Spring 2015 Grad: Outside-of-class learning, amazing experiences

SIT does a great job of focusing on student experience, and making classrooms as rigorous as US classes, with the added bonus of incorporating a huge range of outside-of-class learning trips and excursions, which are easily the highlight of the program. The staff are very well-connected in Bolivia, which provides you great access to amazing people and resources wherever you go-- you'll find yourself talking to famous Water War activists like it's no big deal. The ISP (Independent Study Project) is the most academically rewarding part of the program, and can lead to future research in your home institution. Cochabamba was the ideal city, in my opinion, for the type of experience I was looking for. It's not a tourist destination per se, so you have a really good chance of immersion, and you won't get caught up in a community of foreigners that speak your language. If you're looking for a challenge, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, SIT Bolivia is a good fit for you.