I'm glad I did it but what a mess. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Academics were not a strong aspect of this program. We had very few assignments, very little access to resources (a tiny library of books & our staff didn't point us in the direction of on campus resources. We found the libraries and computers much later in the program on our own).

On-site administration of your program

We had extremely negative contact with our academic director. The program was very unorganized and out of date (some of the recommended advisors on our project lists were long deceased). The lectures and lessons seemed random and unrelated.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The homestays were great, with the exception of one in Kumasi where I was very uncomfortable/my homestay parent was extremely rude and verbally abusive toward me and my academic director insisted I stay.

Ghanaian food is great.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

If you're a foreigner, they will know. We attended events, explored the country, learned the language, and interacted with the locals but there's only so much that you can do to fit in.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

The health system in Ghana is not at all comparable to the United States. That is a fact of life. However, malaria medication is readily available for purchase in most pharmacies, as well as other medications (and pretty cheaply too!). The staff were most helpful when it came to medical concerns amongst the students. You needed to get a lot of vaccines before entering in country and you needed to continue taking malaria medication the entire time you were there. I myself got malaria twice despite taking the preventative, and diarrhea/bizarre bowel movements were a constant problem among the students. The "purified water" sacks that you buy are unregulated, and a lot of food is served communally/is street food so the chance of you getting sick are very high. But it's just a part of the experience.

Ghana is pretty safe.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

I don't think they really cared if we used Twi or not. We used it so we could be more integrated in Ghanaian society and have more normalized interactions with Ghanaians.

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Apartment

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Americans

• the other students
• Twi
• food

• academic director
• accountability - who is reporting to whom? who is checking in on these programs on the ground? where is the dialogue between staff (not just the academic director) and SIT offices in the USA?
• structure - more activities, lectures, classes, resources, field trips. give the experiential learning you promise.