Study in Galapagos: Life Redefined Past Review
By Aubrey L (Biology, General., Drake University) for
IES Abroad: Galápagos Islands Direct Enrollment - GAIAS
My experience abroad changed my life, helped me meet new people, see amazing sights and become more independent, language-competent and confident.
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. |
Professor feedback and grade progress was not really available or given by Ecuadorian professors. Likewise, expectations were less laid out and more assumed to be common knowledge. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Communication was a weakness. Sometimes it was difficult to know what was going on and difficult to plan because schedules and certain requirements weren't sufficiently communicated. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was treated like a family member in my home. The neighborhood felt very safe in the Galapagos; Quito was much less safe and you needed to be careful and conscious at all time. Each town (Quito and Galapagos) had nightlife and places to go at night. |
| * Food: |
Rice was a component of every meal. Sometimes for dinner I got rice, with spaghetti noodles covered in a squirt of ketchup. They just don't really understand balanced diets. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We went island hopping and got to see many islands of the Galapagos which was amazing! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Any time we had a problem with health, we were cared for and taken to the hospital. I felt that I was in very good hands. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | save money for the Galapagos, it's more expensive than Quito |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I spoke Spanish with my host families and other community members all the time. Very few people on the islands knew English. It was extremely beneficial to know Spanish and I used it each day in several daily interactions. |
| 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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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? | Definitely someone with an interest in biology, politics or conservation. |
