Seamester, the semester that changed my life! Past Review
By A student (University of Arkansas - Fayetteville) - abroad from 01/12/2012 to 12/15/2012 with
Sea|mester: S/Y Argo - Global Voyages
Seamester opened my eyes to another world. The world of sailing and yacht life. I learned that I can live with 30 other people for 90 days on a 112 foot sail boat and enjoy every minute of it! I learned that I loved to sail and being able to navigate my way around the worlds oceans. It was definitely the trip of a lifetime. Each of us leaned how to do every single job. We were constantly rotating so we could all become great leaders.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes are taught while at sea so as we were learning about topics in marine biology, we were seeing bioluminescence, schools of fish and other marine organisms. It was amazing! We caught a jelly fish and talked about it on deck while learning what makes up the stinging cells along with its biology. Such an amazing experience! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
In each port we traveled to the crew of Seamester knew someone who would take us around, give us a tour, and invite us into their home. We got to see what living in that country is like from a locals viewpoint. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
All of the students and staff lived on a 112 foot sail boat. This was an experience in itself! There were 5 student cabins and each of us had a bunk. I loved living close to one another because after a few days you realize your living with your best friends! We had a big gathering room called the saloon, and we would hang out in there, watch movies, play games, etc. The boat itself was beautiful and the living arrangements were great. |
| * Food: |
Each person took a turn being head chief and I have to say that some were more experienced than others. : ) When it was your turn to be chief you could chose the food you wanted to cook, so that was really fun! We would get fresh food in each port and could pick pretty much anything we wanted to cook. One night a shipmate cooked pork tenderloin, homemade apple sauce and sautéed vegetables, that was a delicious meal! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
In each port Seamester knew locals so we fit right in and got to experience everything from grocery shopping to scuba diving, to bonfires on the beach! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
There were not any healthcare issues but one of my shipmates woke up with a bloodshot eye, so the staff took him to the clinic and everything was handled easily. He ended up just needing some eyedrops due to allergies. We did not need any vaccines. |
| * Safety: |
We did not have any issues with safety, I think we all knew to use common sense and not make stupid decisions. Of course there is risk in sailing across an ocean, so we were all taught how to handle ourselves on a boat and also practiced safety drills regularly. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
Some students spent less than they would on their campus because the majority of the trip was covered in the tuition. The only time I really spent money is when we had free days and a group of my friends traveled around and spent money eating out. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I only bought food in port, and I would say I spent less that $50/week. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I bought snacks in port so I could have them while at sea. If you want to save money you don't have to buy snacks. Also, dont forget to bargain shop! A lot of the prices are negotiable which is awesome in the markets in Morocco. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You do not need to bring your whole closet!! A lot of the girls brought way too many clothes, and we had limited storage space so we ended up sleeping with our bag of clothes in our bunk! |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
