Feminism, new looks at neoliberalism and us imperialism, great food. Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/05/2016 to 06/04/2016 with

Universidad Veracruzana: Xalapa - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I got new perspectives on feminism and activism in Mexico. I learned how to be able to hang out in a group of Spanish speakers who are my age, and actually be able to socialize normally.

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.
* 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:	Yes I got mugged, but my program director was really helpful in providing support and assistance!! Couldn't have been handled better.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Xalapa is a GREAT city to be a student in. Everyone os really welcoming, I was able to make close friends, find activist circles, and study.

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?	$5
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	In Mexico, the dollar is strong and food is incredibly cheap! Use public transportation as it is heavily subsidized by the government

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?	Advanced
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?	A 350 level course on Spanish musical film
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?	Make Spanish speaking friends!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students 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?	Xalapa Friendliness of other students Host family
* What could be improved?	Academic classes Professors Orientation
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	That Xico, a town an hour away from Xalapa, is not actually that safe for small groups of forgein women.

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Social Movements
Course Department:	Sociology
Instructor:	Jorge Tirado
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	It was not too hard, but really disorganized. It was pretty good to get a different perspective on neoliberalism
Credit Transfer Issues:	Haven't tried yet, so I don't know.

Course Name/Rating:	Citizenship, Gender, and women's rights
Course Department:	Sociology
Instructor:	Mayabel Ranero
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	Really solid overview of women's rights movement in Mexico. Not challenging, few assignments, and little reading.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Have not yet attempted credit transfer

Course Name/Rating:	Contemporary Mexican Literature
Course Department:	Literature
Instructor:	Victor Hugo
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	Was definitely my most challenging course, as we had to do a TON of reading. Only had to write one essay and give one presentation. Also we never read any female authors.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Have not yet attempted credit transfer

Course Name/Rating:	Street children and popular education
Course Department:	BCA signature course
Instructor:	Robert Kruger
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	We got to do some work with street kids in an organization called Matraca. We learned how to reflect on those experiences and got a deeper understanding of freire's popular education
Credit Transfer Issues:	Have not yet tried to get credit

Course Name/Rating:	Español intensivo 4
Course Department:	School for forgein students
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	Spanish
Comments:	We could have learned more in this course than we ended up learning. I would have liked it to be a bit more challenging.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Not yet attempted transfer credit