Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Eat Daalbhaat, Ask Questions, and Go with the Flow Past Review

By (Environmental Studies., Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/28/0014 to 05/12/0014 with

SIT Study Abroad Nepal: Development, Gender, and Social Change in the Himalaya

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Absolutely worthwhile. I gained a respect for language, religions, and people of which I was previously completely unaware; I made a lasting connection with a Nepali family, with whom I still remain close; through independent research, I began to understand the challenges of Nepal's current food structure.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 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:

The food was delicious, but incredibly monotonous - they eat practically one dish for every meal in Nepal, and that's daalbhaat.

* 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

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? $50-$75

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? None
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? Intermediate French
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? Speak it with your family, all the time!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • My Host Family
  • Excursions (especially trekking)
  • Language learning
* What could be improved?
  • Better, more consistent quality of classes and instruction
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Speak up with what makes you uncomfortable in the host family situation AT FIRST. I tried too hard to be the perfect student and "daughter," and thus sometimes felt pressured later on to eat certain things.

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 Adventurer
The 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Nepali
Course Department: Languages
Instructor: Mina Rana
Instruction Language: Nepali and English
Comments:
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Development and Social Change Seminar
Course Department: Political Science/ History/ Anthropology
Instructor: Daniel Putnam/ Various
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was taught by lecturers brought in from outside institutions - some of them gave excellent lectures, but others had difficulty conducting their lectures in comprehensible English. If the course had had more structure, and if the quality of the lectures had been more consistent, it would have been an excellent course.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Independent Study Project
Course Department: Independent Study
Instructor: Daniel Putnam
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was by far the most challenging of the courses. I learned how to conduct independent research, under often frustrating and challenging circumstances, and ended up writing a cohesive 40-page paper about Kathmandu's emerging organic food system.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Field Methods and Ethics
Course Department: Anthropology
Instructor: Daniel Putnam
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a crash course in how to conduct independent research in order to successfully carry out an ISP. Some of the exercises were very useful, such as the "There are No Street Signs in Nepal" project, while others seemed tedious, like the journal we were expected to maintain.
Credit Transfer Issues: