Mexico: the best kept secret in the western hemisphere Past Review
By Claire L (IR and Spanish, Austin College) for
Universidad Veracruzana: Xalapa - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
patience
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. |
The workload was managable, the grading system average, teaching methods were also average. I found the differences between the host university and the American system pretty defined. The american system places a lot more emphasis on academics. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The director lived in the city and was nearly always accessable at any time in the day |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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* Food: |
MEXICAN FOOD IS THE BEST. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
too many to recount here |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
Drug cartels and violence was a slight issue when planning to go out or to travel |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | about $25 dollars |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | n/a |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
Language acquisition improvement? |
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If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
* 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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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | A student who is looking to assimilate into the local culture and life would benefit most from this program. |