Nicaraguan friendships for a lifetime at a price you cannot beat!! Past Review
By Jenelle M (Español, University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 12/27/2014 to 01/09/2015 with
University of Northern Iowa: Managua - UNI Winter Capstone Socio-Economic Reality of Nicaragua
The trip was incredibly worthwhile. I learned that service work and giving back to society is something that I am passionate about, and sometime I wish to include in my future work and personal life. Also, it expanded my boundaries as far as where I was searching for work, what types of work I was looking into, and shattered some stereotypes I had made about Latin people.
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. |
Outdated articles and book used for class discussions and papers; however, the trip itself was highly educational. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Nicaraguan staff were wonderful!! However, the Professor was difficult to deal with, and seemed to have a dual personality. All in all, the trip went well -- very busy, but worth every bit! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Great accomodations! Not as rustic as I had planned for, so that was nice! |
| * Food: |
Would have liked more authentic meals, rather than just a few here and there. Also, some explanation of the food culture would be helpful. Food is a large part of Latin American cultures, and Nicaragua is no different. I felt that we continued our U.S.-style eating habits instead of adapting for the two-week stay. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Nicaraguans included us in their activities, and we were able to join in the culture at the schools, church, volunteering, etc. There were a lot of conversations between the students and the Nicaraguans, which really helped gain knowledge. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
No health issues - 1 student with upset stomach, but a trop to una farmacia solved that. |
| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe at all during the trip. We were in compounds in Managua, for safety reasons. Otherwise we were almost always accompanied, had contact information, and did not walk alone at night. |
| 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) |
With all the scholarships available, this program was extremely affordable. Also, I personally spent less than $250 in two weeks on personal expenses. Everything else was included in the price. Great value!! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Look around before you buy the first thing you see -- there are many locations that sell the same things, and haggling is the norm. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | I wish I knew more about each location, about CEPAD itself, and what the non-profits were actually doing to help aid the communities. Also, I wish I would have known more about options to do during down-times. There was a lot of free time during the first week, which I filled quickly; however, I think I could have managed it better if I had known. Also, I wish I would have known to bring some nicer clothing. Our stay at the Ranch the first week was more up-scale, so I felt out of place because I had only brought 1 or 2 nicer outfits along. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
