Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A semester of theory and practice, analysis and transformation! Past Review

By (Sociology and Anthropology., Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/24/2014 to 11/26/2014 with

Autonomous University of Social Movements: Traveling - Field Program in Social Movements

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
What I learned was more than worthwhile and it will affect what I do with the rest of my life. I learned a lot about myself and about how I can make the change I hope to see in the world. I also established relationships with people and organizations that I plan on maintaining, and that will continue to inform my education.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

San Cristobal is where you spend the most money because you have buy food on the weekends. In Tlaxcala and Mexico City you only buy extra things you might want.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $20.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 310.
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? Come up with systems of accountability within the group of english speakers to make sure that you don't regress into speaking english all the time. For example, my group had frequent check-ins to see how well we were doing, and we explicitly banned speaking English around non-english speakers.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The opportunity to learn from organizations doing important work in the world.
* What could be improved?
  • The spanish classes could be better arranged by level.
  • The system of grading could be more transparent.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I can't think of anything.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Mexican Social Movements
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Bárbara Suarez
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Yes, I was challenged and inspired. While Bárbara was our primary teacher, assigning us work every week, we also had workshops with members of social movements in Mexico. My participation was on par with Middlebury. We were assessed through weekly reaction papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Modern Mexico
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Efraín Vargas
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This class pushed both my language and conceptual skills to a new level. We had many field trips, discussions, and short written homework assignments. I participated more than in my home institution, because there were fewer people in each class. We studies the current social and political geography of the cities/countrysides we were in and how they related to larger currents shaping Mexico today.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Mexican Culture
Course Department: Anthropology
Instructor: Edith Lopez Ovalle
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: This class pushed my spanish language, reading and writing skills to a new level. We had many field trips, discussions based on readings, and art projects. I participated more than in my home institution, because there were fewer people in each class. We studied the current social and cultural geography of the cities/countrysides we were in and how they related to larger currents shaping Mexico today.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Political Economy
Course Department: Economics
Instructor: Tony Nelson
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Yes, students from all disciplines were challenged. We studied the political economy of the places we lived in, and allowed our experience to inform the theories and vice verca. My participation was on par with Middlebury. We were assessed through weekly reaction papers.
Credit Transfer Issues: