Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Del(h)i (En)Counter: Great Food, Gorgeous Monuments Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 12/27/2019 to 05/05/2019 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Delhi

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Definitely worthwhile - I think I gained a greater grasp of what it's like to live fully independently in a city (not something I necessarily would've thought I'd ever do).

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

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:

* 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

My reasons for choosing Delhi over other programs options would remain the same - in a full do-over I may choose to go through a few encounters differently, but it was still a great experience

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? No more that $20, I think
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Veggie salesmen and costermongers are really great ways to get good produce if you plan to cook your own food. More western / pre-prepared ingredients are pricier and harder to find, but if you do dorm near a grocery store stocking up on bulk spices isn't too difficult or expensive

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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Upper-level French, in high school
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? Talking with other students is useful - they generally are all quite excited / bemused to help you learn!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The food
  • The trips
  • The sight-seeing within Delhi itself
* What could be improved?
  • More guidance (particularly during the first week) would be a comfort
  • More willingness to help navigate issues with apartments / landlords on the part of the coordinator may have been useful
  • At times instructions from my university and the local university seemed a bit at odds - some more communication between the two would have been useful at times
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nobody in Delhi will accept a 2000 rupee bill.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Hindi
Course Department: N/A (Language)
Instructor: Mathur, Shukla, and Archna
Instruction Language: Hindi and English
Comments: The course was interesting and challenging, and definitely resulted in a greater comprehension of the language being spoken / written around us. At times the course structure seemed a tad disorganized, but overall good.
Credit Transfer Issues: No particular issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Knowledge & Scepticism
Course Department: Philosophy
Instructor: Silika Mohapatra
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Interesting course and fun professor, and not one that I would have normally taken elsewhere. Papers and essays used in assessment were fair, and exams were not too difficult.
Credit Transfer Issues: No particular issues.
Course Name/Rating:

Philosophy of Language
Course Department: Philosophy
Instructor: Alan Stanley and Panu Sharma
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Course material was challenging, and split between two instructors who taught their portions as two separate classes, with little communication. This sometimes resulted in difficulties in the class, accentuated by it being one of the professor's first semester of teaching (which was at times quite apparent). Assessment, ultimately shared between the professors, was somewhat difficult to settle upon but ultimately fair, and the course content still incredibly intriguing.
Credit Transfer Issues: No particular issues.