Titles. They try to cram too much into too few words. I'll stick with "India." Past Review
By Sarah P (Philosophy., Carleton College) for
Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM): India - Culture, Traditions, & Globalization
Worthwhile doesn't begin to describe it. It was simultaneously the most difficult thing I have ever done and the most wonderful. The program had flaws, to be sure - flaws that could be remedied easily enough (and probably won't be, because that's how things work). But my understanding of other people, other cultures, other worldviews, and especially of myself has shifted and grown as a result of my experiences. I wouldn't trade that for anything.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
- actual workload: less than at home college - resources with which to complete work: much less than at home college - grading: more like European system; remains to be seen how it will be integrated into my actual grades (for example, 5/10 was an average test grade in one of my classes and the highest score - given to one student - was 7/10. 50% and 70%, in American terms, do not match the intended grades in the Indian system) - instructors were less familiar with discussion-based learning and more with rote memorization and argument from authority. Degrees of adaptation success varied between professors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program had too many students (25: twice as many as usual, and more than staff or resources could really deal with). This being India, everything required many steps, most of which were slow. Support services/ability to get things done were limited compared to what I'm used to at my US college, but I don't think it's specifically the fault of the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Everything was delicious. The only complaint is that Indian hospitality meant that I was constantly being overfed. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Giving both of the above a middle rating because I had no experiences with the former and no bad experiences with the latter. |
| 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | One of the advantages of going to a developing country is that most things are cheap. I could spend under $5/day if I bought only lunch and a couple rickshaw rides to/from school. However, if one to do anything interesting, such as taking dance lessons, one should be prepared to spend significantly more (but still not much by American standards). |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | buying an Indian phone - unexpected but not horribly expensive |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Wealthy/educated and young people speak English. For most everyday interactions, such as buying food and paying for rickshaws, it's good to know Marathi. And *most* of the host families spoke Marathi at home, so it was nice to hear/practice it there. |
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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Adaptability is probably the most essential skill you can have. India is, well, India - which means it's colorful and messy and traditional and modern and so many other things. And for any of them, the opposite is most likely the case as well. If you're an American student who's used to having readings assigned in a book you ordered ahead of time from your college bookstore, writing papers assigned at the beginning of term, and having a complete syllabus in front of you from the first day of class, feel free to enjoy these luxuries. But don't be attached to them. And, more importantly, don't consider the lack of them to be some sort of backwardness. Down that path lies peril. Instead, realize that things are different, and different is neither inherently good nor bad - it just is. If you can keep that in mind, you'll get the most out of being abroad, wherever you go. |
