Life changing Past Review

By A student (Fordham University) - abroad from 01/25/2012 to 05/06/2012 with

SIT Study Abroad: India - Sustainable Development and Social Change

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

i gained wisdom about a different culture. learned more about the world and life in general from a different perspective than my own. experience things that changed my perception of my place in the world, my priorities for the future, and the significance of my actions. met people that have had a positive impact on my life and formed loving connections that i will cherish forever. grew as a person and saw things that make me realize how fortunate i really am. i will be forever grateful and changed by this experience.. was it worthwhile? what do you think.. of course it was worthwhile. it only made me realize how i should take advantage of more of these experiences and go out to explore more of the world. there is so much out there and so much diversity to be experienced, appreciated and learned from.

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 course work was loaded, but i feel as though i learned and experienced a lot; however, i would have enjoyed more time to become socially involved with my host country.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	SIT staff. mary storm, yogesh wadwa, arjun-ji, katherine-ji, prahlad-ji
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	living with a host family was my favorite part of the program, i feel that this experience enabled me to learn more about the culture.
* Food:	i LOVE indian food. everyday we were fed with gourmet meals. i put on a decent amount of weight in india
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	i feel as though i became part of the culture. stepping out of the tourist role was truly liberating and made me feel like a citizen of the world. it reshaped my identity
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	despite some delhi-belly, i remained in good health and always felt that i could get assistance need be.
* Safety:	with someone to contact at all time (if there should be any problem) i always felt safe.
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)
* 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?	very little. everything is really cheap in India, which is awesome!
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	plan a budget if need be

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	we were strongly encouraged, but since we were living there and immersed in the language everyday it was not hard to use hindi. and it was a lot of fun being able to communicate with natives. overall a very fun and rewarding experience. it learning a language become easier when one needs to use it everyday and lives with a culture that uses the language.. i was never able to learn spanish by sitting in a desk, but i was able to converse in hindi in under a month
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?	spanish exit level
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?	talk to people! even if you think you sound stupid, they are impressed and happy when you communicate with them in their language.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Host Family
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
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?	host family- being integrated with the culture and becoming part of a family from a different ethnicity location: culture- food, music, arts, spirituality, people, language, etc. independent study- opportunity to travel and study by myself
* What could be improved?	less workload and more involvement with host culture longer program, three months is not enough more opportunities to get involved with programs in host city
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	nothing. everything worked out perfectly.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	independent study
Course Department:	independent
Instructor:	independent
Instruction Language:	english/hindi
Comments:	being off on my own in a new country was challenging, but it made the work that much more rewarding. i feel as though i truly grew as a person during this time.
Credit Transfer Issues: