SIT Study Abroad

I absolutely loved this program. It's so cliché to say, but it really was a life-changing experience for me. I found the academics to be extremely stimulating, but the outside-the-classroom workload was reasonable, which left plenty of time to explore the country. I was especially impressed with how the coursework was accessible to everyone, regardless of Spanish-speaking ability. We had a wide range in our cohort, from native speakers to total newbies, but somehow everyone seemed to feel comfortable and appropriately challenged. As others have noted here, the excursions to the Amazon, Galapagos, and Intag cloud forest were absolutely amazing, in terms of both the ecological and cultural diversity that we had the opportunity to engage with. Our cohort was larger-than-average, with about 24 students, but we were very close. I think everyone felt that they had a solid group of friends to go out and explore the country with. Faba and Sofia were are just the best, very supportive but not at all helicopter-y. The class discussion was very open-ended, with wide variety of viewpoints, as we had students of a variety of nationalities. This was sometimes challenging and very intellectually engaging. My homestay experiences were both excellent, as most or all of the homestay families have long-standing relationships with the program directors and have lots of prior experience hosting foreign students.

For me, the most impactful part of the program was the Independent Study Project (ISP). For this project, we were allowed to stay just about anywhere in the country for four weeks, and work on a research project of our own design. However, we had to partner with a community organization in our project location, and the program directors have relationships with organizations all over, so no one had to be truly "out on their own" if they didn't want to be. I chose to work with a social movement that was protesting state-sponsored mining in the Intag cloud forest. I had such a good experience, and built such strong relationships with community members there, that when I got back to my university in the US, I immediately started working on a way to go back. Ultimately, I assembled a student team, and we were awarded over $20,000 in funding to return to Intag. So, I spent three more months in Ecuador supporting the work of multiple community organizations after graduating from UVA in 2019. I stayed with the same homestay family that I had met in 2018, and I am still in touch with them today. So, I would say that the was not only a great way to forge long-lasting relationships with local people, it also went a long way towards advancing my young career. As soon as it is safe, I can't wait to go back!

SIT Morocco was an incredible, life changing program! Living in Rabat and engaging with CCCL Staff not only allowed me to obtain an in depth, extensive experience of the geopolitical histories of Morocco, but I was able to visit a multitude of diverse places across Morocco, including Chefchaouen, Marrakech, Tetouan, the Sahara Desert, and so many more! Not only were the staff incredibly helpful and supportive, but the people in the program were all excited to be there and learn, and I met some of my best friends from this program!!

There are not enough words to describe how life changing this program was for me! The academics were challenging in that it taught me to see from a different perspective and imagine different ways of being and living. Classes were very relaxed though and open for everyone to share their thoughts and experiences. We also frequently had guest speakers who were prominent community leaders or government officials. Additionally, we were able to directly apply our knowledge in breathtaking excursions to the Amazon Rainforest and the Galapagos Islands (more were planned but the program was unfortunately cut short due to COVID-19). During these excursions, we stayed in the nicest places I have ever been to! In the Amazon we stayed at a sustainable finca, hiked through the rain forest, were spiritually cleansed, and listened to a presentation by an important community activist. In the Galapagos, we hiked through volcanos, snorkled with sharks, sea turtles, and sea lions, and experienced some important local community organizations. The most impactful aspect, though, were the people I met here. I have never been surrounded by a more kind and loving group of people. The entire group developed such a close bond from the get-go and we spent the whole program together, planning activities after class and even going out of town on the weekends.
It is also important to note that I never felt unsafe here. Although I was studying abroad during the beginning of the pandemic, SIT and my program directors did everything they could to ensure the health and safety (and even happiness) of their students. The academic directors, Faba and Sofia, were incredible in helping us navigate the unprecedented conditions we were experiencing.
This program has so much to offer and allows you enough free-time to craft it into the perfect study abroad experience. I am now the person who can't shut up about their study abroad experience!

SIT Jordan was an outstanding experience. From academics, to social life, to professional opportunities, I felt that SIT offered it all! Academically, I learned a great deal about the country and region from local lecturers, the perspective of SIT administrators, and course readings and discussions. I also improved my FusHa Arabic, and learned a lot of survival Aamiyah which was key during my internship. My cohort of 30 was unusually close, often opting to go out for lunches or nightlife in large groups, and spending a lot of our free time together.

SIT offered amazing excursions to Ajloun, Jerash, Petra, the UAE, and more! When outside of class, I felt completely immersed in Jordanian culture and loved every minute of it.

I had the opportunity to complete an internship as a teaching assistant, and that really improved my speaking skills and confidence, while also giving me a better idea about disability in the Jordanian context.

Amman is a vibrant, lively city with things to do on every corner. I explored Wasat al Balad, tried new foods, found hidden bars, and met locals who were always thrilled to speak with Americans. Jordanians are some of the loveliest, most kind-hearted people out there.

I would not want to have done my semester abroad anywhere else with any other study abroad provider.

I was abroad in Prague for the fall 2019 semester, and I have thought about it every day since! It was an incredible experience unlike any other and exceeded all of my expectations. I adored exploring the city and learned so much about Czech history, literature, and culture. I find myself referencing books and facts I learned all of the time—I've turned into that girl who's always starting conversations with "when I was abroad …" I had the loveliest host family; they really made me feel like I was part of their real family, and it was incredible to have the practical experience of cultural norms rather than just learning about them in the classroom. We lived on the northern outskirts of the city, making my commute to school around 45 minutes, but every minute was worth it because I got to explore different districts and see so many cool landmarks that way. The professors were awesome—they all had firsthand experience with the historical events we learned about—and I still keep in touch with my classmates. My favorite part was definitely the independent study project, where I researched underground literature from the communist era and interviewed some really impressive people who helped create and distribute it! Another thing I loved was being there for the thirtieth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution (the fall of communist rule). If you're in search of an adventure in a super cool city where you can learn a lot about art and history, this program is for you!