Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Geneseo in Nicaragua Past Review

By (English and International Relations, SUNY - College at Geneseo) - abroad from 05/21/2013 to 06/18/2013 with

SUNY Geneseo: El Sauce - Humanities Course

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned about the impact of the western tradition on Nicaraguan development from the class itself and firsthand experience. I also learned everything from how to communicate effectively with a language barrier to how to make a tortilla. I can't possibly list everything I gained from the past month, but it was more than worthwhile. I needed it.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $40
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Nicaragua is very affordable for students from the U.S., with an exchange rate of about 24 cordobas to one dollar. Because housing and meals were all covered by the program, I only had to spend money on water, snacks and souvenirs. I would suggest bringing a VISA card to use at the ATM in El Sauce in case you run out of cash.

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Connecting with the community
  • The professors
  • Weekend trips
* What could be improved?
  • Pre-departure information
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? There were more opportunities to wear shorts, dresses and tank tops than I expected. We also did a lot of hiking, which I enjoyed but wasn't necessarily expecting. I also would have been helpful to have more program information given to us earlier in the spring semester.