A semester full of beauty, adventure, empowerment, and growth! Past Review
By Karina (Oregon State University) - abroad from 08/26/2019 to 12/08/2019 with
SIT Study Abroad: Switzerland - Global Health and Development Policy
It was extremely worthwhile. I was able to expand my global lens and really learn what it means to be a citizen of the world! I gained a new perspective on the issues that our world is currently facing, and how I can utilize my education and skills to tackle these problems. I stepped out of my comfort zone and was able to become more confident in my abilities and discover new things about myself. The small and big experiences I had each taught me something either about myself, others or some aspect of the world we live in. I gained a greater appreciation for nature and other things. Lastly this experience and the individuals I met influenced the life I want to live as I move forward!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Overall the program provided a lot of knowledge, resources, and experiences both in and outside the classroom, but it was not as rigorous as I was expecting it to be. If you desire or are used to very rigorous coursework, the coursework may come easier for you. It's still stimulating, but not intense. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There were a few instances where the program could have improved in terms of communication and logistics, but for the most part it was well coordinated. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my homestay experience. I was matched well with the person I stayed with and we connected very well! Some of the homestays including mine were located in villages/towns that for some might be too far away from the nearest city. Specifically, if you're interested in the nightlife the public transportation hours may not be ideal depending on your lifestyle, but personally, this was not a huge problem for me. |
| * Food: |
Prepare for lots of bread, cheese, and chocolate! Most of the food prepared in my homestay resembled what I ate in the U.S so I was comfortable with the food. Food can vary by homestays, but agreeably bread and cheese are traditional components of Swiss dishes. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program covered some aspects of integration such as offering a language component. Personally, my homestay family was American, so in this case, I felt like I was not fully immersed in Swiss culture. I would have liked the program to have a few more opportunities/activities to spend time with other homestays or meet some local students at a university. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have experience with healthcare, but the program explained how to use our health insurance if we needed to. |
| * Safety: |
I felt safe all throughout Switzerland. For the most part, it's a clean country. I did not experience any incidents during my time abroad. Like in any new place, remember to be cautious and responsible. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The program offered everything I was looking for personally and professionally. It gave me an introduction to global health. It increased my awareness and knowledge of human rights. It propelled me to tackle a new language that I love and will continue to learn. It empowered me by putting me in places I only dreamed of, but now I know that I can one day go back to as a professional. Lastly every individual I met throughout the program positively impacted my life. |
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) |
Switzerland is expansive, so be ready to stick to a strict budget. The food budget we were given was enough and if you choose to buy food from grocery stores like Migros or Coop with less eating out you can have a good amount leftover to utilize for other things or save it for fun activities/travel. If you can, I would recommend bringing as many toiletries with you to avoid buying them at higher prices. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 0 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Another tip would be to split meals when eating out. Often times the meals were too big for one person to finish in one sitting, so I'd split with another person and that saved some money. |
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 |
The program offered a French course, but there were not very many opportunities to practice the language outside of the course. It can vary depending on your environment. Some homestays only spoke French, so students had to use the language. It also depends on how much effort the student puts into finding ways to practice the language outside the classroom. |
| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | none |
| 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? | Practice at your homestays, even if your family speaks English you can ask them to speak in French. Another way is to do your best to speak it when ordering food or buying something. We were given access to Mango Languages and it's a very user-friendly program to learn the language. |
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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| 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? |
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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? | Do not be intimidated or scared. The program coordinators, faculty and hopefully your fellow students are all there to help you succeed! |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
