A Beautiful Place, Wonderful People July 12, 2026
By Ivy C (International Studies, Macalester College) - abroad from 01/26/2026 to 05/11/2026 with
SIT Study Abroad: Nepal - Himalayan and Buddhist Peoples
My perspective on a lot of big-picture things changed as a result of this program. I think about international relations, climate change, and my place as someone from the U.S. differently now. I also learned about myself and gained confidence in my ability to handle situations I would have previously been uncomfortable with.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
It was an amazing experience to learn Tibetan from so many lovely native speakers. I also really enjoyed a lot of the guest lectures. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Living with my host family was wonderful. |
| * Food: |
My host family made delicious food and there were tons of great restaurants. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I witnessed and experienced a lot of amazing stuff but the feeling of being an outsider never went away. Which is totally fine; that's what I expected. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't seek care for any health issues but I know people who did and they seemed to have a decent experience. |
| * Safety: |
Overall, I felt very safe during my time in Nepal. I did not enjoy going to clubs and bars as much as a young, foreign woman though. You tend to get some unwanted attention. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Nepal is very affordable compared to the U.S. It was also helpful to have meals provided by the program/host family. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We were somewhat encouraged, but I spoke English for the vast majority of my time there, even with my host family. |
| 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 |
Other Program Information
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* 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 wish I understood that the Tibetan language component is intensive. I wasn't quite prepared to be spending up to 5 hours in one day in Tibetan lessons. I also wish I was aware beforehand that there would be a 7:30 pm curfew while we were living with the host families, even on weekends. You could sometimes stay out later than that but in general I wouldn't be able to get home later than 9 or 10. I also would have brought fewer casual clothes for cold weather! It's already pretty warm in Kathmandu when you get there in late January. |
