Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Personally and Academically Challenging, but Worth it! Past Review

By (University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 05/19/2014 to 05/30/2014 with

University of Northern Iowa: Guatemala - UNI Multicultural Counseling in Guatemala, Summer Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The trip to Guatemala during May session taught me so much more than I believe I could have gained from a campus held session. It was an opportunity to challenge myself personally, learn about culture first-hand, and immerse myself in learning how to be aware of multicultural issues in Counseling. It was an awesome experience overall!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Very little time was not used during the time abroad. I felt as though time was used very wisely.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Our professor really left much of it up to us and let us figure out things for ourselves, but was always there if we needed him. Helped to better the experience.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The University where we stayed was so helpful to us and very welcoming. The hotel where we stayed in Antigua was absolutely beautiful and in a perfect location.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I never felt unsafe.

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

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)

Spent very little money while actually in Guatemala. The actual program cost was my only concern money wise. I, however, do not understand why it did not meet criteria for the Summer scholarship. I understand that we are not guaranteed this money, but it was a required course for me and I wish that I would have been given more information in this regard to better understand the thinking behind it. It would have been nice to have the "base level" cost for enrolling in a course eligible for coverage.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Less than 100

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

We did not use the language in class, as none of us had many classes in Spanish. However, we were encouraged and needed to use some of it during our stay. We did do "necessary phrases" and such during class.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 2 semesters in college
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Hotel
* 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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Interacting with the locals
  • Getting to know future collegues better
  • Antigua was beautiful
* What could be improved?
  • Flight planning
  • Clarity in pre-departure timeline
  • None
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I did not understand that it would be as personally challenging as it was, however, I am glad that I did not know. It helped me to grow more as a person and in a Counseling program, I feel as though that was an important component of it.

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 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.