If you're looking to apply classroom material in a practical way, this is it. Past Review
By Krystina Lincoln (Williams College) - abroad from 06/17/2015 to 08/14/2015 with
Sea Education Association: Programs at Sea – Protecting the Phoenix Islands ( Summer )
I gained a lot of knowledge of marine science and policy, two things that are not super accessible at my home school. I had never been so involved in collecting scientific data before this program. It's corny, but SEA also teaches you so much about yourself, and for a lot of students on my program, it's not something that we'll forget. There's a whole other level of accountability that comes with working in a small community in the middle of the ocean, and consequences are high if you can't be trusted to complete your job. I think it really brings out the best for many people.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
There are few better programs that allow students to directly apply classroom knowledge in a practical way. SEA is very unique in providing students an intensive (~8:30-5) classroom segment with clear parallels in the shipboard environment. The academic culture on campus was incredibly collaborative, which is a valuable skill sometimes not prioritized at home institutions. The environment teaches accountability and division of labor, while requiring intense collaboration for each project. During the shipboard portion, classroom projects were continued in a practical way, either writing up policy briefs or conducting research. Resources, both material and faculty, were great. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators in Woods Hole did a fantastic job maintaining a group dynamic in a hands off way, while intervening as necessary. There was not really administration during the sea component. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
In Woods Hole, roughly 10 students lived together in a cottage, sharing bedrooms and arranging meals. Rooms were large enough to not be cramped, and provided a good area for people to hang out. On the ship, living quarters are tight, but that's just the nature of living on a tallship. It was comfortable for me, but if people get claustrophobic in nook-like beds, that maybe something to consider. |
| * Food: |
SEA provides weekly grocery money, so it was a great exercise for the students to manage that money and arrange and execute meal plans for the week. During the sea component, the steward was fantastic, putting out six meals a day. Couldn't ask for anything better. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very little interaction with the local culture on my trip, but we did share a few meals with the families on Kanton. Everyone enjoyed it, and enjoyed seeing the people who are studies were most effecting. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
No major issues. Being at sea is inherently risky during an open ocean transit, but there is a medical officer aboard and several other crew members are trained. Our trip was in a tropical environment, so some struggled with infections but nothing serious. The medical cabinet on the ship is well stocked, and SEA communicates with a network of medical professionals anytime there is a health problem. |
| * Safety: |
All of the crew members on the ship valued safety to the highest degree, instilling that culture in the students. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was one of SEA's stronger science programs, but there are programs for everyone, humanities, policy, etc. I had a great time learning about marine science and how that relates to policy, so it was a perfect fit for me. |
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) |
During the shore component, housing and food were provided as part of the tuition. SEA is very generous with financial aid, so explore that option if it's relevant to you. Travel to and from the ship is not included in tuition, so expect to cover that cost. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 10 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Explore SEA's financial aid. Some students on my program didn't know that they gave generous financial aid, while others were able to get funding from their home schools. |
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? | 0 |
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? | I wish I knew a little bit more about what a day would look like on the ship, but not in a bad way. My program didn't do a great job during the shore component of preparing for sea, but maybe that's part of the idea, going unknowing prepared, but a little unaware of it. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
