The Beauty and Resilience of Tanzania Past Review

By A student (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/21/2016 to 05/04/2016 with

SIT Study Abroad: Tanzania - Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I was able to meet countless amazing and resilient individuals that I would not have met otherwise. These individuals, whether I met them through my ISP or homestay, were able to teach me so much more than some of the lectures we had. It made it all worthwhile and was beautiful to hear their stories.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes The program allowed me to experience Tanzania beyond just a tourist lens: through the ISP component and other activities, we were able to explore a variety of issues and opportunities hands on, on the ground.

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$30
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Keeping track of how much money you are spending.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Advanced
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?	To put yourself in situations where you need to use the language, whether it's at a market or social setting.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Other Host Family Hostel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	Being able to receive language classes that allowed us to meet many local individuals. Being able to go to National Parks ISP component
* What could be improved?	Having more instructors representative of the population. More knowledge of activities before the start of the program More debrief/discussion spaces
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	More language knowledge and local customs as well as more advice on acceptable clothing.

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 Blazer Craving 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:	Independent Study Project
Course Department:	SIT
Instructor:	Reese Matthews
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Environmental Research Methods and Ethics
Course Department:	SIT
Instructor:	Reese Matthews
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Intermediate Kiswahili
Course Department:	SIT
Instructor:	Various Instructors
Instruction Language:	Swahili
Comments:	It was challenging because it is a language many of us had never been previously exposed to before, but the teachers always kept classes engaging by putting us in real scenarios.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Beginning Kiswahili
Course Department:	SIT
Instructor:	Various Instructions
Instruction Language:	English & Swahili
Comments:	It was challenging because it is a language many of us had never been previously exposed to before, but the teachers always kept classes engaging by putting us in real scenarios.
Credit Transfer Issues: