A Semester in Crowded, Beautiful Pune Past Review
By Samuel P (Religious Studies and Media & Cultural Studies, Macalester College) - abroad from 01/20/2014 to 05/26/2014 with
IFSA/Alliance: Pune - Contemporary India
It might sound cliche but I learned a lot about myself. Living in such a different culture is really challenging and rewarding. Pune is an amazing city. It is large but a great place to study abroad. Traveling through India is a must, and some of my best memories are from traveling to different places like Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, and Sikkm. Take advantage of the unique opportunity to spend a semester in India!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes are fascinating, but the quality of professors and level of class work vary greatly between classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Uttara, the program director, is amazing. She is like a second mom to all the students. The administration actively tries to help you with any problems you have. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
At first, I was worried about living with a host family. However, I was happily surprised with my roommate and host family. I got to bond closer with one student on my program, and I also got to make a strong connection with a wonderful married couple. |
| * Food: |
The food at home was amazing and all the food around Pune was fantastic and cheap. Be careful and let your stomach get used to the food. Dont forget, some people's stomachs are stronger than others! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It does feel at times like you spend most of your time with other American students. The program gives you Indian "buddies" that you can connect with. It really depends on your level of dedication of trying to explore outside of your American bubble. Also depends on your host family. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The program will send someone with you on your first doctor visit. They are very accommodating when you are sick. It is a somewhat common occurrence for Americans in India. |
| * Safety: |
As a white male, who traveled primarily in groups, I never encountered any moments where I felt very unsafe. I heard about instances where women were sexually harassed either on the street or in rickshaws. Be careful about rickshaws and try to stay as aware as posssible when traveling alone. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Really depends how much shopping you do and how lavish you want your lunches and nights-out. You can be incredible stingy if you want, but if you go to Western places, it can add up. Overall, very very very affordable! |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Stay away from Western dominated areas. KP is expensive! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
They praised you for basic statements, but it was hard to use on the street because the language you learn is Hindi, and the local language is Marathi. People also speak English and Hindi. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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? | None in Hindi |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Try your best! dont be afraid to messs up a lot and be laughed at a bit! |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Do not over pack and be prepared to bring a lot of stuff back with you! |
