Past Review
By Elizabeth T (Biology, General., Wellesley College) for
SIT Study Abroad: IHP - Health and Community: Globalization, Culture and Care (Spring 1)
It was worthwhile. It was rough at times, but I am glad I went. The academics were basically useless, but I am really glad that I got all of the experiences that I did.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2010 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics were a joke, but the real point of the program is not the academics. It is the site visits, guest speakers, cross cultural activities, discussions with local people, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The country coordinators were very organized and put a lot of work into designing a good schedule for us. They were also generally accessible and willing to help. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We mostly stayed in host families, but also spent significant amounts of time staying in hostels and hotels during transition times. The homestays were very comfortable and added a lot to the program. <br /><br /> The housing was very good. |
| * Food: |
The food was an excellent way to experience the cultures. I had no real trouble getting good food, but the vegetarians had some trouble, especially in China and rural South Africa. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
You are with 34 other students non-stop for 4 months. They are your world. If the group gets along, great! If not, not great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
They did everything they could to make sure students were healthy and safe. The only safety concerns were the ones inherent in the locale, which the program cannot really do much about. |
| 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? | It depended entirely on the country. Switzerland was expensive, at least $10 a meal. India was cheap, between 30 cents and $4 a meal. China was also cheap, about a dollar or two a meal. South Africa was about the same price as the US, maybe slightly cheaper. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The program expects students to pay for gifts for all faculty, country coordinators and guest speakers. This didn't amount to a ton of money (~$15), but it was still annoying to be surprised with. You will also have to pay for any doctor's visits, if you get sick. This is completely unknown, but can be expensive. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
Working on a foreign language is not an aspec of this program. The only way you would be able to practice is if you spoke Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Chinese, Afrikaans or isiXosa. |
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? | Don't be dependent on contact with home. You will not have it all the time and if you are too stuck at home, you miss out on wonderful opportunities abroad. |
