Amazing Experience with Rocky Moments Past Review
By A student (Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General., Villanova University) - abroad from 01/26/2013 to 06/16/2013 with
IFSA: Heredia - Universidad Nacional
To be positive and take life slower. It was completely worthwile
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The class material itself was not challenging. The challenge was taking classes completely in Spanish |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
While I had my frustrations and they tended to be extremely unorganized, I found out speaking to other kids in different programs on campus that by some miracle we were actually more organized. |
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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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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The program cost covers health care. Thypoid vaccine is needed along with the Hep series. |
| * Safety: |
While I never felt unsafe, there was drug dealing and shootings on my corner. My advice is to never walk alone when it is dark and don't do anything you wouldn't do in a major US city |
| 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) |
A weekend trip costs at the most, $100, however if I wasn't traveling I would only spend $5 maybe up to $10 for the week |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Maximum $10 unless I was travelling |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Eat at home as much as you can and depending if you are traveling ask if your family can make you a sandwich to take on the bus because you never know where or when the bus will stop for a break |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| 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? | Research Seminar |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Think in that language |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | I wish we had known what field trips we were paying for |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Espanol Avanzado |
| Course Department: | Spanish |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Simple subject matter that is learned in intro levels until we got a new professor the last 1/4 of the semester |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | I was told that this class does NOT transfer as Advanced Grammar but Intermediate II or Conversation and Composition I instead. If most Villanova students mostly go abroad Fall of Junior year this needs to be considered or discussed with the Villanova Spanish Department. It was a little ridiculous that the only class I was not receiving credit for was in fact my required Spanish class from the program |
