SIT Study Abroad

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.

From this program, I was able to make close connections with my teachers and staff, people who are so kind and always open to listening to any questions you have. The four homestays were amazing, as each one allowed me to learn something new. And while staying in Cape Town for the ISP period, the area was nice, and there was always something to do in the city. And my cohort was amazing as well, as they were an essential part of my learning outside of the classroom. This program was life-changing, giving me the chance to learn about the history of South Africa and the racial discrimination policies that were put in place to divide the country. And while you would think that only occurred during Apartheid, by being able to live in South Africa currently in a democracy, you will begin to see that these policies are still in place. From this, I learned and gained a new critical lenses, which address how systems don't change, it's just the name that does. For me, this has helped me look at things in my day-to-day life with a deeper analysis and questioning of things, which is essential to have when looking at systems that have existed forever. And as a Black person, gaining these lenses and learning how to decolonize my ways of thinking is something I'll carry for the rest of my life. For those thinking of doing this program, do it! You won't regret it.

This program gave me all I could ever want in an abroad experience; my host family was so loving and welcoming, and my academic experience was unparalleled. We visited hospitals all around the country, and spoke with many types of professionals in the healthcare field. My favorite part of this program was the traveling. We took multiple week-long trips as a group, each with a different academic focus, and we also had the opportunity for solo travel. I made it to six Argentine provinces, as well as Chile and Uruguay! Our program leaders were intelligent, organized, and kind, and they worked so hard to make this an unforgettable experience.