Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great Scuba and Boating Experience! Past Review

By (University of California - Berkeley) - abroad from 07/05/2011 to 07/29/2011 with

Broadreach: Programs at Sea - Caribbean Tropical Marine Biology

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Advanced Scuba Certification, Experience with sailing, Experience in Netherland Antilles

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Great intellectually stimulating class!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Wasn't sure what to expect since I was going to be living on a boat, but I was pleasantly surprised with how organized everything was.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

What could be better than sleeping on a boat with the ocean rocking you to sleep?

* Food:

Definitely not the *best* food, as you have to be able to store food on the boat for weeks at a time, but considering that fact, the food was really good. There are cooking teams each day, so cooking meals is a real team-building experience.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We didn't really have much time to integrate as we were island hopping, but when we did go to an island, our instructors knew all of the local spots and people, so we did integrate pretty well for the time we were there.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't end up getting any vaccines and I was fine, even though some are recommended for the islands we went to. The instructors were very in-tuned to possible health issues, and worked to be preventative. They also took good care to make sure everyone was hydrated, used sunscreen, and made sure participants were as comfortable as possible if they got seasick.

* Safety:

We had a few hour safety lesson as soon as we got on the boat, and with scuba-diving everything is about safety =]

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Minimal costs, as you eat much of your food on the boat.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 50

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Scuba
  • Sailing
  • People
* What could be improved?
  • List of items to bring that is sent to participants
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Bring multiple towels (2-3) and bring quick-dry ones if possible.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.