Feeling at home in a foreign country despite being poor Past Review
By A student (Latin American Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 07/29/2014 to 07/18/2015 with
Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Santiago
I learned how to engage in my surroundings and form my own cultural conceptions. My experience was definitely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Less reading than Wellesley College but all courses are in Spanish which adds difficulty especially when all academic language you know is in English. More group work and projects as opposed to traditional papers |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program is not really intended for minority or low income students so the administrators have a hard time figuring you might have different needs than what they usually encounter. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
There are housing regulations that force you to live with a host family located in posh neighborhoods that are high budget. This is insensitive to low-income students who might not be able to afford paying upwards of $650 per month on rent. I moved out to live on my own second semester due to the high costs and the program gave little help in finding cheap housing within their regulations. It was hard when all my money went to rent and I couldn't really afford to go out as much as some of my groupmates. |
| * Food: |
Good food, just a little bland. I ended up cooking for myself for half of the academic year. |
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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? |
healthcare was easily accessible but the insurance process is long and difficult. I have yet to be reimbursed for the cost of my hospital visit. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | don't live with a host family |
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 |
We had a language contract where we were not allowed to speak anything but Spanish. This was helpful in immersing ourselves in the culture. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| 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? | Native speaker |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
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? | 10+ |
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 didn't have to live with a host family. I got along really well with the family I was placed with but I don't really think I was matched well considering our different political and social opinions. It was also a huge expense that was not necessary and forced me to take out a loan when I should not have had to. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
