Improved my Spanish a lot, made good friends. Past Review
By K S (Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/28/2014 to 07/15/2014 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Montevideo
Language skills, learning about the culture, traveling.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
lots of beef, not many vegetables, nothing spicy |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
Uruguay is an expensive country. Comparable to some parts of the U.S. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Really take time to figure out the conversion rates and metric system so you aren't wasting money |
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 |
I was somewhat disappointed with the level of integration encouraged by the program, though I think it is better than most other programs and I have high standards. I wanted full immersion, meaning not spending time with other Americans, while the rest expected to spend time with both. That depends on personal preference |
| 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? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | One literature course, after Spanish 1-3 |
| 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? | Decide at the beginning how much time you want to spend with English speakers and don't be afraid to not do that. It's your experience. At the beginning especially really branch out and try to meet as many locals as possible, you never know who will become a good friend. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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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? | how expensive Uruguay is, better info about visa procedures for year long students, better info about banks both in the U.S. and there (many people end up paying too many fees), info about taking a U.S. smartphone to use there (easy actually), more detailed info about the bus system (not a confusing system, just total lack of information e.g. maps and routes) |
