Absolutely life changing!!! August 19, 2022

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Being able to learn from Nepali professors with other American students, as well as Nepali students, provided an opportunity to learn that can’t be found in other settings. Everyone is very good about working together and learning from each other so that everyone's strengths can be taken advantage of for papers and projects. A portable library is taken everywhere the program goes so that students have literary resources.

On-site administration of your program

All staff and administration was super helpful and kind, making sure every student was taken care of and felt supported in every way.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We stayed in guesthouses where we got a shared room with other program students and an attached bathroom, most of the time, occasionally the bathroom was communal. These arrangements were all we needed because most of the time we were out of the rooms. Essentially when we went to the room, all we wanted to do was sleep and shower, so a bed and a bathroom was really all we needed.

Most of the time we were given dal bhat which is the traditional dish of Nepal but there were a few times where we could pick from a menu. When we stayed in Pokhara or Kathmandu there was much more freedom to go and choose a restaurant. Can very easily stay vegetarian but it is extremely hard to be vegan due to how small some of the towns are.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I enjoyed learning the customs of Nepal, the language, the people, and the funny expressions like Malā'ī thāhā chaina, Lopeta and Dudh chiya ma lat basyo. I thought it was amazing how I adapted mentally and how my body adapted to the food and water without any issues but to be honest, Nepal felt like a 2nd home, the Nepali students were super welcoming to me, we went to the movies, on a boat ride, and to the Pashupatinath Temple for a ceremony of the new month, everyone was just very welcoming.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I sprained my foot trekking down from Muktinath and had to go to the travel clinic. iSOS took care of all the insurance and the doctors at the travel clinic were very helpful and kind. Overall a good experience. Would highly recommend you bring cough drops and cold medicine due to the pollution in Kathmandu and the bigger cities as well as Pepto-Bismol pills or tablets in case your stomach has a harder time adapting to food. In terms of vaccines, I would suggest getting any that your travel doctor suggests and that your insurance covers. There are certain ones that are more expensive that really aren't worth getting since the risk is very low.

Overall, very safe but be careful with crossing streets, make sure you learn from locals. Only other concern is that sometimes locals cat call and "harass" you in the sense that they want to sell you their products so they will keep insisting but never in an aggressive way.

Overall, it was an amazing learning experience, and led me to feel more like myself and more confident in all aspects.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Overall spent 300$ on extras, like snacks, souvenirs, gifts and attractions (boat, movie, temple entrance)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We were also graded on if we tried to speak the language and had 3 Nepali classes during orientation week.

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• Other
• Hostel

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• Local Students
• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans

• People
• Culture
• Nature

• Academic preparation during Orientation week
• More Nepali classes with everyday expressions