Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

¡Viva México! Estoy impaciente por volver. Past Review

By (Spanish Language Teacher Education., University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 01/04/2012 to 05/09/2012 with

Universidad de las Americas - Puebla / UDLAP : Puebla - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I became much more confident in my Spanish-speaking abilities, and I learned how the rest of the world lives. Mexico is a far cry from the 1st world abundance I grew up surrounded by, and it was so healthy to see the reality of our world's inequality firsthand. It made me a better human being, and I'm grateful that I saw life in a country like Mexico instead of one like Spain.

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)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? No
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $75.00 USD
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Bars are expensive!

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? Intermediate
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? SPA 330
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Don't always hang around the other internationals and gringos that speak English!

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The UDLAP teachers are great!
  • The Mexican food is the best on the planet!
  • Puebla is a fine city, and it's right next to Mexico City!
* What could be improved?
  • The Spanish language courses availabe at the UDLAP weren't updated prior to my departure, so my course selections were quite off from what I had anticpated taking. It made tranfering my credits to UW-L difficult to do.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Again, the course offerings at UDLAP could've been updated earlier. I wish I would've known what I should've taken before arriving.