Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

India was an exciting adventure full of culture and many great opportunities! Past Review

By (Nursing., Brigham Young University) - abroad from 04/30/2013 to 06/17/2013 with

Brigham Young University: Traveling - India Nursing Study Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned that it doesn't take much to make you happy. Throughout the trip, I was always amazed by how happy the people were in the leprosy colonies--and they had nothing! Definitely worthwhile :)

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I felt safe the whole time I was at Rising Star, but I felt a little unsafe during the transitions before and after. I was very grateful that we were together all the time. One time, one of the girls was being a real stickler about bartering for her price for the rickshaw ride home, and she got it, but it involved a stop in a sketchy part of town (and it was dark)--we all were a little nervous. Bartering is good and necessary, but don't be unwilling to compromise when it comes to safety (we would have been better off to pay a little more and not had the stop on the way home).

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Most weeks, I probably spent $50-70, but our last week we bought specialty things at the leprosy colony that cost more.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? No, but I would advise you not to bring too much American cash with you. I brought $500, and it was more difficult trying to get it exchanged than using the ATM was. When you exchange, you have to bring your passport (which you don't always want to do for safety reasons), and exchange places are more difficult to fine. There were plenty of ATMs around and available that we could use.

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

Since we were only there for 3 weeks, we really didn't have to learn much of the language. We only learned a few simple words/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? 0

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?
  • Working in leprosy colonies.
  • Interacting with the children at Rising Star.
  • Getting to know my classmates better.
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing comes to mind...
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The money situation (I wrote about that already), and food situation--I wish I knew that I would (essentially) be providing lunch for myself too.

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.