Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Engaging, Difficult, and Transformative Past Review

By (Sociology/Anthropology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/27/2013 to 12/12/2014 with

SIT Study Abroad: Nepal - Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Learned how to be humble and blend in to a host country while engaging and keeping an open mind to make the most of each day.

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.

The instructorship was fantastic, and the instructors had amazing access to resources. The experiential/research component was rigorous, however the reading and technical training was not as rigorous.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Very organized, never felt unsafe, or worried other than normal worries from being abroad and dealing with inefficient bureaucracy.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Other than my homestay, I did not feel very integrated, as i could not speak the language, and had very little free time to go out/ explore with people my age in Nepal. However, during the ISP I felt much more integrated and familiar.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Being a man I did not feel unsafe, but I know some of the women on the program felt unsafe at times.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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? ~20-50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't eat/shop in tourist areas

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • 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?
  • The ISP
  • Excursions
  • Host Family
* What could be improved?
  • Explanation of schedule/ expectations
  • More free time before ISP for personal exploration
  • Recommended complementary reading during course
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that while in Kathmandu, I wouldn't have much free time to explore the city, and that I should use that free time better.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Tibetan Language
Course Department:
Instructor: Fransizka Oertle
Instruction Language: Tibetan/ English
Comments: Very well taught, proper amount of homework and rigor so that by the end of the semester I could communicate with Tibetans albeit very rudimentary. The class was very engaging, and had both technical and experiential components.
Credit Transfer Issues: Don't think so.
Course Name/Rating:

The Politics of Tibetan and Himalayan Borders
Course Department:
Instructor: Staff
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course relied primarily on student led presentations of different topics and formal instruction from the program leader Isabelle. Difficult when researching topics, but informative and useful for the most part. Highlight was a series of lectures from Professor Matthem Akester.
Credit Transfer Issues: Don't think so.
Course Name/Rating:

Religious Change in Tibet and the Himalaya
Course Department: RELI
Instructor: Staff
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class relied on student led presentations and independent research/ presentations from different religious figures in the Tibetan community. Very informative albeit in many different forms. Engaging and relevant.
Credit Transfer Issues: Don't think so.
Course Name/Rating:

Field Methods and Ethics
Course Department: SOAN?
Instructor: Staff
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Provided ample preparation for independent research. Much more straight forward, yet informative and relevant to the final month of study.
Credit Transfer Issues: Don't think so.
Course Name/Rating:

Independent Study Project
Course Department: SOAN/RELI
Instructor: Self
Instruction Language: English/ Tibetan
Comments: Challenging, informative, transformative, engaging, emotionally/intellectually exhausting, worth every minute, definitely the highlight of the program. Felt prepared by the time research began, and did not want it to end.
Credit Transfer Issues: Don't think so.