Transformative, Liberating, and Empowering Exchange Past Review
By Grace (American University) - abroad from 08/18/2017 to 12/18/2017 with
Pachaysana Institute: Ecuador - Rehearsing Change
The most valuable things I gained from my time with Rehearsing Change were the relationships & a new way of understanding the world. I met people who are still some of the most important and influential people in my life, and through dialogue with them and the world around me I learned so much. Rehearsing Change was absolutely the most rewarding, liberating, and empowering educational experience of my life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned more in my four months in Ecuador than I did in the entire rest of my time in college! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Pachaysana/Rehearsing Change team's number one priority is the wellbeing of their students, and they are always available to support you in any way you need. It felt like a family. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed with two wonderful host families during my time in Ecuador, and they were both wonderful & in safe areas. |
| * Food: |
One of the great parts of this program is they give you a stipend for any meals not covered by the host families! And Ecuador has wonderful (and cheap) food! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All of our courses were with local counterparts, so I felt very integrated and welcome in the two communities I lived in. I might many wonderful friends from Ecuador! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safety varies based on community, but the staff holds comprehensive safety orientations at the beginning of the program that help a lot in navigating the city/community safely. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I have not doubted for a moment my choice to study abroad with Rehearsing Change! It opens your eyes to ways of being, knowing, and experiencing the world in a way that most U.S. college students would not have access too. You learn as much about yourself as you do about the world around you. |
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) |
Apart from being a relatively cheap country to live in for most Americans, the program provides a stipend for meals not provided by the host family and for taxis when you're living in Quito! So, the only real reasons to spend money are fun & recreation. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $0-$25 |
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 |
We lived with Spanish-speaking host families, and all of our classes were in Spanish! |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | 456 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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 much I wouldn't want to leave ;) |
