had received my grades before the last few weeks of the semester. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | na. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
INTRO/TEORIA DE COM. GLOBAL |
| Course Department: | Los Estudios Internacionales |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Challenged with presentations but accommodated. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | na. |
