Documenting Change in the Caribbean Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I chose to participate in SEA Semester becuase I wanted to break away from my course-load and routines at Colorado College. Unlike most other college programs, courses at Colorado College are completed one-at-a-time in 3.5 week blocks, so in coming to SEA Semester I was forced to adjust to taking multiple courses at once. However the transition was made easy for me with support and guidance from my professors. Although Colorado College is a small school, the student faculty ratio is large compared to SEA. During the sea component of the program, the ratio of students to professional crew was nearly 2:1 and as a student I was not only encouraged, but also given adequate guidance to preform at to my highest capability. In addition to providing me with the change of pace I desired, I also "graduated" from SEA Semester with an improved awareness and confidence in my abilities as a student.

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

SEA Semester is different from other programs in that half of the semester is spent on a tall ship. During the shore component I lived in a campus house with 7 other students from my class. During the sea component I lived on the ship with my entire class and the professional crew. I only needed to provide my own bedding.

During the shore component SEA provided my house with a grocery store gift card to purchase groceries every week. During the sea component the ship's company included a cook who was responsible for preparing all meals. Even though life at sea includes constant physical activity, most students in my class ended up gaining weight becuase the food was so delicious!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The nature of my specific SEA Semester program includes cultural studies at the different islands we visited during the sea component. These included a hike in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica to learn about agriculture, sea kayaking in Caribbean mangroves, and shallow-reef snorkeling. I also had the opportunity to explore on my own and with my classmates, including swimming at the base of a waterfall in the Dominican Republic, getting a taste of local culture by visiting markets and restaurants along the way, and exploring Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard during the shore component.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Neither myself or any of my classmates experienced any safety issues during my SEA Semester. All health issues were quickly ameliorated both on shore and at sea. I am completely confident in SEA's ability to deal with any health or safety issues at any point in any program.

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

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• Other

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• Americans
• International Students