A short immersion in India Past Review

By (Accounting, SUNY - Binghamton) for

SUNY Binghamton: New Delhi - Technology, Economy, and Society in India

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The whole experience was well above my expectations. The welcoming service I received from the foreign businesses and facilities was impressive. I learned that India is the center for a lot of emerging business with so much potential. Walking down New Delhi may not seem impressive in comparison to the US, however there is much more that goes on beyond the poverty and crowded streets. The people are friendly and are eager to learn and adopt ideas from us Americans.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place: Winter 2010

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The course gave a good insight on the Indian culture and business environment. The professor was very helpful in providing context to our studies and explaining any questions we had.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a hotel for most of the trip. There were 2 days where I lived in one of the universities in India's hostels. <br /><br /> Our hotel was near a shopping area and metro station so it was very convenient for us to do things on our own.

* Food:

The food was actually quite good except I had to get use to not eating meat.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

There were bonfires where people danced around which was very different from home. We got to experience temple visits which gave us a good insight on the Hindu and Buddah religion.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

The professor was concerned with our health since we weren't use to the food. Thankfully I did not get sick. Even though the environment is very crowded and cluttered, it took some adjustment to know that people were still somewhat safe when roaming around the city.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent around $300.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I wish I knew how to bargain sooner in the trip when I bought gifts for myself and friends.

Language

Language acquisition improvement?

I learned a good amount of words in Hindi but only remember how to say a few.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

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  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This program is very insightful and you will have a GREAT time. You will not regret going. It far exceeded my expectation.