I had a life in Valpo. It wasn't travel; it was another home. Past Review
By Grace Monk (Brown University) - abroad from 07/18/2016 to 12/17/2017 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Valparaiso
I want to go back; working in South America will definitely be a part of my future. It was absolutely worth while.
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. |
Direct enrollment was one of the most rewarding parts of the program. Even with strikes and changes in schedule, Middlebury kept to its mission of direct enrollment, and I value that tremendously. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Attentive, understanding, and accessible program administrators. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great host family. My host parents were among my best friends. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt totally immersed in local life. With the exception of a couple program friends I saw occasionally, I spent my time exclusively with Chileans speaking Spanish. I truly felt like I lived there. |
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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
Middlebury's research grants allowed me to work on the most fulfilling project I've ever completed. I financed a mural series and worked with local graffiti artists. This project, my host family, and my experience with direct enrollment made this program a great fit. |
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) |
I had minimal personal costs. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $45 not including travel trips |
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 |
Serious Language Pledge |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 1000 level seminar |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
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?
Select all that apply |
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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? | An abroad experience is most fulfilling when based around individual projects and exploration. It doesn't have to be the most social time in your life, and the friendships you make with locals, while different and perhaps less consistent than those at home, with stay with you long after you leave. |
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: |
Literatura en Contexto |
| Course Department: | Instituto de Lengua |
| Instructor: | Claudio Guerrero |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | I'd recommend classes with this professor |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
