Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

once in a lifetime Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/02/2018 to 03/23/2018 with

Sea Education Association: The Global Ocean

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Totally worthwhile and a super transformative expereince

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 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?

We were living aboard the Robert C. Seaman's, a tallship sail boat.

* Food:

The ship's stewardess was amazing

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

not really relevant most of the time as we were on a boat, but port stops were great

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

the boat had a chief medical officers and he was a midd grad and a cool guy, very knowledgable.

* Safety:

we had appropriate harnesses etc as needed

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

I loved SEA and would love to work there after graduation

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $0-15
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? there aren't many port visits and no way to spend money on the boat so the port stop ice cream or drink every other week is really no big deal

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

  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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?
  • friends
  • research
  • lifestyle
* What could be improved?
  • more sleep
  • less strict power structure
  • on shore classes could be better
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? how short it would feel so I could savor it more

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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Oceans and Global Change
Course Department:
Instructor: Chuck
Instruction Language:
Comments: Woods Hole portion was not great but on board it was much improved
Credit Transfer Issues: still trying to figure it out
Course Name/Rating:

Directed Oceanographic Research
Course Department:
Instructor: Chuck
Instruction Language:
Comments: again, not great on shore but the hands on research was excellent once on the boat
Credit Transfer Issues: still working on it
Course Name/Rating:

Leadership in a Dynamic Environment
Course Department:
Instructor: Elliot
Instruction Language:
Comments: reading all the leadership stuff was a little dull but at times useful, and learning all the boat skills and taking turns as watch officer was amazing
Credit Transfer Issues: got a general credit no problem
Course Name/Rating:

Maritime History and Culture
Course Department:
Instructor: Jeff
Instruction Language:
Comments: great class, loved museum visits
Credit Transfer Issues: all smooth
Course Name/Rating:

Sense of Place
Course Department:
Instructor: Jeff
Instruction Language:
Comments: great class, challenging but stimulating and interesting
Credit Transfer Issues: all smooth