Best decision I made! Past Review

By (Grove City College) - abroad from 02/09/2019 to 05/04/2019 with

Ecuador Study Abroad Reflections: Comprehensive Reviews of Past Programs

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about the South American and Ecuadorean culture, improved my Spanish language abilities, and also learned a lot about myself. I highly recommend this study abroad for anyone interested in a small family like relationships who have an interest in Spanish!!

Review Photos

Study Abroad Programs in Ecuador Photo Study Abroad Programs in Ecuador Photo Study Abroad Programs in Ecuador Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Classes where all taught in Spanish, there was a good variety of class options, all professors where very good and helpful. The curriculum was perfect for study abroad experience, I felt I was able to learn quite a lot from the classes but also had enough time to enjoy the country and culture.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

All the administration was wonderful, they were so helpful and genuinely concerned with making sure I was comfortable, it felt like a family!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The host family I lived with were incredibly kind and welcoming, and was in a very convenient location, I was able to walk almost everywhere I needed to, and felt very safe.

* Food:

Living with a host family, I had two meals provided per day and both were very filling and delicious.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very immersed in the culture, and learned so much! Living with a host family definitely helped, I also spent 3 weeks interning and volunteering with an indigenous family in a rural town which was a wonderful experience I learned how the indigenous people live, their culture, traditions, food, and language.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did get sick while abroad, but with the help of the administration, it was very easy to get the help and care I needed in a very timely manner.

* Safety:

Overall, the city was safe, of course at night in certain areas it is very important to be aware of your surroundings and be with a group and friends. Pick-pocketing was the biggest concern, so make sure you hide your phone and valuables while on the street.

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

My experience abroad was wonderful, I made many friends from all over the world, and the school, teachers and administration where so kind and friendly. There were many included trips and I never left alone or lost.

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)

I did end up spending more money during my study abroad than I expected to, but I do not have regrets on what I spent, since most of my extra costs went towards trips and more memories to experience what the country and culture had to offer.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Learn how to budget, try to keep to it, spend less on things like eating out and nice food, and more on trips, and experiences.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

All my classes were in Spanish and I spoke Spanish with my host family and the administration at the school, although if I needed, there were many who did understand English if there was something more important to communicate.

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
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? Take a class at your school before leaving, or sign up for Duolingo or another type of language app that you can practice in free time.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
  • 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 people
  • the opportunities, classes, internships, volunteering
  • the included trips
* What could be improved?
  • transcript sent faster afterwards
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The spring semester in Ecuador is more of the off-season, so there were much fewer students at the school than I expected, but was still fun