Program Reviews

I definitely learned a lot during my time in Peru thanks to SIT. The classes themselves were mostly lectures followed by group discussions and could be a bit repetitive, but being able to meet with community leaders and members around the country gave me a more well-rounded perspective of the social and human rights we studied than any class I could take back on campus. The workload is fairly light outside of plenty of reading and a few essays, but it just gives you more time to spend with your host families and to interact with the people you meet along the way!

If you enjoy hands-on learning, SIT Mexico is an excellent program for you. Each class/unit has an on-site experience that will enforce all that you learned and more in the classroom. Each individual that accompanies you on the trips has a vast amount of knowledge that they are passionate about sharing with students. You will be introduced to individuals residing in each place that are working to assist their community. Finally, in your final month, you will have the incredible opportunity to complete an independent study on any topic that you find interesting. During the process, you have loads of support from academic directors and program coordinators. You can also reach out to those that you've met during your excursions and collaborate. It allows you to completely dive into your interests and learn in a project-based manner. Generally, administrators are always present to help. You develop a sense of community with everyone working in the Ollin educational center, and they're always willing to help. Sometimes, there is so much going on that things slip to the bottom and more minor questions don't get answered right away. But, schedule a face-to-face meeting and you'll get all of your questions answered and more. I loved my homestay, and it was probably the best part of my abroad experience. The homestay's were expertly matched, and care was taken to ensure that each student's needs could be met by the family they were matched with. I still stay in touch with my family, and they had been hosting students for almost 20 years. If one does have problems, though, there are plenty of opportunities to speak to administrators about the problem and find a solution. Again, dietary restrictions were taken into consideration for each student and they were matched with their family appropriately. The food in Oaxaca is world renowned and excellent, but there are all kinds of restaurant's that serve everything from hamburgers to hummus. My family was great about making food that I liked, though I'm not exactly a picky eater. There are all kinds of opportunities to participate in local events and groups. You really feel as though you're living in the city of Oaxaca by the end. However, the group is only American students, meaning that you have to branch out on your own in order to make connections with local Oaxacans outside of your host family.
Oaxaca is incredibly safe, and if one simply follows protocol that they would fall in any larger city, they'll be more than safe!

Perhaps the most intense part of the program is the Spanish. While it is intense and demanding, the coordinators do an excellent job of slowly integrating you into the language and culture. They are always readily available for whatever information or doubts you may have. Ana Laura, the head administrator, is an attentive and dedicated administrator. She is extremely sweet and has high expectations of the students.

My experience abroad gave a view into a different style of living as my host mom lives a minimalist, no-waste lifestyle. I also got to attend a lot of deeply stimulating conferences and talks that gave me a lot of academic contacts and information.

The educational experience with SIT is so special and unique! I loved learning through experiences and field work. The last month is set apart for internships or independent research projects. I loved stepping outside my normal learning setting (a university) and taking more responsibility for what I was learning and how my Spanish was progressing. My host family was also so precious and a perfect fit! Valparaíso is also so special, living next to the ocean was amazing! If you are Christian, there are lots of great options for churches and Christian community- check out Union Church in Viña Del Mar if you choose this program!

SIT Valparaiso is a great program for those who wish to emerge themselves in learning Spanish and value independence. The first month of the program involved many hours of class time that provide a good foundation of the history of Chile that also combined field trips that were very educational. The excursions of this program are a huge highlight as they expose you to the diversity of lives in Chile, as well as the different geography and climate. The final part of the program, which is either an internship or independent study, is a great way to apply the skills learned in the program and the month SIT gives you is plenty of time to complete the assignment without stress.

What I loved about this program is the extensive traveling and unique experiences that this program provides. We travelled all over Panama and even some of Costa Rica, seeing and doing just about everything you could imagine: hiking, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, sight seeing, and of course, learning. This program takes you beyond the traditional classroom setting and teaches you way more than coursework. It got me out of my comfort zone in the best way and taught me the importance of living in the moment.

This was everything I could have hoped for and more in a study abroad experience. I was nervous about leaving everything behind and coming to Panama, but it turned out to be the absolute best decision of my life. The program staff were extremely laid back and allowed us to have an authentic, incredible experience. Every day we did something incredible, exciting, and new that left me wiser than I was before leaving the US. I have a greater confidence in myself and have made forever friendships. I cannot recommend this program enough.

I came in fairly ignorant of Tibetan culture and history and left with not only a greater understanding of that, but also with friendships that I hope will last long after the 4 months of the program. This was the best decision I made in college. It is impossible to know what my experience would have been like in other programs, but in speaking to friends who went elsewhere I can say that the experience I had in Nepal was unique. It was challenging and the greatest learning experience of my life.

This was an incredible semester experience that allowed me to pursue my academic interests (biology/environmental science/animal behavior), improve my Spanish skills, learn a lot about a new culture, experience places and things I would never have been able to as a tourist, and make some life-long friends. The excursions included so much more than I imagined and I really enjoyed the hands-on learning approach. The program staff was fantastic and really prioritized our understanding. All of the students in the program were extremely passionate people who took the experience seriously and worked hard.

This study abroad provided valuable learning in the field, as well as experience in research and academic writing. The adventurous excursions to observe plants, animals, adaptations and symbiotic relationships, environmental impact and conservation efforts, field research methods, and much much more resulted in a rewarding and "once in a lifetime" experience, while being interspersed with regular class time and assignments to improve scientific writing, spanish language skills, and general ecological knowledge. This mix made for a semester full of flexibility, rigor, fun, and lots of new things. The homestay provided additional experience with the culture and the language. All together, this program created a study abroad that will benefit students well beyond the end of the semester. I thoroughly enjoyed my SIT Ecuador: comparative ecology and conservation semester and will never forget the lasting friendships and connections that were formed during the semester.