A day in the life of an SIT Graduate Institute student in Nepal

April 17th, 2025   |   SIT, SIT Graduate Institute

Are you interested in SIT's Graduate Institute programs and curious what a typical day looks like as a student? We asked Justin Sleppy, a Global Master's in International Education student from Juneau, Alaska, to share what a typical day looks like in Nepal. Sleppy attended Pitzer College and has worked in various educational roles, including nine months as an English teaching assistant in Botswana on a Fulbright grant. Having previously studied in Nepal on a Pitzer program, he is grateful for this opportunity to return to Nepal as an SIT graduate student. From Nepali classes to a visit to the Boudha Stupa, here's how Sleppy spent a Tuesday in Kathmandu.

5:45 a.m.
My Tuesdays start early! To stay up to date with the state of international education, I started attending an online lecture series hosted by the University of Washington. Following this morning’s online lecture, I review my class readings for the day, taking some final notes to prepare.

7:30 a.m.
I stay with a host family in Kathmandu, so before eating breakfast, I play a quick game of Ludo with my host siblings. Breakfast today was a banana and some peanut butter toast, accompanied by a cup of black tea and a cup of milk tea.

8:30 a.m.
I live about 30 minutes from my program center, called the Yantra House, so I get to kick off my days with a walk through the busy streets of Kathmandu.

9:00 a.m.
My typical class day starts with a Nepali lesson. Today, we work with our language partners, a group of Nepali teachers who practice one-on-one with each member of my cohort. The focus of our lesson is on colors and tastes.

9:45 a.m.
After our Nepali class wraps up, we have a 15-minute break in which I drink more tea. This time, it is an herbal tea with traditional medicinal applications.

10:00 a.m.
The mainstay of our classes today is a 2.5-hour discussion with a local professor who teaches our class on educational practices and policies in Nepal. Today's lesson focuses on the decentralization of the public education system in Nepal.

12:30 p.m.
Our amazing program staff prepares food for both us and the undergraduate students at the Yantra House. Today's lunch is spaghetti.

1:30 p.m.
Following lunch, I take the opportunity to go for a walk to the Boudha Stupa, an enormous Buddhist landmark in Kathmandu. Boudha Stupa was built in 600 AD, and joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979.

2:00 p.m.
After getting in some physical activity, I head over to my favorite study spot, a café called Ramsterdam. The chill vibes and good food make it a great place to get some work done. I work on a case study for my class through the Forum on Education Abroad while enjoying some vegetable pakauda and my final cup of tea for the day, ginger tea!

6:00 p.m.
After a productive work session, I move on to my last activity of the day. Outside of my work as a graduate student, I run evening lessons at a youth residence twice a week. Since last week's lessons were intense, involving a poetry presentation and short story analyses, I run a series of fun improv games with my students today.

8:00 p.m.
Once I get home, I am pulled into a pillow fight with my host siblings before sitting down to eat dinner.

8:30 p.m.
To finish the day, I get a little more work done, then call it a night!

SIT's Global Master's in International Education is an immersive program for students who wish to become leaders in international education. Students gain a global perspective through hands-on experience across different cultures and educational systems in Spain, Morocco, and Nepal.

To learn more about this unique graduate program, please visit https://graduate.sit.edu/program/global-master-of-arts-international-education/.