It was life shaping; it was transformative and indescribable. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The overall educational experience of any experiential learning program is entirely subjective and contingent on several different factors; the advisor's ability to engage the students on opportunities not otherwise accessible, the willingness for the student to be an active participant and an active learner, and the unexpected cultural and emotional factors that come in to play. This program and all participating coordinators did an exceptional job not only of fulfilling all of my needs organizationally and academically and they were always right beside all of the students every step of the way ensuring that each personal experience and expectation was enriching and met to the best of their abilities. The academic side of this program wasn't particularly demanding in the traditional sense. We were consistently challenged to re-examine our ideas and beliefs and then reflect on what incidents or aspects of the culture impacted us. There was constant reflection in all that we were a part of which, I think, was key to our own academic and personal development.

On-site administration of your program

Aynn Setright is one of the most remarkable individuals that I have met. She had such an original narrative to share about her personal history with Nicaragua and different peacekeeping and political initiatives she had been a part of since the 1980's. When anyone needed help or advice, she was always available. If there ever came a time when she would need to take care of personal matters with family or her academics (she was on her way to earning another degree while teaching a history course at the public university) she would let us know ahead of time and make sure someone in the SIT community would be available at the office or by phone. Her advice and guidance don't stop at the end of the semester, either. Aynn insisted that she would always be just an email away if ever we needed anything. I personally have a book project that I'm still working on back home after the abroad experience and she has volunteered herself to be the go-between for any mail or contacts that I need to make while I'm finishing up my research and working on publications.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Everyone is going to have their own, unique family to live with. Mine was H-U-G-E huge. Every day, there was a new person coming in and making themselves at home in our living room or out on our front porch. We all joked that I was living in the Nicaraguan version of Narnia where people were just coming out of the woodwork. What I will say is a constant for everyone is that the country administrators do an exceptional job of matching

You will fall madly in love with Gallo Pinto and maduros. You have no choice. It will be about 65-75% of your diet, and it is delicious. Enjoy it while you have it. Eat as many mangos and avocados as you can handle in the spring semester because they're unbelievably cheap and better tasting than anything you've had in the United States.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Everyone in the program was able to connect to the local communities in their own way. We had the most opportunity to get to know the neighborhood of Maximo Jerez because that was where our home stay families all lived. There were home stay 'brothers' and 'sisters' who had hosted SIT students in past semesters and were seasoned veterans when it came to welcoming the new kids on the block and getting all of us acclimated. I know they've seen a number of students commit a truck load of cultural faux pas because we all laughed about them in conversations over the semester. It's really easy to feel comfortable with the families in the community. I will say that as a woman is was a bit tricky navigating my way through town without hearing a BUNCH of inappropriate cat calls. As your Spanish develops more and more you'll truly learn to appreciate just how vulgar these 'piropos' can be. There's nothing too insulting on the whole, but just steer clear of these kinds of men and keep your wits about you when you're traveling by yourself.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

During one of our 'getting to know the culture' Spanish language activities, we were supposed to research different kinds of illnesses that are common to Nicaragua. On that day, I got an insiders perspective of what my assigned illness, 'flojo de estomago', really was. You probably will experience this exciting phenomenon in your bowls at least once during your stay. Enjoy. The families will all tell you their own superstitious remedies while giving you medication from the corner pharmacies that are on par with things you would find in the US or UK to treat illnesses of the stomach and head. Medical care down there is VERY inexpensive. A friend of mine in the SIT program was able to have all four of her wisdom teeth removed for about $700. That was before insurance and included all expenses. She said they were a lot more friendly and careful than some of the dentist experiences she had had back home in the states. Cheap, my friends. Cheap and affordable health care. Nicaragua makes it happen.

Okay, so before you freak out over the three and a half stars as opposed to 4 or 5 stars, hear me out. You have to be SMART when you're in this country. You have to know where your personal belongings are at all times and make sure that you keep them safe. Do that and you will be fine. As far as personal safety is concerned, you need to AGAIN be SMART. DON'T accept rides from strangers in unmarked cars. Taxi's are a huge risk to safety if you're alone and you don't negotiate the price before hand. Some people will try and take advantage of you. That's just how the world works. You have more, they have less. There are a lot of safety concerns that you will be briefed on upon arriving. The program coordinators do an excellent job of addressing all of these concerns and answering any and all questions you may have. Don't be afraid to ask. No question is ignorant when it comes to keeping yourself safe in a place you're not familiar with. There are always ways to maintain a high level of safety. Be sure to take advantage of these avenues. Collect and use taxi drivers that you have ridden with in the past that have given you no troubles and are reasonably priced. Never go out alone at night. Always make sure someone knows where you are at all times. And ALWAYS BE SMART.

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

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

Total immersion. Your biggest weakness will be speaking English to the other kids in the program. Make friends with people in the neighborhood and speak Spanish with everyone.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The other students in the program - all incredibly interesting and unique individuals. It made for a critically thinking and highly motivated group.
• The administrators of the program
• The people I met and families I lived with during my stay abroad

• Taking classes with local students
• The excursion to live with families in rural Nicaragua