Understanding the Right to the City with 40 of your new best friends Past Review

By (Peace And Justice Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/20/2012 to 12/14/2012 with

SIT Study Abroad: IHP - Cities in the 21st Century: People, Planning and Politics (Fall 1)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Independence. How to integrate academic and critical thought in everyday situations. How to navigate complicated group dynamics with brilliant but verydifferent students.

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

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? Less than $100 a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Buy groceries and keep them with your host family.

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

Some language learning in Sao Paulo and Ha Noi, we used it outside of the program.

Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Try to learn a bit before you start IHP - its hard to pick everything up when you get there.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • experiential learning
  • faculty
  • progressive agenda
* What could be improved?
  • organization
  • communication between staff/faculty/students
  • facilitating group closeness and openness early on
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It will go so fast!

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 Blazer
Craving 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.'