I Loved the Experience!

I did the SIT IHP Cities in the 21st Century program this spring of 2018, and it was the best decision I could take for myself. My track went to Ahmedabad (India), Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Cape Town (South Africa). I had wanted to go to India and Brazil for a long time and getting the chance to visit through the program was amazing because I got to engage critically with the cities we stayed in and got to know it beyond its tourism(which can often be superficial and harmful). The wonderful country teams that hosted us were open and insightful about the way their cities functioned, the problems they faced, and all the forms of resistance they held. We learned about the cities from so many different angles and teachers - visiting professors, working professionals, activists, community organizers, etc. I also loved the homestay component of the program because the families made us feel welcome and showed us the city in their own eyes. The group of students I became a class of were another big part of the experience since we spent 4 months together! We actively built community throughout the program and got to know each other quite well. The 4 months were obviously not without difficulty of adjusting to new places, dealing with different personalities, balancing the school work with exploring the cities, etc but it was overall enriching and positive. I recommend to anyone who loves to experience new things and is open to it. And of course, people who love urban studies! (ps. I am not an urban studies person, I study history, and I still loved it)