An Unforgettable Adventure January 12, 2022
By Ella H (Oberlin College) - abroad from 09/04/2021 to 12/16/2021 with
SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador - Comparative Ecology and Conservation
I was challenged academically and I gained a lot confidence in myself. We were given many opportunities to practice field techniques, and the various assignments throughout the semester helped prepare me for the Independent Study Project, which was the most challenging and rewarding academic experience I've ever had.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 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 |
Very friendly and accommodating staff! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We stayed in a very nice hostel, but the location was in a small town that had no opportunities for engagement with local community. |
| * Food: |
We always had enough food, and some meals were delicious! However, at our main lodging, the food was mostly rice, potatoes, and other starches. We had very few vegetables, and most of the food was pretty greasy. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had few opportunities for engagement with the local communities, largely because of COVID-19 and the new housing arrangement of staying in a hostel as a large group instead of having independent homestays. Additionally, there were few programmed outings for the group in the city. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
In the cases where students needed medical assistance, they were able to get it. However, some students had to pay for their own COVID tests during the program. |
| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was an amazing experience! We travelled to beautiful sites and learned about so many amazing plants and animals in situ. The academic directors were very knowledgeable and experienced, and I was encouraged to ask questions about anything I was interested in. The program is divided between excursions to field sites, where most of the ecology teaching/learning takes place, and time in the city, where we took Spanish classes and had various other lectures. |
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? | If we ate at the hostel, food was included in the program cost. However, if we chose to eat out, we paid for our own meals, which could fall between $7 and $20 per meal, depending on the restaurant. |
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 were encouraged to use the language, but because all of the students were housed at the same hostel, we mostly spoke in English outside of classes. |
| 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? | Advanced Conversation in Spanish - a 300 level course at my home institution |
| 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? |
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? | Like any experience, you'll get out what you put in, specifically in regards to language. That being said, if going on this program, I would make a plan to practice Spanish every day while in Ecuador, even if there aren't structured opportunities to do so. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
