It was a great experience, but there were difficulties along the way. Past Review
By A student (Community Health and Anthropology, Tufts University) - abroad from 01/16/2012 to 05/09/2012 with
IFSA/Alliance: Pune - Contemporary India
I learned a lot about India, and a lot about how I handle situations. And it was absolutely worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was occasionally unorganized, but this was something that was more a product of India than the program itself. Some of the students had issues with the program administrators, because there was not always understanding on their part about some of the issues that went on during the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host mother was not the best, but others had much more positive experiences than I did. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The best safety practice in India is common sense and an acknowledgement that as a foreigner, you are going to immediately stick out, so you need to be aware of that. |
| 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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20 |
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 |
The foreign language class offered was not the language most commonly spoken in the area I was living in. |
| 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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Hindi 1 |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Skip taking Hindi and take Marathi classes outside of the program |
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 had known more about the types of classes I would take and the city I was going to. |
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 BlazerCraving 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: |
Contemporary India |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Paranjape |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was my favorite course that I took while abroad. It was incredibly informative, and helped me understand Indian politics, and the nature of conflict in India much better. The professor knew pretty much everything there was to know, and was very interested in what others had to say, which added greatly to the class |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
