An 'Other Worldly' experience filled with much blessings and many challenges Past Review
By Kaitlin B (PSYCHOLOGY., University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse) - abroad from 12/28/2012 to 05/05/2013 with
CIEE: Hyderabad - Arts and Sciences
I got to see and be a part of a culture that is so very different from mine. I learned how challenging it is to try and live in another culture that functions in a much different way. I got to experience what it is like to be the minority. I learned how to be more independent and how to be okay with be uncomfortable and unsure. Above all else this experienced strengthen me as a person, it challenged me in ways that I never could of imagined and it blessed me in a way that I cannot even put into words.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics at the University of Hyderabad were set up differently than I was used to at my university in the US. I thought that the academic rigor and intensity of the classes I took were at a somewhat lower level than at my home university. This isn't to say that I didn't have to work hard, I just felt that academics were not as demanded than what I was used to. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration was AMAZING! I felt very comfortable with the on-site staff right away. They were all SO helpful with whatever problem I had, whether that be academics or issues with my host family or issues or difficulties with culture shock and etc. The staff was so great in so many ways!!! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was beyond satisfied with my living arrangements. I lived with a host family and one other study abroad student. |
| * Food: |
Food was wonderful. My stomach did have some issues adjusting to the food and the differences in preparation and sanitation of food in India versus in the US, but over the food was great. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very, very integrated with the local culture. The main cause of this is due to living with a host family, as well as living in a very busy part of the city where my roommate and I had to commute to school each day using public transportation. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had a few stomach issues while in India and got food poisoning a couple times. In light of this, I thought I was well taken care of by the program and my host family. |
| * Safety: |
Minus the difference in population, I feel as though Hyderabad is as safe as any other city you would go to in the US. Just like any city, I would advise future students to not go out into the city alone, especially at night and especially if you are a woman. I would also advise that women be more cautious in how they interact with men ( acting in a way that doesn't give a man the wrong impression). While I was in Hyderabad, there was a bombing that took place in the city. It is something that doesn't happen frequently in Hyderabad, but this still doesn't change the fact that there was a bombing while I was studying there. But I hope that this type of thing doesn't deter future students from coming to India, because bombings are not just limited to place like India, but can happen anywhere, such as the Boston Marathon bombing. |
| 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? | $50-$60 |
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 |
We were required to take a language as part of the program. Since I lived with a host family, as well as a maid and a cook who didn't know any English, I was encouraged to use the language I was learning some times. But overall, since a lot of people know English in Hyderabad, I didn't speak the language very much. But it was helpful to hear it spoken a lot by my host family and people around me |
| 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 |
| 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? | Living with a host family that speaks the language you are studying is very helpful. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Honestly, not very much. The biggest things I wish I would have liked to know before going on this program was more information about how the public transportation worked, like which buses went where...other than that, nothing |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
