SIT Uganda/Rwanda: My Best School Experience Yet! - SIT: Kampala - Uganda/Rwanda: Post-Conflict Transformation Past Review
By Doreen N (International Relations and Affairs., Tufts University) for
SIT Study Abroad: Reviews from Former Locations
After my semester abroad, I am now more than sure that I want to go back and work somewhere on the African continent. Knowing what I know now, I can no longer sit comfortably and watch the world go by.
Review Photos
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Even though I found the academic coursework rigorous, I found the experiential learning and cultural immersion to be most challenging. It teaches better than the classroom. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Program staff was very knowledgeable about the host country since most of them were natives. My Academic Directors had previously studied in U.S Universities, which gave them a parallel to draw from when addressing academic and cultural differences. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
During the ISP period (1 month), students are required to move out of their home stays and find their own housing. I rented a house with 7 other girls from my program. |
| * Food: |
The food was great but heavy in starches |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Every day spent with my home stay family and every night out with students on my program is now a safely kept memory. Because of my program, I have two new families that I have and will continue to keep in touch with hopefully years from now. |
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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
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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? | I spent about $700 during my 31/2 months in Uganda/Rwanda. This, however, varies on where one chooses to eat or how much luxuries you choose to take on. I tried to have a mix of American food (expensive) with local foods (very cheap). |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | There are highly chances of becoming addicted to local crafts so take extra money for that! |
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? | Non |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I had two home stay families--one in Uganda and one in Rwanda--who helped me improve my Acholi and Kinyarwanda. Our Academic Directors also sent us on drop offs to the local markets, hospitals, taxi-parks, etc on assignments that forced us to use the local language. During the independent study period, students live alone--out of the home stays and not with the program--so it is up to students to learn the language in order to facilitate a better independent living experience. |
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? | Do not take this program thinking that you have any answers but instead, take it only if you are interested in listening and learning from everybody else but yourself. After a semester with this program you will only find out that the more you know, the less you understand and that is the best testament I could give to my study abroad program/experience. Also, do not go looking for an America in Africa or for the primitive African you have been told about in the media. Go only if you have respect and an understanding of people different from yourself. Better yet, go if you don't have either of those so that you can take from them. |
