South Africa: an abroad experience I'll never forget Past Review
By Rebecca F (IGS, Brandeis University) for
SIT Study Abroad: South Africa: Education and Social Change (Summer)
It was def. worthwhile, I just wish I could have had my home stay experience with a better program experience added into it
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was alright. However, the program did not allow enough internet access for assignments. Also, there were un-realistic expectations for internet use outside of the SIT office, our director was extremely forgetful about the fact that we lived with poor low class families that did not have internet access. As it was not a university program it was a very different academic level then I experience at my university in the United States. The courses were not properly described as there was not as much hands on work with students as we were promised. On top of which, the grading rubrics were not followed at all for assignments. Our advisor described assignments in one manner and then would proceed to grade them in a completely different format. It was very upsetting to receive a low score on an assignment that was supposed to be an opinion piece with the comment that the paper was too opinionated. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our coordinator for our host families did a fantastic job with placements and helping with any and all issues. our main advisor however was not helpful and held un-realistic expectations for students. The way that the course was outlined was in correct, and our main advisor did a terrible job in explaining the grading for our work. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My homestay family was amazing! I could not have asked for a better placement, especially since this was the part of the program I was most nervous about. The only issue as far as buying things was I needed a towel which the program specifically said we did not need. My host family treated me as if I was one of the family. My siblings called me their sister and my host parents considered me to be one of their children, not an outsider. |
| * Food: |
It was almost all starch, and I found the food very hard to eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My favorite trip was the grahamstown art festival. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
THe program was very safe |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | While the program itself was less then satisfactory, the fact that I was able to live with a host family is something I would not ever give up or change |
