I loved Ecuador! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I absolutely loved the field-based organization of the program, and learned so much on the various excursions in different regions of the country!

On-site administration of your program

I felt like by the end of the semester, the directors in-country were helpful in addressing students' problems. Although initially it felt like there was a major disconnect between professors and students in terms of students the kind of support students were expecting, the professors were great at taking feedback, and by the end of the program I felt really close to both professors. The cultural specialist was also extremely important in making me feel comfortable with everything happening on the program.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my host family experience! It was great to experience the country through living with a family, feeling like I had a home abroad, and navigating the city from my house.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The homestays were huge in helping me experience local culture, especially our main homestay. Other than that, I feel like most of my cultural experiences came from my experiences not directly associated with my program (spending time with local friends). I wish more Spanish had been spoken in program classes, but I did feel like our excursions gave us a good sense of the diversity in people and lifestyles throughout the country.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got very sick while abroad, and the cultural specialist on the program staff was extremely helpful in getting to the doctor and helping me communicate with my program directors and my host family. She also helped me get the healthcare I needed in-country and the entire experience was minimally stressful and very easy.

I never felt seriously unsafe, and the program staff helped us learn where/when/how it was safe to travel around outside of program trips.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The program covered almost all expenses, by providing housing and food on excursions, giving students a host family, and providing the majority of the money needed for personal expenses during the ISP period.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The program advertised itself as all in Spanish, and definitely didn't hold true to that. That said, all lectures started out in Spanish, and students were encouraged to ask questions and present in Spanish. I would stay that professors generally asked students to use spanish in communication with them inside and outside of class, and preferred to only respond to English in one-on-one conversation when a student said that they couldn't express what they were trying to say in Spanish.

Select all that apply

• Other
• Host Family
• Hostel

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• Americans
• International Students
• Host Family

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• Americans

• Going to the Galapagos
• My ISP experience
• Life in Quito

• Respect/relationship between program directors and students
• ORIENTATION!!!