Great Program for International Relations June 18, 2023
By Thomas P (International Relations; French, The College of Wooster) - abroad from 01/23/2023 to 05/08/2023 with
SIT Study Abroad: Switzerland - International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy
I gained networking skills and a better knowledge of the real-world application of international relations concepts.
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. |
I appreciated that we had many guest lecturers with real-world experience in international relations. Since the program had several guest lecturers, the quality of each lesson sometimes depended on how engaging the lecturer was. I also found the final Independent Study to advance my research, writing, and networking skills. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Since I was interested in conducting interviews in Warsaw, Poland for my independent study, I was constantly in communication with the program. Thanks to the help of the program coordinator and academic director, I was able to receive approval to conduct research outside of Switzerland. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was fortunate to have a fantastic host family who helped me adjust to life in Switzerland. Each night, I looked forward to dinner at my homestay. I also greatly advanced my spoken French skills by conversing in French every day at my homestay. |
| * Food: |
As part of the room and board cost of the program, you are given a stipend to cover lunch. There are several good restaurants in Geneva; I particularly enjoyed the Lebanese food. I also had tasty dinners each night at my homestay. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Though I was able to practice my French often, you spend a lot of time with your cohort. This is a great opportunity to get to know the other students in your program; however, it also can make it more difficult to interact with local residents. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have health issues during the program, so fortunately I cannot provide much insight on this aspect of the program. The health care policies are covered at the beginning of the program. |
| * Safety: |
Geneva, and Switzerland more broadly, is very safe. I rarely felt unsafe during my time abroad. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
As an International Relations and French double major, this program perfectly matched my academic interests. I was able to network in Geneva, a hub of international relations, while also improving my French. |
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 very expensive, which can make it difficult to limit spending while abroad. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $250 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep track of your stipend and be sure that you are not outspending the allocated daily amount on lunch |
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 |
My spoken language skills significantly improved from my homestay. Overall, I improved from a lower intermediate to an upper intermediate user of the French language. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| 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? | An upper-level French class on World War I, World War II, and the War in Algeria. |
| 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? | Use the language at your homestay. This allows you to explore aspects of the language not used in a classroom and challenge yourself to use a language beyond simple tasks. |
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? | I wish I knew how with a Swiss Pass (which was covered by the room and board cost), it is very easy to travel throughout Switzerland. Definitely be sure to plan day trips in Switzerland during the weekend! It is a truly beautiful country with a lot to offer! |
