No Regrets, But SIT Npt Needs To Work On Some Things Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Overall, my experience on this program was enjoyable and rewarding, but I do think that there are areas for improvement. Most importantly, I thought that the program lacked continuity. During the first month in Kathmandu, we lived with Tibetan host families, studied Tibetan language, and spent the majority of our time in class. Lectures during this month were interesting at times but often very random and did not necessarily relate to each other, in part because lecturers were usually guest speakers. In addition, the extremely limited amount of free time during this month (we had class until 6 most days, including Sunday) meant that there was almost no time to form relationships with members of the community outside of our American group or with our host families. The second month was spent on excursion in Bhutan, during which we stopped focusing on Tibetan studies almost entirely. Although the experience was interesting, and the opportunity to travel across Bhutan was amazing, it did not tie in academically with either the theme of the program as a whole or my personal interests. Finally, we had the opportunity to do an independent study project on a topic and in a location of our choice; I traveled to Dharamsala, India, to study the Tibetan community there. For me, this was the most rewarding part of the program because I was able to structure in my time in a way that allowed me to form relationships with locals and experience the culture in a more meaningful way. Thus, I would say that I enjoyed each part of the program, but wished that they could have tied together in a more cohesive way. While I feel that I learned a little bit about a lot of different things - Tibetan language, Tibetan culture, Bhutanese culture, Buddhism, etc. - I did not come away with a nuanced or deep understanding of any one thing. However, this program did expose me to a wide range of new experiences, and made me want to return to this region to further explore my interests here.

On-site administration of your program

On-site, group leaders and program staff did a fantastic job of facilitating technicalities such as visas, living situations, doctor's visits, and the like, especially given the unstable environment of Kathmandu. The program house in Kathmandu was also an excellent safe and comfortable space which was always available for students to use.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I felt very comfortable with my host family during the first month of the program and thought it was one of the most valuable parts of the semester. While on excursion, we were always housed in clean and safe guesthouses and hotels.

Food was always acceptable, and provided either by the host families, the staff at the program house, or at restaurants while on excursion. On independent study, we were given a stipend and I ate all of my meals in restaurants and cafes.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

During the first month, I felt that I was not able to really integrate with local culture because of language barriers and limited time outside of lecture. However, while on independent study I felt that I had more of a chance to make connections with locals.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Several immunizations are needed to travel to Nepal, India, and Bhutan, and traveler's diarrhea was a problem for almost everyone. However, program staff were very helpful with all health issues that came up, and host families had been briefed about health and dietary issues as well. In addition, we had access to a Western hospital in Kathmandu in case of more severe illnesses.

The US State Dept. had a travel warning for Nepal out until Dec 2011, just before I arrived, and the country is still fairly politically unstable, but I never felt threatened or unsafe during my time there. Of course, it is always important to exercise caution, ie not walking alone at night, staying away from strikes, and keeping belongings safe, but as a Western student or tourist safety should generally not be an issue in Nepal. India and Bhutan were both also relatively safe.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Everything in South Asia is extremely cheap, especially if you learn how to bargain!

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Hotel
• Hostel

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• Wide range of experiences
• Independent study
• Opportunity to travel

• Continuity and program focus
• Academics
• Class time/ free time balance