SIT Study Abroad: Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

I recently completed the SIT Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples program and am so grateful for the experience, connections made, and time spent in Nepal. While there were so many highlights to my experience with SIT in Nepal, among my favorite memories/takeaways were my homestay (whom I am still in contact with), fabulous and welcoming Tibetan gen-las (teachers), and excursions to Dharamsala, India and Manang. Throughout this program I felt the SIT staff encouraged me to challenge myself but were also incredible resources for my overall well-being. I felt especially supported by SIT as I embarked on my ISP where I spent 19 days in the Solukhumbu (Everest) region conducting ethnographic research on the Sherpa population. I am so grateful for this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience and know it will shape the remainder of my life. I cannot recommend this program enough and look forward to remaining connected with friends/teachers from the program for years to come.

My time in Nepal was the most important experience of my life thus far. While I was always pushing the limits of what I thought I was capable of, I was never disappointed in the end result. From close calls with monkeys and dogs throughout the city to trekking through the Himalayas to learning a new language, I have never grown so much in my life as I did during those three and a half months in Nepal. My capacity for change drastically expanded and my appreciation for other cultures and their belief systems increased tenfold.

The SIT program was an awesome experience. I was constantly encountering new things—whether going on excursions, living with my homestay family, or trekking- and I was always immersed in the local culture. I appreciated how the learning in the classroom directly connected to the situations we experienced outside of it because it helped me understand concepts in a deeper, more practical way. It wasn’t always easy or comfortable, but that discomfort was part of what made it so valuable. Being pushed outside my comfort zone helped me grow and learn in ways I never expected. Along the way, I met so many incredible people and gained knowledge that goes far beyond a typical classroom. If you’re ready to take on a challenge and open yourself to new perspectives, SIT is truly unforgettable.