I had an excellent experience in Guatemala. Language skills increased significantly. Past Review
By A student (None) for
Study Abroad Programs in Guatemala
Quality of my educational experience was excellent. Not only did my teacher grill me on grammar, speech, pronunciation, but we also read the local paper, checked for comprehension, discussed world and local politics, law, social events - all in Spanish.
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. |
The program was very good, one on one grammar, culture, reading, writing and speaking skills. Also approximately 2-3 hours of homework 3-4 days per week, plus NMSU homework of approximately 1-2 hours. Can't emphasize enough the benefit of one on one training and getting the right teacher for the student. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I got very good support from the administration of the school. They changed USD to GTQ, provided extra curricular activities and helped me with any problems I had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was excellent, my host family provided many indigineous meals that enhanced my cultural experience. I also participated in some dinners with guests/friends of the family, all conversations in Spanish. |
| * Food: |
Quality of food excellent, not typical USA food. Rice, beans, bananas, local fruits. Very healthy diet of vegetables and fruits. Meat was served 3-4 times a week, usually chicken but some beef or pork. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I participated in several cultural events provided by Casa Xelaju and did several on my own after consulting with my teacher and the school. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Caution on travel in Guatemala City and in the nothern parts of Guatemala. Night travel through the mountains can be dangerous, kidnapping or robbery. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Very few spoke English. My teacher at school spoke very little English, all instruction was in Spanish. The people at my homestay spoke only Spanish or Japanese. Only persons that spoke English were other USA and UK students. This was exactly what I was looking for. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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? | Be open to differences in other cultures. Experience the differences without comparing them to your home country. |
