Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The greatest thing you could ever do with one month of your life! Past Review

By (Brigham Young University) - abroad from 07/08/2013 to 08/11/2013 with

Study Abroad Programs in Bolivia

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a great deal about teaching, I learned how wonderful it is to connect with people of other cultures, I learned how fun it is to have dance parties with Bolivians, I saw examples of people who work so hard to bring about so much good in their community and I got to learn how they do it, I learned how wonderful teaching can be.

Review Photos

Study Abroad Programs in Bolivia Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I learned a great deal about teaching. I obtained hands-on experience teaching private and group lessons, and I also received instructive feedback from teaching professionals.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The directors of the Fundación Sinfónica Cochabamba were excellent. They were very organized and gave us more than enough opportunities to learn and work.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Temple housing was awesome, obviously.

* Food:

I loved the food, and it was SO cheap.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We were interacting daily with the students and faculty at the Fundación, and we also spent time with the students and their families in their homes on weekends. We interacted several times a week with local members of our church.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We had no serious health problems.

* Safety:

There's always risk everywhere, but we felt very safe in Cochabamba.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

As far as just living in Cochabamba, it was very easy. The food and transportation is very inexpensive.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around $50 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat lunch at a "family restaurant" or "complete lunch" place. These little restaurants give you a BIG lunch for less than two dollars. Great food.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We were speaking Spanish all the time.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Fluent
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? Spanish 349
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? Practice talking with people. Try and get lots of vocab down and knowledge of basic grammar, then it's all about just talking with the people.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
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?
  • Developing relationships with the Directors at the school, with the students at the school, and with the families of the students.
  • I loved being part of the local culture - eating their food, using their transportation, speaking their language, dancing their dances, etc.
  • Teaching and performing great music.
* What could be improved?
  • Getting the housing situation figured out well ahead of time (confirming exact price of hotel)
  • Possibly staying with families instead of in a hotel
  • Not much else
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It was better than I could have hoped. GO!!

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 Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.