Worth It Past Review

By (Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/24/2017 to 05/08/2017 with

SIT Study Abroad Nepal: Development, Gender, and Social Change in the Himalaya

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Learned to go with the flow more, learned a new language, got research experience and data for an honors thesis, got a new family, met 15 great new friends from across the US.

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.

While the lectures and grading were not too super rigorous in the sense that there wasn't loads and loads of reading or assessment, you do learn a new language, which can be insanely difficult for some people. The research project is about as intense as you make it. It's Nepal, so academic resources can be limited.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Homestay was what I was most anxious about before coming to Nepal, but it was an incredible experience and I now have a loving second family.

* Food:

Okay, before coming to Nepal I had lived in India for two and half months. Suffice to say, Nepali food is garbage, especially after that. It's usually pretty bland, and it's very repetitive. My food in homestay was especially bland. I actually LOST weight in Nepal. But, I mean, other people ate less Nepali food in homestay, or their food was at least more varied/spicier, so this can really depend on your homestay situation. I have a dietary restriction (celiac disease/no gluten) and my homestay family understood it super well and I never got sick from that. You will experience gastrointestinal distress, but you probably should know that ahead of time if you're thinking of coming to South Asia.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I lived in homestay and interacted with Nepalis a lot. My only complaint is that I never really met any Nepalis my own age, but I think this was a function of the age groups represented in my homestay more than anything.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had an ear infection and had it taken care of at the local clinic SIT recommends, paid for by my SIT insurance. It was a breeze. Also, everyone gets sick (gastrointestinal). You will get sick. But homestay, school, etc will take really good care of you.

* Safety:

God so safe. Honestly so safe. I mean, maybe this is coming off of living in Mumbai the summer before, but KTM is small and incredibly safe if you take basic precautions. Nepalis are lovely and very helpful if you get lost, etc.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Okay nothing against the program I just realized my research interests/future goals would probably have been better served by a program in India. But Nepal is great and you should go!!!! Like, just take the leap you won't regret it. Seriously, I don't regret this at all.

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)

Outside of the fees for the program which include tuition, room and board, insurance, etc (and which I got financial aid for from Wellesley), I think I spent ~300 USD of my own money during the entire program. Nepal is cheap as hell.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 15-20 USD
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? if you're outdoorsy you can buy a lot of reasonably high quality knock-off gear in Nepal for super cheap.

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

My host family basically didn't speak any English, so I went from 0 to 60 real quick.

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? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Hindi 202
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Talk to your homestay, get out in the neighborhood and chat with shopkeepers, ask the gurus for extra instruction during lunch/after class! Take the excursions seriously as practice time (but also have fun).

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?
  • Cultural Immersion/Host Family/Language Learning
  • Research Opportunity
  • Excursions/Trekking
* What could be improved?
  • In-Country Admin
  • Seminar Courses
  • Academic Resources (ie books, wifi)
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It doesn't get as cold as you think it will, but never count on any reliable bathing/shower facilities.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Development and Social Change Seminar

Course Department: I think this was an Anthropology course
Instructor: Dan + others
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Guest lecture system results in a disjointed and basically pointless seminar experience. Can pad your GPA if your school factors in grades from abroad though.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Field Methods and Ethics

Course Department: Not sure
Instructor: Dan + others
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not sure the extent to which this course actually prepares you for fieldwork--probably depends on the nature of your project. I did enjoy the project based learning aspects of it.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Introductory Nepali

Course Department: Nepali
Instructor: Mina/Chandra/Sanjib/Sadhana
Instruction Language: Nepali and English
Comments: I didn't speak any Nepali in January and I tested "Advanced-Low" by late March. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is. All my research was conducted in Nepali--this course made my research topic a possible area of exploration. Instructors are lovely, experienced, and the course is well designed. A lot of folks came to Nepal anxious about learning a new language but we all came out the other side with an awesome new skill.
Credit Transfer Issues: