Overall a Good Language Program Past Review
By Jeanne A (occupational therapy, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee) for
NRCSA: Maceio - Maceio Language Institute (MLI)
Brazil has many wonderful people and I hope to return some day. I'm grateful for the friends I met, to know more of the culture, to know the kindness and the happiness of people who want to speak to you just because you can speak English. So many people want a chance to practice their English! This experience has also given me a greater appreciation of the United States.
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 |
The program in Maceio is not at a university. It is in a small building with 4 or 5 classrooms. The professors have different teaching styles and skills and overall are very good. They are very approachable and help you any way they can. There were only 3 in my class, but this can vary depending on the number of students enrolled and the level of their language skills. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I expected to be treated like a member of the family, but I quickly learned that I was thought of more as a source of income. My meals were separate from the family and their efforts to interact with me were limited. They were polite and helpful when I asked questions. Everything was provided for me except personal items. The apartment was in a safe neighborhood and only a 10 minute walk to the school. |
| * Food: |
Daily breakfast and dinner were included with my stay. Breakfast was much better than dinner. Dinner tended to be the same food every night. Vegetables were limited or non-existant. I often bought snacks, milk or other items that they didn't provide. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was disappointed with this part of the program because I thought that more would be offered. Activities were often cancelled, in part because of lack of interest by the other students, but also because there were so few students enrolled at the time that I was there. I also thought the professors would join us on these field trips to help with the language, etc., but this wasn't the case. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Generally I felt safe walking around town during the day, but there are places in the city that should always be avoided. It's best to walk with another person anywhere at night. Don't carry a purse or use jewelry. I had an upset stomach my first week there. A trip to the pharmacy quickly resolved that. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
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| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I had only a beginning knowledge of Portuguese and I think I would have gotten more out of the program if I went there knowing more, at least 2 semesters of it. This would have made it easier to socialize and interact with the professors, and to get around town. Overall, though, I'm glad I had this experience, and I learned a lot of the language while I was there. I recommend taking at least a few hours of private classes. I think this would be beneficial to improving speaking and listening skills. The professors were very good at teaching grammer. Some knew English very well and others none at all. Classes were always in Portuguese only. Stay with a host family. Some students had very good experiences with them, different from mine. |
