Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

I just want to go back Past Review

By (Pre Nursing, Brigham Young University) - abroad from 05/20/2012 to 06/10/2012 with

Brigham Young University: Traveling - India Nursing Study Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
More than I can write. It was SO worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I don't feel like this program was created to be academically rigorous or challenging. It was one of the best educational experiences I've had because we were physically working and wearing ourselves out with the purpose of understand global/public health needs. It was education I don't think I could have grasped in a classroom.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Rising Star Outreach was our host program and they were awesome. I could tell that they were trying to let us experience and learn as much as possible in our 3 short weeks there. They looked for opportunities for us and unique situations for us to jump in and gain incredible experiences.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

For India standards, our housing was fit for a king. We had air conditioning, clean beds, laundry service, a kitchen available, internet, and anything we really could ever need.

* Food:

I admit, I got a little sick of rice and soupy-curry. And it was pretty spicy. But it was part of the experience. I never went hungry.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Granted our living conditions and whole set up were sort of Americanized to accommodate the volunteers, I still feel like I was immersed in Indian culture and got to see the lives of real people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We were given a big heads up about the health issues in that area, so we knew what vaccines and stuff to get before leaving. The healthcare system was definitely different from home in that India wasn't so cushy. But I always felt like I had access to anything I needed if I was sick.

* Safety:

There are obviously places in India that tourists shouldn't wander into alone, but I never felt unsafe. The host program and our professors definitely took care of us. I remember hearing scary things before I went and I felt nervous about getting lost of kidnapped or robbed. But honestly, just be smart and you'll be fine.

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)

It was SO cheap. Rising Star provided almost everything you needed. If you weren't buying souvenirs and fun stuff, you really could live on almost nothing. You need money to get to and from Rising Star at the beginning and end of your trip, but the main block of time you are in India, you really don't need much.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $20
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? No. I bought some fun stuff in markets and things, but if you are trying to live cheap, you can live off $10 a week.

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

I tried to learn a little Tamil to communicate with people in villages, but they mostly wanted us to help the students learn English, so we were encouraged to use it very little. At the end of the experience, I only knew 5-10 Tamil phrases.

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? None
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? none
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? If you are just going for the 3 weeks, I wouldn't worry about it.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Hostel
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The people. The people were so kind and interesting. I learned so much from observing and talking with them. They made the experience.
* What could be improved?
  • I wish we had more time there. It wasn't long enough.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Don't be scared to jump right in and try to talk with the people. There is a language barrier, but it's just a minor detail. Get to know the people. Interacting with them was the most memorable and important thing I did there.