Four Months That Changed My Life Past Review
By Jane A (sociology-anthropology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/31/2012 to 12/14/2012 with
SIT Study Abroad: South Africa - Multiculturalism and Human Rights
What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained love and knowledge and real-life and academic experience I would not trade for anything.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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
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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? | twenty dollars |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | if you can walk, WALK. public transportation, even though it's great and cheap, will eat away at your budget. |
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? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none for this language (Xhosa) but I took some beginning French |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | utilize your families |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 10+ |
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? | That I would end up bringing a lot of stuff I didn't need. Travel light! |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Narratives of Identity and Social Change |
| Course Department: | Sociology/Anthropology |
| Instructor: | Arogundade |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The instructor was a dense and engaging lecturer, evidently knowledgeable about all that she spoke. The class used specific cases to speak to larger South African contexts very well. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
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