Lonely and financially unstable September 24, 2023

By (Neurobiology, Neurosciences, Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/24/2023 to 06/24/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Montevideo

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
That I am very financially unstable and I should be in contact with Student Financial Services

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Facultad de Ciencias is a good university overall, however I did not receive the academic support I needed at all. No assignments, no midterms, no extra practice, just a final exam that I did not feel prepared for

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

There definitely needs to me more on site staff

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Very expensive housing, it would have probably been cheaper if I had found housing that was not through Middlebury

* Food:

Food had limited options, very little vegetable options, and very expensive to buy. I was very malnourished everyday

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Not at all. Middlebury does not do a good job in integrating us into the culture beside telling us to make friends in our classes.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I went to school in a dangerous area

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

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? Fluent
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent

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
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My internship
  • La rambla
* What could be improved?
  • Food
  • Living situation
  • Host institution
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? To not do it

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments: Very boring course, and no academic support whatsoever. No assignments, no midterms, and my entire grade depended on the final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes, the host institution would not give me or the onsite coordinators my final grade.
Course Name/Rating:

Ethology

Course Department: Biology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: The course was very challenging, but interesting. However, my entire grade depended on the final exam, and I did not receive any academic support during the entire semester
Credit Transfer Issues: Yes I am still having trouble due to failing the final exam, and the host institution withholding my final grade