In Spring 2022, I participated in the SIT Jordan: Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action study abroad program. This academic experience honed my career interests, which I struggled greatly with before. The humanitarian field is so broad! Do you want to specialize in health? Education? Violent conflict? Okay, you figured it out – now how and where? Are you gonna be a health specialist for HIV in South Africa? Or perhaps a community engagement lead for gender-based violence awareness in India? You can’t be an expert in both. They are vastly different contexts that require years worth of focused skills.
If that just gave you anxiety (as a fellow indecisive), I apologize. I don’t want this career path to be any more stressful than it has to be. BUT – you do need to choose a concentration or you won’t progress. This is a practical skills field. You have to offer something. This doesn’t, however, mean you need to be tunnel-visioned. I have lots of humanitarian interests. Even though violent conflict & displacement in MENA is my specialty, I have volunteered with several non-governmental organizations that deal with child marriage, female genital mutilation, and sexual & reproductive health in Africa.
Okay enough about me! This blog post is for students, who share a similar career interest (or struggle!). For this reason, I very much recommend the School for International Training (SIT) as a trusted study abroad program provider, particularly for those overwhelmed by the multitude of options available. Choosing the correct study abroad program can profoundly impact your future opportunities. Considering the substantial financial investment involved, it becomes even more crucial to make an informed decision. While I can only talk about my experience and the program I chose, I urge you to explore all options available to you.
1. Understanding SIT Jordan: Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action
SIT Jordan: Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action is an immersive undergraduate study abroad program offered by the School for International Training (SIT). The primary program location is Amman, Jordan; although there is a two-week excursion to Switzerland. I went to Istanbul, Türkiye due to a last-minute rise in Covid cases. Not only was it stunning, but Türkiye is the largest host of refugees globally. Being able to compare the two countries’ refugee policies and methods of integration was critical for my study and foundational for my career.
Although this is a US-sponsored study abroad program, all educators are local professionals. Through a combination of lectures, field-based learning, research, and interactions with local NGOs and refugees, I felt I gained a genuine and comprehensive understanding of the context framing the various refugee crises in the Middle East. I never observed any discussions being off-limits or censored, due to US military involvement in the region. In fact, most of our lecturers were Palestinian.
The program aims to be authentic. It feels like you are living there, not just passing through. You have the time and freedom to build a routine. For instance, I walked to Majnoon Qahwa for a salted caramel latte every morning before catching an Uber to class. It got to the point where my barista would prepare my drink before even going up to order!
There definitely is no shortage of planned excursions though. At least once a week, the group sets out on an educational or tourist-themed adventure. It couldn’t have been a more perfect balance. By the end of the program, I could confidently say I saw the whole country (not literally but you get the point).
2. Why I Chose this Study Abroad Program
Besides the massive interest I had in the MENA region, I desired to do a program that was “out there”. Everyone goes to study abroad in Spain, Portugal, or the UK. I wanted an experience that was less about sightseeing and more about knowledge I couldn’t get in the classroom or anywhere else in my environment. I wanted unfamiliar and irreplaceable and that is what I got! My recommendation is to go to a country you know the least about. This is how you can maximize learning.
I was also attracted to the fact that this was a semester program. It’s difficult to leave a new environment before you’ve even had the chance to adapt. I wasn’t ready to come home, but there was no lingering feeling of guilt or dissatisfaction either. Some program providers will charge $10k+ for 2-weeks. Get your money’s worth! You probably won’t get to do more than one study abroad while in college.
A big sell for me was the academics though! The program is 16 credits. For some, this may not be a lot, but if you have a relevant major you most likely can double-dip. Strategically plan with your advisor ahead of time. The credits are so dynamic you can almost always substitute them for any humanities requirement. This is what I did and I graduated one term early.
3. Opportunities and Benefits of Studying Abroad
If you are serious about a humanitarian career, then you need hands-on experience during your education. Studying abroad is perhaps the easiest way to secure this.
This program offers two unique options to gain this experience: an independent study project or an internship & seminar. A choice between the two should be based on your academic or career objectives.
The independent study project is essentially a mini-thesis and you can pair it well with an undergrad honors thesis from your home institution. The program encourages exploration of any topic relevant to its focus. How is this any different from another long essay? Well, instead of just citing academic journals, you are collecting in-country data on your topic! Say the topic is Syrian refugee women’s empowerment. Well, you will probably want to go to the Princess Taghrid Institute and interview beneficiaries and assess the quality of services offered. It is real research. Here are some ISP examples to get you inspired!
The internship & seminar is what I chose. The stint involves four weeks working with an entity engaged in humanitarian assistance and development aid. You still write up a 20-30 page paper but it is essentially a reflection, in much of the same way this blog post is. The program allows you to tailor your placement based on your interests.
Since I volunteered previously in sexual & reproductive health, I chose to intern with Forearms of Change (مركز سواعد التغيير لتمكين المجتمع), a community-based organization focused on the intersection between health and marginalized communities in Jordan. I spent my time working on grants for Frontline Aids, fhi360, and IOM. These are big humanitarian actors in the Middle East that I familiarized myself with. While I wasn’t there long enough to learn any useful skills (i.e. that I use in my day-job now), I got my first look into the internal functions of a humanitarian organization. I admit I had an idealist view before of how my life post-college would look. In a way, I just thought I would apply for a job in the field and voila!
Even if it is just once, do an internship or interactive research project, something that gets your hands dirty, so you can know you are on the right path. It is okay if your expectation isn’t your reality, but you should find out before committing!
4. Homestay Experience
Lots of study abroad programs have homestays. So what makes this one special? I am sure you have heard the expression “to take your work home with you”. I would go as far to say this was a “to take your topic of study home with you”. Students are placed with Palestinian refugee families. This program isn’t designed to be another copy & paste of publicly available information with a fancy view. It is about getting you to live what you are learning and to hear the stories of those who have been displaced from their own lips. It is not often you can do that.
My host parents were born in Jericho, displaced by Israeli Defense Forces to Kuwait, and then once more made refugees to Jordan in the 90’s. They still have the keys to their home in Palestine, but cannot return. Sadly, it is not a unique story but one shared by millions globally.
I would warn that homestays are not one-size-fits-all. In my case, I was placed with a family where we didn’t have much in common. Whereas, others on the program built life-long relationships with those in their host families. It is partly what you put into it and partly a little bit of fate. Don’t be discouraged if it’s not all you thought it would be. Just focus on why you are there. This is a part of the program that is the least predictable.
5. Language Learning
While the program language of instruction is English, students are required to take up to 6 credits of Arabic. There are Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced courses available. In week one, students take a placement test to put them in the appropriate level. The courses are mostly in Levantine Arabic, which is a dialect spoken throughout Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and southern Turkey.
I think the greatest source of language learning during the program is outside of the classroom though. If you have a host family that doesn’t know English, this is gold! If not, there will be plenty of opportunities throughout your day. Need a taxi to class? How about ordering a falafel wrap from Third Circle for lunch? Well – you will need to use Arabic!
5. Engaging with Local NGOs and Refugee Camp Visits
During the program, we visited local health centers and community-driven organizations providing health and protection assistance to refugees in both Jordan and Türkiye. These excursions provide firsthand insights into the challenges refugees face regarding integration and accessing assistance services, while also delving into grassroots initiatives on protection, building resilience, and fostering social unity.
This was one of my favorite parts of the program and it also was a way to give back and support. The program always monetarily or otherwise donated to the organizations for their time and instruction.
In a way though, it still didn’t feel 100% right, as we were all inexperienced and not qualified to be in these settings. This feeling was particularly echoed when we conducted two planned excursions to Zaatari Refugee Camp. This is a refugee camp located on the Northern border of Jordan and Syria, and the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world. You can only access it with prior governmental approval and police escort, well in advance of planned travel. The learning opportunity was next-level. I would never have had access to such a place, unless as a seasoned career professional.
To see the inner workings of a refugee camp and to examine its health and social services was phenomenal. Regardless, a hoard of 20+ foreigners, clearly not aid workers, walking through the camp was not the way to do it. There was a bit of discourse on the ethics of it, and I am not sure if it is still a part of the program today.
Nevertheless, the type of learning available in this program is extraordinary and I don’t think easily replicated. While I can’t guarantee all SIT programs are of similar quality, I do think if you have an interest in the humanitarian sector, this should definitely be on your list for consideration!
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