Making Forever Friends and Forever Family in Kigali Past Review
By Julia K (Biological Chemistry, Women's and Gender Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/26/2012 to 12/09/2012 with
SIT Study Abroad: Rwanda - Post-Genocide Restoration and Peacebuilding
Absolutely worthwhile. SIT's formatting and its staff training are fantastic for this sort of experience with this sort of learning. I love my SIT staff, my family, my SIT friends, my Rwandese friends, my memories.
Review Photos
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. |
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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? |
SIT's shining star is their host family living arrangement. Best aspect of their programming. |
| * Food: |
Rwanda is not known for its food culture. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The language class helped immensely with this. Also, living with our host families gave us immediate and indirect contacts with local folks. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Very few pickpocket situations. We were warned of potentially less police patrolled areas. No fault of the program or staff. |
| 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) |
Very, very inexpensive cost of living. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Maybe $20. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | For a program like this, there are none. Bring enough for the markets. You'll want to bring gifts home. Be smart about the ISP housing (when you're no longer with you host family) if you are renting a house like my peers and I did. Make sure you're getting a fair price. |
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 |
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| 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? | Zero. No Kinyarwanda offered. |
| 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? | Have fun with it with your family. They will giggle at your attempts, and you will learn the very most from them. |
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? | Even with my very minimal luggage, I wish I packed less. |
