An Introspective Journey into the Heart of Humanity. Past Review
By Tj K (Philosophy, Grand Valley State University) - abroad from 01/13/2014 to 05/08/2014 with
IISAC: Kerala - Semester Abroad in Kerala, India Program
Humility, maturity, empathy, compassion, love... It was worth it.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics were of a high standard, though not overly intense so as to distract from the moment to moment experience of cultural immersion. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Program Provider showed constant concern with students well being and satisfaction. Their desire to be helpful was genuine, and though it is not always easy to stay organized in India, IISAC showed professionalism and ingenuity when it came to looking after the needs of its students. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Air conditioning, a swimming pool, a private bathroom, a personal TV, and consistent hot water were all luxuries which were afforded to students. They also didn't need to be separated based on gender lines. Though some students would've preferred to have lived directly with Indian students, the overall quality of the facilities was undeniable. |
| * Food: |
Indian food is incredible. Enough said. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our housing was separated so as to keep our group together. This means that we did not have the experience of living directly with students. However, we still met many local students, became good friends with them, traveled with them, and attended local festivals and events. Students rarely felt excluded. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
IISAC did its best to see to the health needs of each individual student. When a group of students became ill from food poisoning, IISAC arranged for them to receive medicine, a day of rest (in the middle of a program tour), and even a hospital visit. There was never a moment students felt ignored by their program provider when they were sick. |
| * Safety: |
Trivandrum is safe. No one was ever harassed or threatened while we were there. Thought these things happen all over the world, including in India, at least in Trivandrum there was a complete sense of security and stability. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $40 or less. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't be seduced by the exchange rate. Watch your pennies and keep track of your funds. If you manage this, your money will last you 10X longer than it would've in the states. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | The best things in life are those that surprise us. |
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.' |
