Study abroad in Nicaragua Past Review
By Rachel W (International Studies, University of Nebraska- Lincoln) for
Fairfield University: Managua - Semester or Year in Nicaragua
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad Centroamericana |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The work load was comparable to my own university |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I did need to use Spanish in everyday interactions in Nicaragua; while many people at the university could speak English, it was not as common elsewhere. I would suggest paying attention to music that you hear on the radio, tv, or any other source while you are there, take note of songs you like and ask who performs it. Look them up and add them to your ipod. Listening to music, learning the lyrics and singing along helped me a lot. I practiced with my host family, especially my host brother, a lot. Getting involved with an organization on campus also helps; I found a Young Life group at mine that translated everything between Spanish and English. If you can find children's books in the host language and read them, or watch tv shows and news, that helps, too. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Historia de Nicaragua |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
