SIT Study Abroad: Nepal: Himalayan and Buddhist Peoples

I'm so glad I went to Nepal for my study abroad semester. As an international studies major with a focus in religious studies, it was a great place to combine these two interests. I learned a lot about the geopolitics of the region and the fascinating religious landscape there. The highlight of the program was our excursion to Upper Mustang. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been and I had the opportunity to engage with women in several different villages, talking to them about their experiences with Buddhism. I don't think I'll ever have an experience like that again. It was also lovely to live with my host family and meet local students! They were all some of the kindest people I've met. I am also grateful for the opportunity I had in the final month of the program to intern/volunteer with a women's organization in Kathmandu. I received a warm welcome, learned about the experiences of women in Nepal, and got to know some amazing women who have been working to support women and their rights for decades. The semester was definitely not without its challenges (it's difficult to be in a place where you're clearly an outsider for so long, and I had my fair share of the classic stomach issues), but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

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.

The staff of SIT Nepal are passionate and knowledgeable about the program, its history, and the nation in general. It's hard to overstate how much they take care of the students during an experience that can be overwhelming and challenging. Homestays allow students to immerse themselves in the culture of Tibetans in exile, and lecture-based courses (with the exception of language class) bring in a diverse array of experts. If you're looking for a typical, academically rigorous semester, SIT does not offer that. But they make up for it with a tight-knit, very small cohort, a challenging Tibetan class, and the ISP period that will probably be the your rewarding and difficult college experience.

This program gives an incredible experience taking you through the history, culture, and language of the Tibet and the Himalayas. Kathmandu is a wonderful place to live, and the homestay gives safety and built in family. Courses are experiential: the only way to learn abroad. The Tibetan language course is fun and lively, but it also helps in the smaller commutes in the mountains and in India. Academically, I came home with a vast knowledge of the cultural landscape of Nepal, Tibet, and the Himalayas.

This program was challenging in the best sense of the word. If you are a fan of the liberal arts model of education--one that strives to challenge innate assumptions and preconceived notions of the world through the critical study of historical and contemporary realities--this program is for you. While the program is topically and predominately about the geopolitics and the modern political conditions of Tibetan peoples, Isabelle Onians (the director) uses this specific material to craft a curriculum that expands and complicates the student's conception of nationhood, citizenship and cultural identity. Isabelle's lectures are brilliant and reveal a deep learning and whip-sharp intellect that she gathers together and unleashes on the small classroom in surprising and inspiring ways throughout the semester. Participation was less mandatory than irresistible. I would consider Isabelle's teaching some of the finest in all my years as a student, and still, several years later, think about how her course shifted my thinking. Additionally, I gained a profound insight into the lived experiences of a people who I had previously only read about, or could have pointed to on a map but did not know in any real or meaningful sense. I had been abroad a small amount as a teenager with my family, and though I followed international events and cared about global politics, I had never before so fully felt a witness and a part of the world not as an American, or a millennial, or a college students, or even a political activist, but as a person. I saw what were hands down the most beautiful landscapes I've ever encountered--before and after. I ate fantastic Nepali and Tibetan food, and studied a difficult and exciting new language. I gained an insight into Buddhism as a lived practice and not merely a philosophy to be studied by college students, scholars and Western-atheists. And I made friendships with my peers, my teachers, and with local people that I still hold dear to this day. This past year I went to one of my co-SIT student's weeding; I still maintain, four years after my time at SIT, a deep correspondence with my writing advisor from the program. I feel a better, wiser, more empowered and engaged person as a result of my time with SIT in Nepal, and have not ceased to be grateful for my experience there since I left.

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This program was the most memorable and formative semester of my undergrad education. The instructors were wise and kind, pushing me and my peers to challenge ourselves intellectually while providing superb support; the Tibetan language instruction was top-level, with daily opportunities to practice with local Tibetans and my homestay family; and the opportunity to conduct a month-long research project on a subject of my choosing helped me grow in confidence and build expertise in my area of interest. I made friends for life, visited some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth, and got to immerse myself in Tibetan and Nepali culture, learning for the first time about these fascinating cultures. Can honestly not recommend this program enough!

The SIT Study Abroad Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples program was much more impactful on my life than I thought it would be. Of utmost importance in this was the way the academic staff handled the course topic. The SIT academic staff created a curriculum emphasizing the true complexity of Tibetan and Himalayan socio-cultural and religious politics. This is not an easy task and indeed required the guidance of individuals who have spent their lives living and specializing in this region. Classes were overseen by experts who made sure to indicate the ambiguities of sovereignty, territory, cultures across borders. This was all done with great sensitivity and nuance in a way that inspired me to reconsider not only what I understood about the region, but more importantly what I considered myself to know about other notions of authenticity, place, space, nation-states, and knowledge as a foreigner. In short, this course was intellectually demanding because it did not provide clear answers. Clear answers in many instances would not capture the nuances at play. Some students felt uncomfortable with these tactical semi-conclusions, but I found it personally groundbreaking. Be prepared to let go of your American paradigms. The course topic itself was extremely moving and presented as a human issue. Tibetans were key in leading aspects of the program, sharing their experiences and grounding the texts in reality. Having the chance to work with Tibetans and Himalayn peoples was a necessary component and was prioritized by the program. This is not an emotionally easy topic to tackle. The manner in which occupation and displacement were addressed did not overlook the intensity of the Tibetan situation, nor shy away from its controversial nature. For me personally, the opportunity to conduct field research was invaluable. On one occasion, I conducted a week long fieldwork in the Tsum Valley on local law. On another, I conducted a month long independent study on Tibetan refugees in Nepal. Both of these experiences were completely life altering. In them, I found my calling to be a researcher of issues surrounding migration and displacement. Having the opportunity to be out in the community, talking directly with Tibetans and Himalayan peoples about their experiences and opinions regarding current politics, changed the course of my life. I cannot stress enough how powerful these experiences were. I have the program to thank for this since it prioritized fieldwork through the curriculum. The living situation was also well done. With my host family, I felt safe, welcomed, included, and challenged. They did not speak much english, so I had to use Tibetan I learned in class. This was certainly difficult, but allowed me to develop a relationship with them in another language. I was living in a home with Tibetan refugees. This drove the truth of the situation home. It made it all real in a tangible way. I never had any problems with them and in fact went to visit 5 years later, finding we were able to reconnect very easily. Some students were disappointed or surprised by aspects of the program. For several, there was too much emphasis on learning the Tibetan language. They did not find it useful for navigating the Nepali context. Or they found it simply too difficult and mentally opted out. While I empathize with their concerns, I personally found it important given the focus of the curriculum. It was certainly hard, however, and I did not come away feeling my grasp of the language was profound. The long-term support of the program faculty has also been helpful. I have been able to stay in touch, seek council, and facilitate valuable connections. Their enthusiasm is evident. They care about their students and want to help. Nepal is itself a very intense country with incredible diversity, cultural significance, poverty, and political intrigue. Living their is no small undertaking. Understanding it is on the verge of impossible. But going there and seeing for yourself, if you are open to enduring what it has to offer, can forever shift your point of view. All I can recommend really is to jump in, be patient, pay attention, and be satisfied with what can be learned. In conclusion, this program exceeded all expectations. It was a turning point in my life as a researcher. It moved me. It inspired and supported my interests. It was challenging yet able to work with me when I struggled. It has continued to support me for years afterwards. I am confident these experiences would not have occurred at another program. As a result, I would choose this program again and again.

To this day I am still learning from the experience I had in 2013 with SIT Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples as it continues to shape my future. They threw us into the culture, taught us how to think critically and developed our skills of non-invasive and collaborative research (also travelling to India and carrying out extended fieldwork in Bhutan). The individual Study Project (ISP) truly lets you flourish your interest, while the faculty does their very best to help you achieve maximal learning, while staying rooted. My current path and career are positively influenced by this program and its expert faculty. Furthermore, this program has it all: Adventures, deep cultural integration, mystery, unbelievable sightseeing and the development of you as a student. I recommend this program whole heartedly and am thankful to the entire program faculty. Hadi El Rabbat (Egypt) SIT Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples (Spring 2013)

The SIT Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples program is a unique program that offers a tremendous amount of opportunities for students with a variety of academic and personal interests. In addition to general coursework in Tibetan language, research methods and ethics, and content seminars often in the form of lectures and discussions with local experts, the month-long independent study program was an incredible undergraduate research opportunity. Students on my program pursued such disparate interests as geo-tourism development, Tibetan Buddhist ritual, women's health, climate change, traditional handicrafts, creative writing, photography, local cuisine culture, refugee issues, education, and many more. This program truly is student-centered and allows for all participants to deeply pursue their own interests in a unique setting in the foothills of the Himalayas. Moreover, the excursions give students the opportunity to explore other Himalayan and Tibetan areas throughout Nepal, India, and Bhutan.

Speaking from experience, you don’t need a significant background in South Asian studies or philosophy to gain a lot from this program. Nepal is rich with cultural diversity and I was constantly in awe of its natural beauty. It has something for everyone, and the staff is SUPER supportive and knowledgable. With the help of SIT staff, students were able to connect with locals, and I gained wonderful Nepali friends that made my time there even more special. Course instruction was really grounded in anthropology and gave me a much more informed framework for understanding cross-cultural interactions and international travel. The excursions that the program provides were a huge highlight because we got to travel to remote places and gained experience in anthropological methodology and interviewing skills. These helped prepare me for the independent study month, during which I designed my own project with the help of SIT staff; it gave me a fascinating opportunity to learn about my career interests in a particular Nepali setting. I gained so much knowledge, confidence, and cultural awareness, and I am constantly talking about my experience in job/internship interviews. This is an incredible program!!

I cannot even begin to explain the numerous ways in which this program changed my life… seriously I have a SIT Nepal story for practically every single occasion and find a way to bring up how much it changed my life frequently. If you want a dynamic study abroad program that will set your life up in remarkable ways beyond what you even could expect, this is the program. I wanted to do a program very different than my peers all in London/ Australia, because that really should be the point of study abroad and wow did I get that. The program excursions change every semester so when you apply there is no real way of knowing what you will get up to that semester. We took two airplanes and a helicopter to the Tibetan border to most remote area in the country in the far west and then went on a 2 week walk/ trek where we stayed in villages in the middle of the Himalayas. How many study abroad programs do you know where you could potentially be on a helicopter?? It also means that unlike other programs where you follow a set tourist trail, you truly are going places in many cases for the first time. People are still excited to engage with you and learn with you. Additionally with the independent research project, I was incredibly daunted going into it, but it ended up being one of the most eye opening and rewarding things I’ve ever done. I never considered myself a “research” person, but it all changed with this. I gained so much self confidence in my ability to get to the bottom of stories and write about them. We all did! The staff is fantastic. The homesteads are fantastic. The SIT house is a little piece of heaven with a garden and fresh food every day. I have traveled a lot in my life but can hands down say this was my most memorable, unique experience ever. If you love adventure, the unknown, an incredibly unique cultural experience, and having experiences that no one else in the world really will get, this is the place. PS I think the "communicty" descriptor is very misleading here. You are with a program of 12-20 other people and living with homestays so you aren't going out to the club every night (although you can do that on the weekend). It is fun in the fact you are with an incredible cohort of kind, curious people that you can sit at cafes by Buddhist stupas talking about life while monks complete their kora beneath you. But again, this is a fully unique experience! It was nice to take a semester off of college shenanigans and engage in these meaningful relations instead. These people became my best friends. I have seen them in Bangkok, Chicago, New York, and am even doing a Fulbright back in Asia with one of the girls I met there. PPS do not be daunted by the "trekking" element. It's not just for hard core hikers. I am certainly not one and I was completely fine!

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The study abroad that I took part in during the spring semester of 2014 was the "SIT Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan People" program. The immersion into this program made it possible for me to explore the vitality of the cultural dimensions to the fullest. Especially at the home stay, where we spoke with the host family in Tibetan and Nepali languages and did the daily chores together, it became a focal point of cultural exchange and learning for all. Moreover, we travelled to various key-locations to study the social, historical and cultural aspects, thereby gaining insight on both the methods and results of partaking in field research.

The SIT Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples study abroad program was a remarkable highlight of my time in university. Through a refreshing taste of experiential learning, we engaged with communities across Nepal in productive, meaningful ways. Learning in the field instead of the classroom inspired us all to be more invested in our work. The staff, who was caring and supportive to the utmost degree, has connections across the region and is willing to help all of their students with both the smallest and greatest of tasks. Their deep knowledge of the country (and neighboring countries) opens up a world of opportunity. Students with any possible interest, even the most esoteric, will find their place and thrive in this study abroad program.

Its hard to just choose one experience, but for me it was the trek we took through a mountain pass in Bhutan, that lead to the small village of Ura. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life. I chose the program because I am very interested in Asian studies, and thought that this program would be perfect. A wonderful homestay family that made me feel welcome, and helped me in many ways with various living conditions that I had to learn to deal with.

This program was amazing, and only receives lower points in administration and academics due to one reason. That being, the amount travel that takes place. This is not a problem, however, and there is no one to blame, the issues exist simply because of the location, and difficulties that can be associated with getting through customs on time to make a flight, or trying to give a lecture while traveling from location to location. Overall, this program was a life changing experience for me, and I will remember it forever. Giving me a new outlook on Asian cultures, as well as allowing me to make friends both in the program and in Nepal.