An experience full of new adventures each day Past Review

By A student (Political Science and International Development, Tulane University) - abroad from 01/30/2012 to 05/11/2012 with

SIT Study Abroad Uganda: Global Development Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

This experience has shown me the importance and need for more development work that needs to originate from the communities. It cannot be just outsiders coming to a country and implementing their projects, but needs to start by involving community members first. Visits to places like a refugee camp and a rural village as well as working in an urban slum all fortified my aspirations to work in the field of international development.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The general staff was great and always helpful and accommodating. The academic directors were nice as well, but at times seemed unorganized and were not as accessible as I would have liked.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived with a host family for six weeks which was an interesting experience. They were very welcoming and made the effort to get to know me and allow me to be part of the family. However, communication was difficult at times since the family spoke Lusoga amongst one another most of the time.
* Food:	The local food is very bland and there is little diversity of food. There are some Indian restaurants, but are comparatively more expensive.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	The culture is very different and there are certain aspects of the culture that were difficult to wrap my head around, but with time I came to a better understanding of the people and the culture.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

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)
* Was housing included in your program cost?	Yes
* Was food included in your program cost?	Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	About $10
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Keep a journal or small notebook with all of your expenses and set a weekly budget for yourself.

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
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?	none
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?	Talk to the local people and your family. Try using it as much as possible when you're using local transportation or at a store or restaurant. The people appreciate it more and helps you learn the language better.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Host Family Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans 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?	Research/ Internship Excursions to Rwanda and other parts of Uganda The curriculum integrating site visits to places such as microfinance lenders, hospitals, etc.
* What could be improved?	Organization of the program at times could have been better The Development Seminar could have been more engaging
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I understand the culture and environment of the country much better.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Development Studies
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:	The course would have been better if it had less broad and more time had been spent on specific topics
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Development Practicum
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language:
Comments:	One of the most invaluable parts of the program was the opportunity to conduct my own research and intern with a local government office.
Credit Transfer Issues: