Much adjustment, but also learning from so many amazing people! February 02, 2026

By (Public Health, Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/26/2025 to 12/08/2025 with

SIT Study Abroad: IHP Health and Community - Globalization, Culture and Care

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to navigate new situations through living in homestays, navigating new social situations, taking public transportation, etc. I also learned a lot more about the context/history of each place through class, site visits, conversations, museums, and exploring.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I was pushed to think in new ways and really enjoyed our group semester-long research projects.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

It varied between the three countries we were in (India, South Africa, and Argentina), but overall good. It just required some adapting to different styles of communication and organization in each place.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living in a host family was definitely an adjustment, but one of my favorite parts of the program

* Food:

Very yummy, but I don't have a lot of dietary restrictions. Those who had more restrictions or were picky sometimes had a harder time

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Living in homestays, going on frequent site visits, and learning from locals in and out of the classroom all helped with this. It should be noted that our cohort all attended school in the US, so we were not integrated into a local institution

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not need to go to a doctor during our time there, but my classmates who needed medical attention were often brought by program staff to help translate if necessary and guide them through the process

* Safety:

The country coordinators in each country ran safety briefings to inform us about local dos and don'ts

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I really liked learning more about the context of each country we visited. The program was quite structured, with a rural excursion week-ish trip each month, lots of site visits, and cultural excursions. I enjoyed the small cohort.

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)

Food stipends, housing, transportation between countries were provided from the program. Note: travel to DC and from Argentina home was not included. Additional costs were a few outings and souvenirs, but the very structured nature of the program meant we went on trips and excursions with the program as well. The cost of living in India, South Africa, and Argentina vary greatly

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* 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?
  • Small cohort
  • Semester-long research project
  • Homestays
* What could be improved?
  • Communication before the program about its structure and schedule
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The first month was a bit hectic with a lot of transitions/adjusting. Creating small routines for myself might have been helpful in this period in particular.