A meaningful look into the health and society of urban and rural India Past Review

By (HSSP and Environmental Studies, Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/03/2017 to 05/19/2017 with

SIT Study Abroad: India: Public Health, Policy Advocacy, and Community

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I wanted to go abroad to a place most different from the way I live. India fulfilled that and I learned a lot about the social and political forces that drive public health in India. Totally worthwhile! Though because the program was dedicated to public health, I felt like that was all India was about and I wish I could have had the time to appreciate India from a different angle.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

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:

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

I would not have as meaningful an experience if I did not go to India with SIT. For me, the cultural and social differences would have been hard to appreciate and validate if I were not experiencing them through a public health lens with teachers and staff who could contextualize and synthesize those differences for us.

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? $100

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

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
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? Always practice with taxi drivers

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? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Travel
  • Food
  • ISP
* What could be improved?
  • Lectures
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that people still wear jeans in India because even though people still wear kurtas and Indian clothing it is still a modern country!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.