Perfect Study Abroad for Adventure Past Review
By Anya Otterson (University of Denver) - abroad from 08/27/2018 to 12/09/2018 with
SIT Study Abroad Mongolia and Siberia: Nomadism, Geopolitics, and the Environment
I learned about a culture and a place about which I really had no prior knowledge. I'm an equestrian, so I got to learn about Mongolian horsemanship from Mongolians, and it helped me to understand better how although we come from places that are so far apart, we really are similar.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It's experiential learning, so rather than spending a lot of time in the classroom, you learn by traveling and meeting people. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The SIT Mongolia staff are amazing and will help you with whatever you need throughout the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Mongolia food was rough for me, but it's fun to try new things. Also, Ulaanbaatar is getting more and more international food options, so we went out to eat a lot while we were there. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was absolutely amazing. Every day while I was there, I woke up and was grateful to be there. The experiential-focus of the program was awesome because rather than being stuck in a classroom, we learned by traveling and living with/meeting local people. All of us came back with amazing stories. |
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) |
The exchange rate is really good coming from the US, so we were able to go out to eat a lot and get whatever we needed by way of supplies/souvenirs/etc |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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 |
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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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew that I'd be able to buy pretty much anything I needed in Ulaanbaatar. I way overpacked, thinking I wouldn't be able to find anything there. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe 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. |
