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global experiences

“The MIT-Madrid semester was the most transformative thing that I have done at MIT.  It not only opened new cultural and intellectual perspectives, but the internships I completed in two Spanish hospital settings gave me the opportunity to see how medicine worked in a socialized system.  I became fluent in Spanish, lived Spanish culture on a daily basis with my host family, and made friendships that will last a lifetime.  Appreciating the pedagogical, social and intellectual differences between the Spanish university and MIT, making connections that will endure forever in a culture that is not my own, and viewing the U.S. from a very different perspective will shape my future perspective as a physician and as a scientist.  

The program maintained a challenging academic course load, yet it was also flexible in the sense that it gave students plenty of opportunities to travel and to explore independent activities.  For instance, studying abroad in Spain enabled me to continue fencing overseas.  I trained at the saber fencing club of Madrid, where I trained alongside and received private lessons from the finest saberists in the country (let alone, some of the finest in the world). By the end of the program, having studied at the Complutense, having interned in various urban medical environments, having fenced and made lasting friendships, I truly felt as if Spain had embraced me and had given me a glimpse of a future that awaits me there some day.  It was comforting knowing that my scholarships and financial aid package carried over into the semester abroad, and it was even more reassuring finding out that the cost of the semester abroad was significantly lower than the cost of a regular semester on campus.  Not only did I get full credit at MIT for the semester in Spain, but I enriched my education in ways that would have been impossible had I remained in Cambridge.” (MIT-Madrid and internship 2005-06)

“My summer photojournalism and research project brought me to India, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and China. I created my own project, writing up a proposal with why it was good for MIT, why it was good for the world, why it was good for me, a tentative budget and schedule, and logistics of visas, housing, and security issues.  Making appointments with various MIT departments and professors, I gained support and funding.  My living expenses and travel expenses were all covered, but I did not receive a salary.  However, I gained so much more than money; I gained friends, experience, knowledge, culture, and weight. I ran into many challenges along the way, getting my wallet and phone stolen, getting a stalker, facing corrupt police, my harddrive filling up, getting food poisoning, getting ill and having to resist getting a potentially dangerous needle stuck into me, and more.  However, I was inspired and motivated by the hospitality and laughter in the poverty ridden streets.  The loyalty and dedication in the slums, the passion and pursuits by those in slightly better conditions gave me a new perspective on the world and my own life.” (Summer 2007 Photojournalism Project on International Development)
[Read more about Christina's experiences on her blog]

“My decision to study abroad at the University of Cambridge had been one of the best I have ever made. The experience had broadened my views significantly, both as a student and as an adult. The educational system at the University of Cambridge is so different than that at MIT. While at MIT, there are various homework assignments and exams throughout the term that sums up your grade, at Cambridge, one exam at the very end of the year will determine your grade for the course. The change can be challenging but it had allowed me to sharpen my study skills and become a more independent and adaptive person.

The CME program is long established and very organized and my financial aid package remained the same as other years. On the other hand, academics vary very much between courses; as a chemical engineer, I was able to fulfill four of my major courses, along with various credits that total my credit count for the year to 96. There is also the option to fulfill HASS credit and CI-M during the year so with the appropriate planning; there should be no worries of falling behind academically.

One thing to note is that because of Cambridge calendar (trimester – 8 weeks each with 6 weeks of break in between), summer for CME students tend to be shorter so early planning is necessary to secure an internship. However, an advantage is that the breaks left plenty of time for traveling. Flights within the continent were unbelievably affordable. Over the breaks, I had the opportunity to visit the Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Ireland, Norway, and of course different parts of the United Kingdom.” ( 2006-2007 Cambridge-MIT Exchange)

“I decided to study abroad during my senior year with the intention to better understand the that subject I am interested in. The exposure to different approaches in teaching and research at Oxford has helped me to better understand the fundamental concepts in materials science, and it has opened my mind to see the endless possibilities and methods that can be applied to one problem. The diverse and outspoken members of the university community have also exposed me to different viewpoints on world affairs from different people around the globe. The experience has not only enriched my academic career, but more importantly, has broadened my vision of the world.

I went abroad to Oxford University during the fall semester of my senior year. One of the biggest obstacle I had to face in regard to academic planning and scheduling is having to apply to graduate school from across the pond. However, I was able to ask professors for recommendation letters before I left for England, and with most applications materials now available online, the process worked out rather seamlessly. In regards to financial matters, as a departmental exchange program, I was only responsible for paying my regular MIT tuition and room and board at Oxford. The cost totaled to about the same as spending a semester at MIT, and I was able to use the normal financial aid that I receive through MIT.” (Fall 2006 Departmental Exchange)

“I spent the final semester of my senior year in an unusual way: I traveled to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The four months were anything but a senior slump. My program, “Development, Health, and Society” offered through the School for International Training (S.I.T.), promised training in Swahili, public health, development, and become proficient in a new culture.

The most salient experience I had during the whole time in Kenya was meeting two groups of women in Kibera, Nairobi’s sprawling million-person slum. I was floored by the strength they had in the face of their obstacles, which are unimaginable to most Americans. Most had lost their husbands and were affected by HIV/AIDS, could barely access a consistent supply of ARVs, and yet had to feed their children and adopted children (also AIDS orphans). Less than ¼ of them had a high school education or were capable of running a small business, such as a roadside vegetable stand, the only “job” available to them. Both groups were support groups, and did handiwork to support themselves. The hospitality they showed me was unlike anything I have ever experienced, even within my own family.

For them, I have started a webpage at http://kiberajewelry.googlepages.com, and have a couple of businesses in the US selling their beadwork. I am hoping to expand it into a small non-profit, allowing these women a consistent stream of revenue to meet their expenses. Please feel free to contact the writer, or visit the website, (kriti.jain@alum.mit.edu) for further information.

I think that no matter what you read, or the documentaries you watch, no experience can fully drive home a reality as personally connecting to it. When you are abroad, you are in a different mode of functioning: you depend on other people for so many things, and your connections form much differently than within the US or MIT.

Sitting here, writing this paragraph for readers interested in studying abroad, I cannot convey what it is like to have friends and contacts in this third “home” (the first two being India and America), and it is the strength of those connections that creates the experience, and that strong experience which forever changes you and your views of the US and world.

Nairobi, Kenya;  Madrid, Spain; New Delhi, India;  and Crownpoint, New Mexico are all places that I’ve traveled and studied during my short time here at MIT. New Mexico isn’t abroad, or even an exciting place to most people, but a Teach for America school on a Navajo reservation is a place few outsiders ever visit.

Three of the trips were arranged and funded at least partly by MIT – IAP 2007 Spanish II class in Madrid, Alternative Spring Break on the Navajo Reservation, and the MIT-India program (part of MISTI) funded (and provided a stipend) my entire summer in India.” (Spring 2007 Study Abroad through study abroad provider)

“I greatly enjoyed the Master's in Neuroscience I did at Oxford: the course was well organized, structured and I got exposed to a broad range of areas. I'm still in touch with my research supervisors from one of my rotation projects there, and I ended up continuing to collaborate with them after the course ended to finish up some research results. For me, Oxford was a time to explore a world outside of my career path so far. I was given the liberty to explore a subject outside of my undergraduate background and the time to travel extensively. But it was the people I met there that have become the most important legacy of my Oxford experience. It's nearly been 4 years since I left England and it is rare that a day goes by without me talking to at least one of the friends I made there. I continue to be inspired by these friends who come from a variety of backgrounds and study a wide range of subjects, and feel lucky that I had the opportunity to meet them.” (Rhodes Scholar, Oxford 2001-2003)

“My three month summer stage (internship) with Framatome ANP (a company of AREVA NP) in Lyon, France was truly invaluable to my nuclear engineering education because not only did I gain a significant amount of technical and managerial knowledge, I also gained a deeper cultural understanding.  I knew right off of the bat that this was going to be an exceptionally rewarding internship because instead of receiving the plug-and-chug kind of work that interns are typically given, my advisor assigned me the high-level responsibility of drafting plant design requirements for an advanced nuclear reactor concept. The importance of this project allowed me to attend design meetings in Paris where I had the opportunity to meet and work with top-notch engineers from all over the world.  Besides the expansion of my technical knowledgebase, this project also allowed me to learn about a project management approach -- systems engineering design -- that I've frequently heard about but had never actually seen implemented. This experience equipped me with both the language and the tools by which to overcome such barriers as differing definitions of technical terminology and varied regulatory requirements. 

I also gained a lot culturally; the complete immersion in the French culture allowed me to learn far more than can ever be taught in a classroom or book. For example, one can easily read all about the Arc de Triomphe in a historical text but I don't think it can ever be truly experienced until one actually stands at its base and gazes up at hundreds of years of French history. In addition to learning about a new culture, the total immersion moreover allowed me to gain a better appreciation for my own vis à vis recognition of different American cultural nuances that I previously hadn't given a second thought to.  I'm convinced that the technologies and techniques I learned working alongside Framatome engineers this summer will serve me well in my future career with the nuclear power industry.” (Summer 2006 intern, facilitated by MIT’s Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems and MIT-France and completely financed by AREVA.) 

“I think it was around junior year that it occurred to me that although MIT is one of the best places in the world to learn how to solve problems, many of the world's most pressing problems were not at MIT. MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) MIT-India found an opportunity to work with the Kushal Foundation, a non-profit organization providing free primary health care for children and prenatal women living in the slums of Bangalore and surrounding villages. I was hosted by Shama Karkal, Kushal's program director in Bangalore, and I was treated like a true member of the family. Being hosted by Shama and her wonderful family was one of the main reasons why my trip to India was so enjoyable as well as an incredible learning experience. I

At Kushal I was involved in several projects, through which I experienced personal growth and learned from individuals from diverse cultures a greater sensitivity to the different ways people view health and medicine. I programmed in MS-Access a patient information system which… allows Kushal to assess the efficacy of its health interventions, to create reports on disease incidence and many other health indicators, and to generate notices for overdue immunizations and health checkups for malnourished children.I also helped start an HIV-AIDS community awareness program in the Neelasandra slums… It was wonderful to experience globalization in full-force in Bangalore, from “dosas” (a local food) wrapped in a newspaper advertising jobs in Google, to the Kushal Foundation itself that was founded by pioneers of Bangalore's IT industry. This experience was a tremendously satisfying and meaningful experience - a chance to do good.”  (MIT-India 2006 summer public service internship)
[Read more of Gilad’s blog about working and living in India]

“It all started back on Tuesday the 14th of March, 2006 when I received an email with the subject line stating simply “Internship with BMW Motorsport.”  I couldn't believe what I was reading.  I had been offered an internship in Munich, Germany working for the best of the best in the racing business.  I have always been interested in motorsport, having raced go karts for much of my childhood and being  a leader on MIT's Formula SAE racing team, but this was simply too good to be true.  As things progressed, it became apparent that this would be much more than the typical internship or study abroad experience. 

I would work for 12 full months, starting in September of 2006 and ending in August of 2007.  This would require me to take a full year break from classes at MIT, but that decision was not at all a difficult one.  I had been taking German language classes for the sole purpose of someday being able to work in the racing industry in Germany, and when the opportunity arose, I just couldn't  pass it up.  Though I had procured the position somewhat independently, I got immediately in contact with Sigrid Berka from the MIT Germany program, who helped me a tremendous amount.  She helped with the work permits, visas, arranged health insurance, housing, and even booked me a flight to Munich with help from Lufthansa!  Sigrid really took a lot of the stress out of the process.  Financing the trip was not hard either, as I would be paid a monthly stipend from BMW.  It was less than I could earn in America comparatively, but it was plenty to live on each month, and still have enough left over to fund my travels across Europe.

When I arrived in Munich, I expected to have a period of adjustment where I would just be introduced to BMW and have orientations and the like, but they actually put me right to work.  On my first day I got my ID badge, my computer, and my phone.  The next day I was given my first assignment: a steel and carbon fiber underbody panel for the Z4 M Coupe endurance racecar.  I knew I was in the right place.  Since then I've designed numerous parts for several different BMW racecars including the aforementioned Z4, the 320si that competes in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and the MINI Cooper S racecar that is the basis for the MINI Challenge racing series.  I work in a group of roughly 10 engineers that do all the mechanical design work for all BMW Motorsport racecars.  We design basically everything except for the actual internals of the engines.  I've designed suspension pieces, aerodynamic parts, and chassis parts, and I was even put in charge of designing the entire next generation cooling system on the Z4.  The experience has been incredible in every sense of the word, but last month, it got even better.  I would be going with the team to the Nuerburgring, one of the most demanding racing circuits in the world.” (2006-07 one year internship facilitated by MIT-Germany)

"The MIT-Germany experience brought me to an amazing job opportunity at
Siemens Management Consulting (SMC), where both my engineering and business skills
were put to use in reshaping one of Siemens' largest divisions. In my very
first week I did everything from dining out with top Siemens executives to
calculating a dynamic cost gap between Siemens and their competitors. This
opportunity allowed me access to experiencing a career in management
consulting, while at the same time, using my German language skills and
putting my MIT Sloan School courses to good use. SMC paid for my travel and provided a monthly salary. The support I received from the MIT-Germany program was incredible. It was truly a first class, full service experience.

Also, the experience working with SMC helped tremendously in getting my current job at BMW.  I am currently in a BMW research position working on a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University in Munich.” (MIT-Germany summer graduate student internship)

“This summer, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Israel under the auspices of Hibur, a collaborative initiative between MIT and the Technion (also known as "the MIT of Israel.") My experiences were an excellent complement to my time at MIT so far: I had a huge number of chances to use my software engineering knowledge as well as the problem-solving skills that MIT teaches so well. The program that I traveled with was incredibly good at answering my questions efficiently and quickly, and I had no trouble with organizing my summer trip in my free time in the spring. My trip to Israel was a life-changing experience. I was able to travel the country on the weekends, and my standard workweek allowed me plenty of time to explore Haifa in the evenings, including spending lots of time at the beach and attending regular on-campus salsa lessons. My internship covered the cost of my plane trips and paid me a standard wage comparable to my American offers; the housing and food costs were significantly cheaper than they would have been in Boston. This was an experience that I would recommend without hesitation to anyone interested in broadening their perspective, seeing the world, and getting excellent, meaningful work experience as well.” (Summer 2007 internship facilitated through Hibur)
Internships in Israel are now faciltated by the MIT-Israel Program as part of MISTI

“I first became interested in Japan due to its fascinating culture, blending East and West, old and new. When I found out about the MIT Japan program and heard about the wonderful experiences of past interns, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to experience life in this unique and amazing country.

I wanted to find an internship at a company where I would have a chance to work on cutting-edge research and encounter new ideas, so I was delighted when the MIT Japan program arranged an internship for me at NTT DoCoMo's Network Research Labs. Since my research interest is in wireless and mobile networks, this was a perfect match for me. My first day of work, they gave me my own keitai (that's Japanese for mobile phone). I spent hours playing with different functions, games, and other applications installed on it like the millions of Japanese who spend hours on the train every day completely immersed in their keitai... it's so exciting knowing the research going on at my company has such a big impact on people's lives!

The work environment here is fantastic. My coworkers are willing to help with almost anything, from picking me up at the train station and taking me to my dorm my first night in Japan, to helping me make travel arrangements for a vacation. We have lots of social events at my company, too, such as a pool tournament, an outing to see a Noh show, a summer festival with live music performed by DoCoMo employees, and of course, plenty of nomikai (parties)! My working hours are reasonable, I have some freedom in choosing research projects, and most of the people here have fairly good English skills so I can communicate even when my Japanese fails me.

One thing I love about Japan is the food.… Oh and the desserts... I just wish they came in larger portions!...” (MIT-Japan 2004 six month research internship)
[Read more of Geroge’s story about working and living in Japan]

"I came to MIT knowing that I wanted to make an impact but was not sure how. After speaking to several professors I found a project that seemed like a perfect fit, and would later help me decide on my course of study.

During the summers of 2006 and 2007, I traveled to Niger to work on an integrated environmental approach to dealing with malaria. In a very short time leading up to the first trip I learned a considerable amount about mosquito entomology and about the disease in general. I learned about what were the various factors that made the disease difficult to eradicate, and the pros and cons of current intervention methods. During my first trip we formulated an idea on how to deal with the problem and came back the next year to put our theories into practice. We proposed the use of the crushed seeds of a ubiquitous tree. This tree (neem) has insecticidal properties, and we could use the powder from the crushed seeds and apply it to stagnant water pools. In addition to this we sought to level larger pools in order to increase infiltration and thus have them disappear faster. In this way we could eliminate the breeding grounds of the mosquitoes that transmit the disease.

Initially it was intimidating to be going to place that I knew nothing about and where I didn't speak the language. In addition to this I was also the youngest person on the team. However the professor and PhD student who I worked with were very encouraging and assisted me with everything I needed. In the end it was very satisfying to know that I was making a real and lasting impact in the lives of the villagers and potentially the citizens of the entire country.

The UROP office, the Public Service Center (PSC), and the IDEAS competition, were all extremely helpful in providing the funding for the trip and are wonderful resources for helping make your dreams a reality." (2006 and 2007 summer IROP and IDEAS 2007 winner)

“I was first introduced to the Computers for Uganda (CFU) Project by my high school’s computer science teacher, Rod Thompson, in 2004. I did a few minor things to help out with the project my sophomore year, but I became fully involved as a junior—going to Uganda for the first time as a student technical leader of the 2005 CFU team.

After the first visit I was hooked. The lush, green beautiful countryside made me feel right at home, as I’m from Washington State, and the Ugandan people, especially the students I met at the schools, were so inspirational—many faced incredible hardships at such a young age, yet still held onto the hope that they could change their world. Since then I’ve been determined to share with them the technology that has helped me so much in my own life—the computer, but more specifically the Internet. Although CFU could only set up the computer labs without an Internet connection, as the years have gone by, many of the labs are starting to gain access. My hope is that in the near future, not only will every school lab have an Internet connection, but anyone in Uganda will have access, and at a much lower cost than it’s currently available for at the moment.

This summer will mark my third time back to Uganda. I will be there for two months, from June 1st until August 1st, working on the initial set up of the InterConnection Uganda computer refurbishing warehouse, and on the curriculum that will eventually be taught by computer science students and professionals at the center. I must thank first and foremost the MIT Public Service Center for awarding me a PSC fellowship which is paying for my travel expenses to Uganda—without this I probably would not have been able to go. I also have to thank Honorable John Nsambu, Uganda’s first Minister of Information and Communications Technology, who will be taking time out of his busy schedule to make accommodations for me while I’m in Uganda.” (Summer 2007 PSC Fellowship)
[Read more of Biyeun’s blog about her experiences in Uganda]

Excerpts from: “July 16-19, 2007- A Week in Review”

“I don’t even know where to start because far too much has happened this week! Here are my top ten highlights from this week (in no particular order):

1.Visited Emmanuel, a 12 year old boy who was housebound since birth because of a disability, but is now able to attend school because of a wheelchair provided by Mobility Care. When we asked him what he wanted more than anything he said “education.” Unfortunately, while the wheelchair allows him to attend school now, some of the other children are not very nice to him. We are looking into finding him a sponsor so he can attend a school in Dar es Salaam which is only for disabled children. It’s the same school where Daniel received his education and he turned out pretty amazing!

2.Returned to Moshi to visit Peter, the user who was testing our prototype. He was really pleased with the chair and offered some especially helpful feedback. He even pushed himself all the way to town and back in the chair which we clocked to be at least 15km each way! Peter was really an inspiration and I hope that I will be able to stay in contact with him. He’s an avid wheelchair tennis player and will be part of an exhibition at the PAWBA (Pan African Wheelchair Builders Association) 4th All African Wheelchair Congress this September, which I’m hoping to attend! …

5.Took my folding wheelchair prototype on the daladala with me. Our test users have taken the chair on public transportation, but I’ve never been around for that. In order to reach Usa River to meet with Edmund at the center we had to take the chair on the bus. It was interesting to see how the conductor reacted to the chair, where he wanted to stow it, and what the other passengers thought. The wheels slide easily under the seat and chair itself can be placed comfortably in the front row against the bench, or even on the lap of the user himself.

6.Went to Abdullah’s house to meet with his wife who wanted to teach me how to cook Tanzanian food. Fatima was so excited and really put on quite a show. Her and Abdullah agreed that I couldn’t cook Tanzanian food unless I was wearing Tanzanian clothing, so after donning a piece of kanga we got to work. I explained that I really didn’t know much about cooking at all, so she gave me all the easy jobs like slicing the tomatoes and washing the coconuts. We cooked a large beef stew and a cabbage salad, but the pinnacle of the event was learning how to cook ugali, one of the most traditional Tanzanian foods. Made from ground maize and water, I can only describe it as a very stiff porridge. And it’s so filling! I felt so full after eating that I nearly had a food coma and Fatima insisted that I take “a small rest” before heading back to Arusha. It was certainly an unforgettable afternoon! …” (Summer 2007 PSC Fellowship)
[Read more of Tish’s blog about her experiences in Tanzania]