My time in India was a dream Past Review
By Hayley M (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS., Wellesley College) for
SIT Study Abroad: India - Sustainable Development and Social Change
Study abroad was amazing, as was living in India for so long. I have become a stronger, more independent person because of my experiences. I would absolutely do it again, though maybe with a different program in India. I am so glad I did this, though at times it was more challenging than I ever could have imagined. I was more homesick than I expected, and put way outside my comfort zone. I have changed a lot because of this experience, for the better.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I felt like the academics overall were very interesting, and I enjoyed the site visits and having outside Indian professors come in to lecture. While the academic director Mary Storm was very knowledgeable, she was also a bit difficult to work with, and would have temper tantrums and was also very rude to staff and students, making students cry on several occasions. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Mary Storm was smart but rather difficult to work with. I don't think that any of the students liked her very much, and I have conversed with previous semesters of students who also felt the same. The other administrative people were quite nice, and the food was very good. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I felt safe and a part of my host family, though it was definitely difficult to get to used to. Overall I had a comparative amount of freedom, which was nice. The maid cooked all my meals. My room was right overlooking a very traffic filled area, which was very difficult to get used to. No AC, in a lot of heat. |
| * Food: |
Food was amazing. Quite excellent, nutritious, and a lot of it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
the excursions were amazing. All of them. The best part of the program by far. And having the time to travel and do independent research was very valuable. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
A lot of people on the program because sick, and they were very helpful with getting us to appropriate care, both mental and physical. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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? | Oh goodness. I would say I probably spent around $1500 that semester. On a daily basis, I probably spent Rs 500, on transportation and food and shopping. But I spent more than some. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Travel to and from school was a bit expensive. About Rs 50 each way, which adds up. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I took intensive courses and practiced with Indian people. Yes I used the host country language on a daily basis. Most people did not speak english, but this really depends on their strata of society. |
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? | The program itself was amazing, the director was a challenge. However, her job is quite challenging in itself, so maybe that's an explanation. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Independent Study Project |
| Course Department: | ISPR 3000 |
| Instructor: | Mary Storm |
| Instruction Language: | English and Hindi |
| Comments: | this was awesome because basically I was given permission to go out an research an approved topic, and then return in a month with a completed 20-25 page paper. I loved the independence, and the ability I was given to travel and really immerse myself in greater northern india. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No I don't think so |
