Past Review
By Cassondra B (Math, Pennsylvania State University - Altoona) for
Penn State Altoona: Guanajuato - Escuela Mexicana
It was beyond worthwhile. I would fly back to Guanajuato right this second if possible. It felt like home.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
| The term and year this program took place: | Summer 2010 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Sometimes it was difficult to decipher between what I thought was important and what my professor was actually looking for. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The trip to Mexico city was really amazing and educational. However, I feel that we spoke much less Spanish there than we did in Guanajuato which was disappointing. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was amazing. I love them, and I cannot wait to go back to Guanajuato and visit them. They have a beautiful home in a safe neighborhood. |
| * Food: |
My host mother was an excellent cook. The food at local restuarants was also delicious. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
During our third week, some of us went to a reggae concert that was absolutely incredible. Everything about the night life and social life was awesome. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Try to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to yourself. You already stand out enough... |
| 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? | I spent about $150-$200 each week. I spent a lot of time downtown in the evenings, so I spent more money than those that stayed home at night. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Give youself a specific amount that you can spend each week, and be sure that you have a little set aside for unexpected events. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Span 253W |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
When I was with my friends from Penn State in the evenings, we spoke a lot of English because it was easier for us to communicate with one another. Looking back, I wish we would have spoken more Spanish to each other. Even if we had made mistakes with our grammer, it still would have been good practice. |
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? | If you have the opportunity to study abroad, do it. It's a life changing experience. |
