Culture and Social Issues in India, Faculty-led international seminar Past Review
By Kiah B (Psychology and Spanish, St. Catherine University) for
Study Abroad Programs in India
I learned a ton about social issues and how privelaged we are in the US. I absolutely love learning about how other people live and I would like to integrate it into my future career somehow.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The grading policies were not always clear, but the workload itself was manageable. Work required of us when we were actually on our trip abroad was minimal; it gave more time to explore our surroundings and get the most of our experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
N/A |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The hotels were extremely welcoming, safe, clean, and served excellent food. The locations were convenient for shopping, sightseeing, etc. |
| * Food: |
The quality of food was always excellent. As long as we made sure the restaurant was clean and safe, the food was always amazing. I'm lactose intolerant and did not often have to go out of my way to avoid dairy. Milk in tea was very common, but I made sure to order without. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We got to meet Ama Adhe, who spent 20+ years in a Chinese prison for protesting in Tibet, after reading her book. She was an amazing and inspiring woman to meet. We of course saw the breath-taking Taj Mahal. We visited an Ashram (a school for girls) and spent much time learning from them and teaching them ourselves. We saw a number of ancient forts and other cultural landmarks as well. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
We took all of the same precautions as at home. Use common sense like travel in groups, don't be overly friendly with men, have a map or know your way around, etc. Illness we experienced was mostly food-related (ate raw vegetables, drank tap water, etc) and were easily remedied within a day or two. Quite a few got the common cold. Traveler's diharrea was extremely common but cured with antibiotics. Motion sickness was also common travelling up and down twisty mountain roads. |
| 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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Keep an open mind and be prepared to experience a culture completely different from the US. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Global Search for Justice: Voices of Dissent |
| Course Department: | CORE department |
| Instructor: | David Schmit and Laurie Svatek |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Our professors were extremely knowledgeable of the area and culture while abroad. There was always plenty to see and experience as a group and individually. The work was not particularly challenging, but was very interesting. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | This course is required for all students and I fully recommend doing it abroad. You get so much more out of it than sitting around in a classroom. |
