So grateful for this experience - the most exciting, challenging, fun, and meaningful semester

There were two things about this program that made me super nervous going in: the long-term homestay in Panama City, and the Independent Study Project (ISP). Looking back now, those same two things were hands down my favorite aspects of the program (which is saying a lot, because I loved practically every single aspect of the program). I ended up living with a wonderful and unexpected couple - my "Mom" was born in Italy and my "Dad" was of Chinese heritage. The cooking (both Italian and Panamanian) was incredible, and I couldn't have asked for a more welcoming family. Thanks to them, my Spanish improved by leaps and bounds and I felt very rooted in the local culture. Though it seems scary and might not always be quite as positive of an experience as mine, the homestay element of this program is so essential and contributes so much to the program's impact.
Similarly, the concept of the ISP can seem pretty horrifying at first. You set out completely on your own to design, execute, and write up a study in a foreign country - it seems crazy. But, with the support and guidance of the SIT team regarding everything from project ideas to making living arrangements, it is 100% doable. It challenged me in ways that my school in the U.S. never could, and it helped me grow academically and personally. I feel so much more capable and independent because of the ISP, and I can't emphasize enough how wonderful the experience turned out to be. In short, when it comes to study abroad, you have to through your caution to the wind - it will all be so much more than fine!