Best time of my life. Past Review
By A student (Peace And Justice Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/17/2012 to 05/08/2012 with
SIT Study Abroad: IHP - Health and Community: Globalization, Culture and Care (Fall 2)
I learned so much from my abroad experience, I do not know where to begin. I learned a lot about public health, which is great because I suppose thats what I paid for. This was definitely a worthwhile experience.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We had a wonderful trustees fellow, and great country coordinators. |
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Host family experiences were invaluable, would not change them. |
* Food: |
The food was incredible, one of my favorite parts of the trip. |
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
That varied from country to country. Brazil and South Africa were no problem, Vietnam was a bit more difficult. |
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare every where we went was accessible, especially with the help of the program. Brazil was the country with the most accessible healthcare because it is considered a human right and is therefore free for all. |
* Safety: |
I thought we were all kept very safe, I was surprised that we were not targeted considering we were a group of 35 tourists. |
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) |
Budget was a bit difficult. I would advise a future IHP H&C student to prepare to spend more money (the estimated budget is $1,800, I spent almost twice that). Brazil is probably the most difficult place to budget because it is quite expensive. Brazil would be 1. Vietnam would be a 3 or 4 . I suspect South Africa would be a 3 or 4 as well. Just plan for spring break as well. I would say Brazil and Spring |
* 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? | roughly an average of 200 or more. |
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Obviously try to do as much as you can. Remember the currency may be less valued, but it adds up. Packing lunches in Brazil is a good idea because that is the only meal you are required to pay for. Vietnam food is so cheap you probably won't have a problem and in South Africa we were required to pack our lunches (big money saver!!). Budget well and save for spring break! |
Language
* Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | Beginner |
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | had never taken shangan, Vietnamese, or Portuguese |
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? | No need to practice. The four/five weeks is too short, especially when we are focused on so many other things. |
Other Program Information
* 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 think I was pretty well forewarned. One thing I would reiterate is that time flies, just let some things go and appreciate everything. |