Wonderful people, beautiful country and amazing experiences. Past Review
By Kelsey A (Spanish Language and Literature., Luther College) - abroad from 08/23/2014 to 12/06/2014 with
SIT Study Abroad: Peru - Indigenous Peoples and Globalization
It was worth while because this program opened my eyes to the injustice of the world, and that there is a small hope that people might be able to help those who are suffering from having their land used as a petrol drilling area
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
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 |
All excellent, a very great group of people who want to see you succeed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
To make this part of your experience as great as mine I would recommend spending time with your family outside of the times that are required (meals), because the more you try and get to know them the more they will appreciate you as a person. Peru has a strong sense of family, it is really important to them, so if you show that you want to be a part of their family they will appreciate everything that you are doing. |
| * Food: |
Peruvians love eating potatoes and rice together, so expect to eat a lot of the two together in one sitting. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Cusco is very welcoming, but they also can tell that you are not Peruvian, which means the vendors will want to sell you everything they can. However when I was out and about with my family I really felt integrated into the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I never had anything personally, but I did have some friends who went to the doctor, and they only looked into dehydration and diarrhea for them, even though that was not the case. |
| * Safety: |
Really in comparison Cusco is safe so long as you listen to the rules that the administration tell you and what your families say as well. |
| 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) |
It really depends on your life style, when I was there it was 3 Peruvian Soles to an American Dollar, which was really nice, but if you were going out to eat every night with friends and going to cafe's every day after school every little amount adds up. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 30 |
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 expected to speak Spanish whenever there was a native Spanish speaker in the room, because it is rude to speak a language that they potentially do not understand. |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I have taken 4 semesters of college spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Try and use it with your friends, don't be afraid to make mistakes or even say something wrong, the more you practice the better you will become, even while abroad everyone is so happy you are speaking Spanish and they really enjoy that you are making an effort to connect with them. |
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? | I wish I knew that I could have brought 2 weeks of clothing instead of one weeks worth, because I wore the same 7 outfits for three months. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
