Incredible community and fascinating study abroad location Past Review

By (Gonzaga University) - abroad from 08/27/2018 to 12/05/2018 with

The School for Field Studies / SFS: Peru – Amazon Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This program is so worthwhile. I learned so much about the Peruvian culture, ecology, political and social landscape, and got a wonderful experience that I will always carry with me.

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.

This program is definitely more heavy academically than most other typical study abroad programs, but this is what made it such a more incredible experience for me.

* 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?

I think that to the extent that this program is focused on field research of the ecology and natural sciences in the area, there was definitely a lot of integration with the local people and communities.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Our staff was incredibly responsive and capable of handling all the students' heath issues throughout the semester

* Safety:

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

This program was so enriching for me academically, socially, and personally because of the location and the people I was surrounded by and the work I got to do while there.

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? less than $5
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? You don't have a lot of opportunities to spend much money during the program, so it's super easy to save money. As well, the exchange rates in Peru make everything you purchase much cheaper.

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

If you are comfortable speaking Spanish, there are many opportunities to speak it, but also a lot of support for those who don't speak the language

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? IB Spanish SL
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Location
  • Staff
  • Program so focused on experiential education
* What could be improved?
  • having more places for students to spend down time
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That where the campus is located is less rural than advertised on the webpage.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.