India, yes! Alliance? Hmm... Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes were long and sometimes boring because the information given had already been taught in yesterday's other class. I felt that the essay assignments were not taken seriously by some professors, and were just given to us because the program required something to be recorded as a grade. With that being said, the economics professor and environmental professor were great because they actually took the time to explain what was being taught so that the students were confident in what was just said. The other professors either lectured at you, or decided to pick a topic for the day, and talk about how it related to their PERSONAL lives. When writing a research paper, resources were not that easily accessible. If you wanted to use the center's wifi, it either didn't work, or other students were using it to video chat or download media. If you go to a café that has "free wifi", they are stingy about letting you use it. If you bought an internet stick, you must be in a good location and have a very high patience level because the internet is very slow when loading.

On-site administration of your program

Things were very unorganized. Yes I went into India knowing that the way of life and how things functioned would be different and that Indians are not as time-oriented as Americans, but some things were just ridiculous. They bragged about being a program for so long, but one would think things would run more smoothly after having so much experience in hosting prestigious American students. We were guinea pigs to a new director in charge that came with a price- first, Alliance's connections to classrooms on Fergusson campus and second, a hostel option. If the program wanted to have a new director, that's fine, but I think that the one chosen should have been well prepared, experienced and well equipped to handle a group of 30 students efficiently. One example was that we had classes in three different location buildings over the entire semester, and it wasn't due to construction or classroom use overlap (broken connections). Another example would be the program's stubborn attitude towards flexibility and change when it came to travel and internship. (Some students missed one day of class for travel and the program brought it up every chance they got when it came to travel plans. Internship placement issues existed for some students because placements did not match their interests and the internship coordinator was not willing to work with the student to get a new internship.) Another specific example would be how my internship hours were not sent to my university until well after the program ended/ I started my next semester at my home university/ after multiple email requests by myself and other students. (Even though they were requested to be sent while I was still in India! So I would suggest getting your own copy while you can.)

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had the most amazing host family! I chose to stay with a host family and the Alliance gave me the best they could find in the entire country! When I filled out my match sheet, I asked for host parents that were traditional, yet open to discuss anything, and that is exactly what I got! My host mother did all the talking because my host dad could barely speak English, but she was very open about her beliefs and answered all kinds of question my roommates and I asked. I was glad that I was able to be submerged into a culture that was far from my own through my host family.

I definitely liked some things more than others, but over all, I enjoyed trying new things more than eating the same dish over and over again. But because everything was so much cheaper than the US, I loved to splurge on my meals! Great quality meal for less than half the price you would expect to pay back home! I was hesitant at first because of all the vegetarian meals I would eat, but cutting meat out of my diet for almost four months wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I only feel that I was integrated into the local culture because my host family exposed us to it. I went to live performances, concerts, temple celebrations, a wedding reception and festival events all with the help of my host mother and another student's host mother.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never fell ill on this trip, but for everything you think might be wrong with you, the program highly suggested going to see the doctor. I heard mixed reviews about the doctor students had to go to, but since two students got dengue fever and survived, the doctor deserves some credit!

After being in Pune for a while, you feel more comfortable. As a city I felt it was very safe because of all the colleges and universities around that housed and catered to students. Don't go out at night on your own, and if you do, make sure you are not alone and be aware of your surroundings.

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

It was very easy to live on a student budget because the exchange rate helped a lot when it came to buying clothing, souvenirs and food.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Local Students
• Americans
• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Americans

• Host family
• Other students in program
• Environmental Perspectives Course

• Courses

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer