Live and breathe ecology and South African wildlife Past Review

By Sarah G (Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology., Tulane University) for

Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS): South Africa - African Ecology and Conservation

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

YES. It gave me invaluable field and research experience and I gained a new outlook on both myself and the world as well as exposing me to a completely unique and incredible culture.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+
The term and year this program took place:	Fall 2009

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	An absolutely incredible life-changing experience.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The staff really makes this program incredible. They became my friends and felt like my family while I was there.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	We traveled around a lot so our housing varied from tents to hostels to dorms to homestays in rural villages, but everywhere we went was really wonderful.
* Food:	The food is really great. Beware of weight gain.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	Our "spring break" took place in Cape Town, which was absolutely INCREDIBLE. We hiked up Table Mountain, spent time on beautiful beaches, went shopping, some people went sandboarding, ate delicious seafood, and had an absolutely amazing time.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	We were constantly surrounded by dangerous wildlife, a little bit of danger was inevitable.
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)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	I spent the most money while in Cape Town for spring break, the rest of the time I barely spent any.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	None
Language acquisition improvement?	We had a crash course in Venda, which we really only spoke during our 2-day homestays. Everyone else pretty much spoke English.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Hostel Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	This is a unique program because you aren't attending a university, you live and breathe ecology and South African wildlife. You learn outdoors and have a very hands-on experience with fieldwork and research. Your exposure to urban South Africa is kind of limited, but you get to travel a lot and see so much of the landscape, I didn't feel it put us at a disadvantage. I loved every second of this program and still miss it today. It truly changed my outlook on my academic career and revved up my enthusiasm and determination to pursue a career in conservation.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	South African Ecosystems and Diversity
Course Department:	Biology 138
Instructor:	Laurence Kruger/Alan Gardiner
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Fantastic. Taught primarily in field. Consists of 2 exams and an independent research project.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Don't know yet.

Course Name/Rating:	Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in South Africa
Course Department:	Environmental Science 128
Instructor:	Karen Vickers
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Excellent. Consists of a presentation on a conservation topic, an independent research project, and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Don't know yet.

Course Name/Rating:	Field Research Skills
Course Department:	Biology 138L
Instructor:	Karen Vickers/Graeme Ellis
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Great course, the toughest in my opinion. Consists of a statistics exam, a mathematical model, and an insect collection (which is harder than it sounds!).
Credit Transfer Issues:	Don't know yet.

Course Name/Rating:	History Through Culture of South Africa
Course Department:	History 100
Instructor:	David Bunn/Lara Allen
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	AMAZING course. Consists of 2 essays and a presentation.
Credit Transfer Issues:	Don't know yet.