3 Months of Australian Rainforest Immersion January 21, 2024

By (Ecology, Evolution Biology, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/01/2023 to 12/04/2023 with

The School for Field Studies / SFS: Australia – Rainforest studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of personal growth and field experiences. It was hard but very beautiful to live in the rainforest for 3 months. Gained a very different academic experience than being in a classroom at middlebury. Very worthwhile.

Review Photos

The School for Field Studies / SFS: Australia – Rainforest studies Photo

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?

* 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? No

I would probably choose a similar type of program that is more aligned with my academic interests or in a different location

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? probably around 150 per week but not really sure.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • International Students
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?
  • The nature
  • the program staff
  • free time to play/explore
* What could be improved?
  • Food
  • Field site amenities
  • class structure
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I would have to pay for food/housing for the long weekends.

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:

Tropical Biome Ecology

Course Department:
Instructor: David Tng, Deborah Apgaua
Instruction Language: english
Comments: Lecture content was not challenging but field exercises and experiences were great. teachers were knowledgeable and well prepared, hard to compare participation because the field exercises were so different than home institution class structures. Assessed through reports and a final exam
Credit Transfer Issues: no issues
Course Name/Rating:

Wildlife Conservation Biology

Course Department:
Instructor: Sigrid Heise-Pavlov
Instruction Language: english
Comments: not super challenging, teacher made great use of location through field trips and was both knowledgeable and well - prepared. assessed with a final exam and reports
Credit Transfer Issues: no issues
Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Sustainability and Socioeconomic Values

Course Department:
Instructor: Mia Derhe
Instruction Language: english
Comments: course was not challenging and there was a little use of location. teacher was knowlegeable but not well-prepared to teach the course. assessed with exams and papers
Credit Transfer Issues: