Great Academics and Experience Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 08/11/2018 to 12/07/2018 with
Universidad San Francisco de Quito: USFQ Galapagos Semester Program
Spanish, broadened world view, problems are complex and have multiple solutions.
Personal Information
| 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. |
Phenomenal program. Great classes. Field excursions were my favorite part |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Overall administration provided by staff in Quito was great. Staff in Galapagos was new and was a bit disorganized but will get better with time |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Host families in Quito were usually wealthier and had nice homes. Host families in Galapagos had much smaller homes and generally did not speak English. Don't be surprised if in Galapagos you host home has ants- they are not dangerous and you will quickly get used to them |
| * Food: |
Host families provided breakfast and dinner. Lunches usually around $5 |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Host families in Quito were great at integrating into family, hard to get too integrated with Quito because such a big city Well integrated into my Galapagos family. All foreigners are treated like tourists in the local community. Have to go out of your way to make local friends |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
In Quito, there is a phenomenal private hospital that is attached to the school and is pretty cheap (<$30 for general visit). In Galapagos, the island has a brand new hospital that is well stocked and equipped. All visits are free. But, doctors are average at best. Often times cannot solve all your health issues or misdiagnose. I had an incident where I fractured a bone in my foot and doctors didn't know so I walked on it for a month before being properly diagnosed. |
| * Safety: |
Quito- Need to be aware of pickpocketers, stay away from certain parts of city but location of host families is safe Galapagos- Extremely safe, little to no crime |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
People, Politics and Environment was the perfect track for me. Exactly the type of things I am interested in |
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) |
Greatest expense were lunches, going out to bars, and tourist gifts |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Banks in Galapagos charge fees. Be prepared |
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 |
You could get by in the program without speaking Spanish. Some host families even speak English |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | Tell your host families you want to practice Spanish with them |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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? | Don't expect much out of the wifi in Galapagos |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
