SIT ECE - a great program especially if you're interested in travel Past Review
By A student (Environmental Studies., Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/27/2012 to 12/07/2012 with
SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador - Comparative Ecology and Conservation
It was definitely worthwhile, I learned a lot about a new culture, and actually living there (as opposed to just visiting) helped me look at my experiences in the US from a different perspective too.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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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? |
Not studying at a local university made it harder to feel integrated. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Quito can be a dangerous city, but if you're smart about where you go and keep track of your belongings it doesn't have to be an issue. Still, though, several people from my program got robbed, and some multiple times. |
| 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) |
Food is incredibly cheap; other expenses were minimal as well |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Easily under $40 (many meals, however, were provided by my 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 |
Not enough encouragement in my opinion; the program staff typically did not mind at all if we wanted to speak in English. |
| 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? | I completed all grammar courses and had taken 2 literature courses. |
| 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? | Talk talk talk! You might have to go out of your way sometimes to get more spanish practice in, but it's definitely worth it. |
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? | I did not have to worry as much about figuring out ISP; there is plenty of time to organize it during the program. |
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.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Spanish for Natural Sciences |
| Course Department: | Spanish |
| Instructor: | Luis Alfonso |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | Not especially challenging but very helpful as a grammar review and for conversation practice. The class was very small (5 students) so high participation was required - definitely a good thing. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Haven't started that process yet |
