An opportunity that should not be missed, challenges included. Past Review
By Emma R (Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture, Green Mountain College) - abroad from 01/23/2015 to 05/08/2015 with
IISAC: Kerala - Semester Abroad in Kerala, India Program
In general, I was taken out of my comfort zone in a way that pushed me to learn and grow. I learned just as much about my own culture as I did about India's, as seeing the drastic differences between them gave me a much deeper perspective. Any experience like that is worthwhile.
Personal Information
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The semester I attended was the first one they had ever done at Kerela. Like any starting program, there is a lot of room for improvement, which I have no doubt IISAC will be able to fulfill. My professors were passionate and helpful, the curriculum itself just needs to grow. I was particularly impressed and inspired by my teachers at the sociology department. Whether curriculum improvements are made or not, being in a new place is what challenges and teaches us most anyway. I learned an incredible amount just through travel experience. |
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Administration needs to grow with time to adapt to handling the issues that can come up while studying abroad - i.e. medical, emotional, interpersonal, etc. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Arrangements were very nice for the context of this area. The only reason I leave off a star is because the hotel was far enough from campus that it isolated us from the local student body, whose living arrangements were pretty rough in comparison. This fed into the cultural separation between us and some of the students, I'm sure, aside from feeling awkward. |
* Food: |
Best food of my life. I miss eating indian food everyday. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Lots of travel made this a very integrative experience. I think that there could've been a lot more done to integrate us with the students on campus, both inside and out of the bioinformatics department. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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* Safety: |
The reality is that you have to travel smartly. Women, such as myself, are at a high risk, and MUST travel with a group to avoid any experience of violence that is very strong in this country. |
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
The exchange rate is unbelievable. A good meal cost about $3. |
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Maybe $20, at most? |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | This is a great place to travel on a budget. |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
Other Program Information
* 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? | Being white was a very strange experience there. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |