A Mixed Experience Turns Profound When The Scholarly Bubble Bursts Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Lots of homework (mostly reading), which can be irritating if one is curious to explore his/her new 'home' and environs, but which at the same time are for the most part hugely instructive and insightful into the host culture, history, etc.

On-site administration of your program

All faculty, staff, administrators, and associated personnel were extraordinary - welcoming, warm, accessible, intelligent.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My two homestays were like day and night: in the first, I lived with a Christian missionary family that, although plenty welcoming, friendly, and, importantly, safe, possessed views that were often awkwardly incompatible with my own and, presumably, with any or most of the students likely to have sufficient interest in the (progressive and politically left, sometimes radically so) themes of the program as to spend four months elaborating them. My second experience, on the other hand, with a radical old scholar, was nothing short of personally transforming.

All food prepared in homestays ranged from edible to delicious, nothing revolting in almost five months in country. Street food owned a similar taste range, but was often questionably safe. I was once violently ill from food poisoning that I picked up eating out.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt maddeningly isolated for most of the pre-ISP period. Because my homestay brothers were both young boys, and homework occupied much of my out-of-class time (which itself was surprisingly limited given the number of hours spent in classes running over time), and because we weren't directly enrolled in a local university, my only exposure to the Bolivian people and their culture at all (beyond the confines of pre-arranged, still insular trips and activities organized by SIT) occurred by my own initiative to spend time with professors and to seek out social gatherings (i.e. Bolivian university lectures and protests) virtually alone.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had no health issues, other than a spell of food poisoning that I was able to handle independently, while abroad.

I never felt debilitating-ly unsafe. The neighborhoods in which students live and are inclined to pass their time walking, exploring, studying, or socializing, are entirely safe during the day and, for the most part, well into the nighttime hours. Still, I wouldn't recommend traveling alone, anywhere, ever, just as a precaution, and certainly would not advise taking any transport other than radio taxis (called by phone) after dark. I also wouldn't recommend bringing anything of value out publicly if not totally necessary. I was robbed at least once (maybe twice), and almost assaulted that one time. Citizens are extremely vigilant and supportive when they witness wrong-doing, but the police are basically useless.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

7/1 boliviano/dollar exchange rate was hugely helpful.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We were loosely forbidden (lightly and constructively chastised for using English when not totally necessary; e.g. just because it was convenient) from speaking English during any time or event affiliated with SIT - e.g. in our homestays, in class, while traveling.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• El Colectivo 2
• Everything about Bolivian culture, geography, and people
• The academic curricula

• the insularity of the pre-ISP period
• the pre-departure experience: help from Tufts ensuring credit, for instance, and contact with other students
• staying in country (that is, eliminating a week's visit to Argentina)

The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer