Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

intellectual, beautiful, wild, and fun backpacking! Past Review

By (Geography, Education, Spanish, Dartmouth College) - abroad from 06/10/2011 to 08/30/2014 with

Round River Conservation Studies - Taku River Watershed Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
100% worthwhile. I gained passion for and strong knowledge of local natural history and general ecological concepts. I also gained conservation biology research skills, and strong connection with the Taku

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.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Susie and Will were my instructors and had been doing this for years so they were well-organized and on top of everything.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

fun group-living experience camping and in a cabin, immersed in the natural world

* Food:

cooked family style meals together which was fun. felt food budget was a bit tight and ended up eating a lot of fruit leather and granola bars for lunch when we weren't fishing.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Susie in particular knew a lot of the locals there and so we got to make connections with Tlingit people and Atlin community members, which was the best part of the trip. We would go over to their house for tea, to help prepare smoked salmon, or have them over for dinner.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

no issues

* Safety:

a few times a grizzly bear came into our camp and the instructors handled it well. we had no food or belongings damaged or taken or anything and no contact with the bears.

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)

I spent almost no money there. Entertainment, food, and housing are cheap when you're backpacking!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent almost no money there. Entertainment, food, and housing are cheap when you're backpacking!
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? go camping

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • backpacking in one of the most wild places left on earth
  • connecting with local tlingit people, environmental consultants, hydropower engineers, etc
* What could be improved?
  • slightly bigger food budget
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? nothing! best not to go in with certain expectations

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
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.