<p>Kathiep: What would make you think I got a commission from SIT? I went there, and like any alumni of a program who had an amazing experience, I recommend it so other students can get the same, not for money. Not everyone in this world is driven by large sums of money. The truth is SIT was a great program – not without its flaws, of course, but still good. And it’s structured differently from most study abroad programs, which is why I think the alumni are so adamant about stumping for it.</p>
<p>I don’t think you have to have a personal connection to the country before you go. I had no love for the Netherlands – I really didn’t know much about the country at all, or the city of Amsterdam – but NOW I feel a connection to it. Sometimes I wish I had studied in the places I had really wanted to go, but didn’t for various reasons (Japan, Brazil, Switzerland.)</p>