A semester in Varanasi is like a submersion in cultural time travel (with cows). Past Review
By elise a (Cinematography and Film/Video Production., Emerson College) - abroad from 08/28/2014 to 12/17/2014 with
IFSA/Alliance: Varanasi - The City, The River, The Sacred
Certainly worthwhile, I learned that the greatest challenges can be simply readjusting to new habits of daily life - from bucket showers to crossing rickshaw ridden streets or simply functioning in the heat. When surmounting these simple tasks accomplishes a feeling of achievement, it's hard at first to return to the ease and routine of western life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Course was geared towards enhancing students understanding of the city and culture, a balance between rigor and interaction with the surroundings. Large adjustments to local teaching/lecture style took place over the semester. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
All the love for Lara, Wanda, and Rahul. Ready to help us at every turn without babying or guiding too closely. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Stayed with a lovely host family (host mother, father, grandfather, and grand uncle) with the added bonus of three adorable pomeranians. |
| * Food: |
Our host mother's morning chai, sigh, how I miss it. Also her chapati, paratha, daal, gulab jamun, kitchari (okay, basically everything she cooked us). |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our area of Assi within Varanasi felt like a neighborhood within a city, my roommate and I spent weekendly free time drinking chai with local shop keepers. I made a few local friends, although this was a tricky process. I would have been nice to have access to local uni students in the area. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was very lucky but also given good guidance from my program leaders. Besides a bought of Dehli belly (which I easily and cheaply saw a local doctor for) I didn't have any significant health issues during semester. |
| * Safety: |
I didn't have any serious incidents, but girls should expect a lot of attention in the streets from men, not always positive. The best advice I was given steered me right, if you don't see an Indian woman doing it, you probably shouldn't be either. This was the best way to stay culturally appropriate and safe. (Don't see woman off the streets after dark? Time to go home. Don't see Indian women doing yoga/dancing in public? Save it for indoors.) |
| 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) |
Th bulk of my money went to voluntary expenses (gifts for friends/family, extra travel) because food and housing was included in the up front costs and cost of living and traveling was exceptionally low. (The rupee was very weak to the dollar when we arrived, which was nice for us.) |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | less than $20, unless traveling (and sometimes even then) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | unsurprisingly, expenses were low in a developing country. none-the-less, keep track of personal expenses throughout. |
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 |
2 - I came with minimal Hindi experience (one summer intensive) and my host parents spoke good English. The students who took a semester of the language before coming were able to use and learn much more (around town and with their host families). |
| 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? | few week summer intensive |
| 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? | I highly recommend a semester of Hindi before going, you'd do fine without it but are more likely to leave with conversational/intermediate Hindi when you leave. |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is in a program house in which you take classes with BHU (local Hindi university) professors. This means you won't be taking classes at the university or with Indian students. Heads up - a couple of us were unclear about this before we showed up. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
