Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Round River is Awesome! May 17, 2021

By (Bowdoin College) - abroad from 02/03/2021 to 04/28/2021 with

Round River Conservation Studies: USA - Sky Island Borderlands

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned about how the border is affecting wildlife, how to do ecological surveys, how to carry out a scientific study and write a paper that will be used by conservationists, and how conservation and cultural issues tie together.

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

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

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

I found myself on this program after Covid19 caused my previously planned trip to be canceled. I was originally bummed to not be able to go to Patagonia (my first plan) but I soon realized that I had happened upon one of the best experiences of my life. Living in a tent in southern Arizona with 6 students and 2 leaders, I got to know a completely different part of the country really well. I learned so much every day about the ecology, biology, and cultural issues of the borderlands region in a way that I never expected to. It opened my eyes to the reality of the border and I felt that it was more impactful because it is in the US and therefore everything we learned was closer to home. I highly recommend this course for anyone wanting, live in the desert, learn a ton, do meaningful and relevant work, and laugh a lot.

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)

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • People
  • location based learning
  • partnerships with other orgs
* What could be improved?
  • nothing that I can think of!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? An abroad program doesn't have to be "abroad" for it to be incredibly different and eye-opening. Vermont to Arizona is pretty much a different country in terms of the ecosystem and relevant issues.