SIT Study Abroad Reviews

This program is rigorous in that it demands great flexibility from participants. You are constantly traveling and seeing new things and you are faced with the challenging of staying engaged as often as possible to contextualize, observe, and reflect on your experiences. That being said, these experiences are once in a lifetime. This program included face to face interaction with healthcare practitioners, providers, and institutions of all kinds in India, China, and South Africa. Contextualizing this information with what you learn about daily life and culture in your host families gave me a richer and more complex body of knowledge about health practices and healthcare in the three countries. There's great value in the many guest lectures and site visits that are planned for you. But there was also a fair amount of time on the weekends to explore and travel more. I developed close relationships with the other students on my program through always being with each other. I saw the most beautiful places in the world, but more importantly, I saw myself grow immensely.

This program is a definite must for those would are interested in conflict restoration and peace building. We stayed with local families, increasing our cultural exposure. The program staff is also extremely helpful and attentive. There are lots of opportunities to explore the cities and meet people. Life-changing, great experience.

On arriving in Gulu, you are given an Acoli name; mine was Lanyero, meaning laughter and joy. That name paved my way through the most beautiful and challenging journey of my life, meeting extraordinary individuals and hearing their stories, bouncing over treacherous African roads, and witnessing post-conflict transformation in Northern Uganda firsthand. I learned a new language, made lasting friendships (both with locals and with my fellow students), and fell in love with the host country and its culture. Everything about this program is remarkable, from the administration to the curriculum. When you leave, you won't only have a new name, but new vision.

During most of the trip (starting the second week), we stayed with host families in Gulu. This was one of the most rewarding parts of the trip for me, as I became very close with my host family (mother, father, and four siblings). They treated me as another member of the family, making me feel safe, welcome, and at home for the entire time I stayed there. I will maintain a lifelong relationship with them, and hope to go back and stay with them again sometime soon. The neighborhood I was in was also a good place to be; it generally felt safe enough but was not in the wealthy part of town, so I got a more authentic experience. The house was comfortable and I did have my own room (curtained off), though this is not a guarantee. Also, don't necessarily expect running water or reliable electricity, this is just part of the way of life in most of Northern Uganda! We also had a rural homestay, where we spent a week living in huts with rural families. I also had a fantastic time during this part of the trip, but again, don't expect amenities. Still, it was another standout part of the trip. When we were not in homestays, we were in hotels or hostels, all of which were nice per Ugandan standards, with clean beds, mosquito nets and sometimes running water. We usually stayed in double rooms. During the independents study, it is sometimes difficult to find housing in Gulu outside of hotels (unless you opt to live with your host family, which may be a possibility). I left Gulu during my ISP, so I didn't experience this, but I stayed in relatively sparse hotels or in temporary homestays in more rural parts of Uganda. My hosts were always generous and welcoming, and despite some material hardships I was generally very happy with my living arrangements.

Academically speaking, this study abroad program wholeheartedly embraces the philosophy of "the world is your classroom." Almost all of the learning was experiential. For language learning, we were placed in host families and sent out to interact with local communities starting in the first week of the trip. The rest of our classes were taught by lecturers from all over Uganda whose specific expertise broadened and enriched our field of knowledge. All of the academics were supported by site visits and opportunities to contextualize the information in a hands-on, practical setting. The courses were rigorous in content, but it was not difficult to do well if you put in the effort, and requirements weren't ridiculously stringent. The only class that could have used a bit of improvement was the language study in Acoli, but it is certainly possible to be proficient in the local language by the time the semester is up, if you put your own work into it. Due to the excellent connections of the program staff, resources for independent research were never in short supply and program lecturers were often willing to put in extra time for our benefit. I learned more during this semester than in any other part of my educational career!

The staff in Indonesia are incredible. They are very involved with the students and the community and will do anything to help you. The fast paced and intensive language program is very beneficial for speaking to host families and locals. The lectures in combination with the many field trips will enhance your overall knowledge and immersion into Indonesian life and culture. Added bonus: the program center has amazing food!

How can I best put my IHP experience into words? Honestly. I can’t. Every time I think back to my time spent abroad with IHP, I remember so many amazing moments that stole my breath, changed my life, and rocked my world.
At the beginning of IHP you meet many alumni and faculty that throw this term ‘life-changing’ at you like they’ve been practicing the pitch for days. I thought nothing of it, when they said it. Now, I write to you to say that it is absolutely no pitch. It is the gospel truth - every word of it. I came back from my IHP trip with a whole new perspective and I completely changed my goals and plans for post-graduate life.
I can safely say that IHP has set me on the career path that I am following today. This is not a study abroad opportunity to be missed.

This program really allows you to explore and understand the Amazon, its people, and current issues surrounding ts use. While we always had Belem and our homestay families to return to, it was the excursions that gave you an eye opening view of the reality of where you are. While the boat trip is unforgettably beautiful and gives you some interaction with the human/natural resource conflict of the region, it is the road trip to the South of Para that forces you to understand the conflicts of the region. These trips are academically stimulating and give you a chance to experience unique aspects of Amazonian culture. And like I said, when those trips are all said and done and you return to Belem, you have an amazing family to stay with and an amazing city to explore.

* Host family:

My host family was incredible. I adore them. That said, I think it's fair to note that a number of other students had issues with their host families. In some cases my perspective is that the students were at fault more than the parents. For example, some parents complained to the program because the students were not home enough and went out too frequently. I also think the parents talked to the program too soon.

Be aware that the program has a staff member whose role is essentially to call your host family and see if they have complaints about you. She advocates for them, not you. I recommend you invest in your host family and learn as much Portuguese as possible so they prefer to come to you if they have an issue rather than tell the program.

At the same time, some students faced genuinely problematic situations in their host families. Several host families did not feed the students, and the students had to eat leftovers or pay extra to eat out at times and/or buy groceries for themselves. Most students lived within a 10 minute taxi ride of each other, and those who did not were isolated and had to pay significantly greater taxi fares to reach the entertainment districts. Students who lived more than a block or three from the beach could not walk alone after dark due to security issues, which left them feeling cooped up.

It seemed to me that the students who knew Portuguese beforehand had few issues with their host families. On the other hand, some of the students who made the least effort to learn Portuguese had relatively uncomfortable stays. Again, my host family experience was phenomenal. I could not have asked for a better situation.

* Food:

My host family was great with food. I told them I like salad, so we (meaning me) ate salad at every meal! Brazilian food is good, especially at the self-service buffet restaurants. However, I still really missed non-Brazilian (American, Chinese, Indian, Thai, BBQ, Mexican) food by the end of the program because they are not available in Fortaleza.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I love Brazil but I found interacting with locals difficult. We do not interact with local students and your options at making Brazilian friends your age is to 1. have a host sibling or family friend your age or 2. meet someone at a club (which as you know can get dicey). On the positive side, most students lived reasonably close to entertainment and the beach and were able to get out and see demonstrations and events there. We also visited and spent time with a series of NGO's, which was a spectacular aspect of the program. Still, I wish we had Brazilian buddies. I was extremely lonely in Brazil in spite of my wonderful host family and relatively strong Portuguese. I couldn't find a website or location to go to casually meet people. Club or bust.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

My physical health was good. The weather (sunny, warm, breezy) certainly helped. Bring diarrhea pills. Mental health facilities are EXPENSIVE and scarce. They do not accept insurance. Expect to pay up to $200 per session. Since mental health professionals charge more per hour than people in the favelas make in a year, you won't have to wait too long for an appointment-few locals can afford the rates.

* Safety:

Brazil is unsafe. Expect that going in. SIT does a great job of warning us of safety concerns during orientation. They bring in three expats and have them discuss their security challenges. As with the host families, student experience with safety differed depending on their level of proficiency in Portuguese. Most of the students who were targeted were speaking English in public with other Americans after dark. Keep everything locked away at the SIT offices except your bus pass, cell phone, and a small amount of cash.

Our program had a 2:1 breakdown in favor of girls. None of the boys got targeted; to my knowledge, between a third and half of the girls were. Hello, sexism.

Tips: Hide important and expensive stuff (all electronics, because of Brazil's import tariffs) in your underpants. Put things in a plastic grocery bag. Go out with your host family. Even though your Portuguese may be rusty, do not speak English in public! It attracts attention. Try to appear disinterested but aware of your surroundings. Buy and wear local Brazilian textiles. They're cheap, comfy, and attract far less attention than colorful and expensive foreign clothes.

* Money:

How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

I was fortunate to live within walking distance of the school and a two minute taxi ride from the clubs. That kept my costs at a fraction of those who lived farther away. I was very conservative with my money and rarely went out. I ate lunch at the chain supermarket to keep my costs down. Even so, I went over budget. Salvador is twice as expensive as Fortaleza, so plan accordingly for your week-long stay there.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?

Eat at the local supermarket. Ask Oelito about the lunch special at a nearby restaurant. Stay with your host family for the duration of your ISP. Split cabs with students living nearby.

There is no typical day on an IHP Cities trip. Every day is new, you meet a new local leader, you voyage to a new organization, community, city, country, you understand new things or old things in new ways. That's the greatest part of IHP, you are constantly confronting your preconceived perceptions and re-evaluating your understanding of cities and people. One day you could find yourself standing on the site of a house recently demolished by the state as part of an unjust eviction campaign talking with the community leaders who stopped the rest of the neighborhood from being turned to rubble. Another day could meet you on top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, looking at the portions of the city developed during the Apartheid and how much they haven't changed since the end of legal racial segregation. Yet another day could find you in a city planning museum in Hanoi, watching elaborate movies and light-up maps depicting just how Vietnam will transform itself into a developed nation. Or maybe you spend a Saturday sipping fresh coconut milk in Sao Paulo's Iberapuera park, watching kids feed the geese and throwing a frisbee with your host family. IHP is a challenge, but it is a worthy, important and incredible experience.

The SIT program in Amman, Jordan was great for a number of reasons. The staff is made up of a group of amazing and kind people. If we had any issues or concerns we went to the staff and they worked with us. They are also very connected in Jordan, which was especially helpful during the ISP period when we needed advisers and people to interview. I was fortunate enough to interview 15 Jordanians and pass out my surveys to over 70 Jordanian students. I was even able to interview two former Jordanian ministers of culture.

Arabic classes were small and had a lot of individualized instruction. The seminars were larger, but our group was also larger than the usual group. Many of the lecturers were really interesting. The ISP project was a lot of work but the work load in general was not that demanding. We had plenty of free time to explore the city and get to know each other, other foreign students, and locals. I joined a youth tennis group (I was by far the oldest but it was a good experience!) and played at least once a week.

The excursions were one of my favorite aspects of the program. We traveled to post- revolution Egypt, which was a great experience. We stayed in Cairo and also spent a day in Alexandria. We also went on numerous excursions throughout Jordan. I swam in the Dead Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea. Swimming in the Dead Sea and seeing Israel on the other side was a really cool experience. When we visited Aqaba, which is on the Red Sea, SIT rented an entire boat for us. We spent the day sunbathing, snorkeling, jumping off the boat, and enjoying each other’s company. We also spent a night in the Wadi Rum desert, where we rode on camels and ran in (and rolled down) sand dunes.

Living with host families was a terrific experience. Over a year later I still email my host family and they send me pictures of my little host sister. It was a good way to practice speaking Arabic, although it is easy to slip into English if your host family speaks some English. You have to force yourself to speak Arabic if you want to improve. I enjoyed living in Amman and being able to take a cheap taxi anywhere. The only issue I had was standing out as an obvious foreigner. Girls in our program often received negative but generally harmless attention (though it was irritating and frustrating- and it was important to be careful). This can happen anywhere in the world, of course, but it was especially bad in the downtown area of Amman.

Overall, Jordanians are some of the most accommodating and kind people I have ever met. Everyone made sure we were comfortable and enjoying our time in Jordan. Whenever we were guests in someone’s home they made sure we had plenty to eat and drink. Guests certainly never go hungry in Jordan! Even if you are not hungry, you can expect to be offered ample amounts of food. It is terrific but difficult to refuse if you are feeling stuffed. The generosity was really amazing though. During the rural Badia homestay I told a complete stranger that I thought her scarf was pretty. She immediately removed it and offered it to me. This was not an uncommon occurrence either. I remember the generosity of the people the very fondly when I think of Jordan.

I'm a senior international affairs/Chinese major at CU Boulder, and I went to Yunnan with SIT in the fall of 2011, and had the time of my life. If you are a student looking for a truly immersive cultural experience in China then this program is for you. The staff is incredibly helpful and experienced, and by the end of my time there they felt more like good friends than teachers. I would recommend this program to anyone looking for a memorable and life-changing study abroad experience.