Un reto (A challenge) Past Review
By Ni'Shele Jackson (Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/27/2017 to 12/02/2017 with
CIEE: Santo Domingo - Liberal Arts
I gained a new sense of autonomy and really got a chance to see my flaws and work on them. I also gained amazing lifelong friends and I mean that.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes at Instituto Bono were fantastic and provided a more immersed experience of course. The CIEE classes weren't as rigorous, except for Dominican Haitian Relations which was a really challenging thought provoking class. The credits for this program do not transfer over 1 for 1, so instead of four classes I had to take five. This caused for a pretty hectic schedule and long class hours which was not preferable. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site staff are really nice and welcoming. I came to them multiple times with issues and both were almost immediately resolved. However, the communication of outings and general information was often disorganized or delayed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Gazcue is a really nice are with great uber access to the downtown area. There are also CIEE connects who are wonderful and live within walking distance of the center. My homestay place was nice. It was a small apartment/house with everything I needed. Although it was very common for the lights and water to cut off, but that is normal and we were warned about that beforehand. Still, it is never fun. I had specific issues with my host mom which I shouldve talk to about with CIEE staff earlier, because when I did they quickly resolved the issue. |
| * Food: |
I love dominican food although it can be repetitive. La bandera is wonderful. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt almost immediately integrated, but the sweet spot after one month when I really started to make friends. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got bit by a street dog and I received urgent care for so cheap! I think my vaccines and antibiotics were less than a dollar. Program staff even met me at the hospital at like 2AM and drove me home and to the clinic the next day. When I was sick program staff drove me to the hospital (it was nothing serious). |
| * Safety: |
Coming from a big city, I felt safe in Gazcue as I am used to being alert and dealing with big city issues. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
There aren't many programs in the Caribbean approved by my school and I was really fortunate that CIEE was. I struggled with this answer because I think I have in my head the perfect study abroad experience, which doesn't exist. I would do this program again, but as a more vocal person. |
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) |
I spent a lot of money here. Maybe the transition was difficult because I have been working since highschool and am not used to not having a consistent income, but also I had an issue with my host family that caused me to spend a lot more money than other students in my program. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Very frequently. |
| 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? | A mid-200 level course. |
| 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 every effort to make dominican friends. I said I would speak spanish with the other students from the US, but I rarely did. Watch tv in spanish, read in spanish etc. |
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? |
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? | Be vocal. No one can help you unless you ask. Things that you think can't change, actually can. I knew this, but I really took it to heart during my experience. |
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.' |
