SFS Kenya - More than a Study Abroad Experience, A Family January 22, 2023
By Suzanna S (Environmental Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 09/01/2022 to 12/13/2022 with
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Kenya – Endangered Species Conservation
I got to experience how climate change, specifically drought, has transformed the landscape around the Amboseli ecosystem. People and wildlife alike have been extremely impacted, and it makes me think even more about how companies continue to pollute, quite literally threatening the lives of communities.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
SFS Kenya is a true home! The staff are very friendly, there are plenty of resources available, and the experience is once in a lifetime. You become a family with you fellow students and professors! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We lived in bandas with bathrooms close by! All classes and dining (besides field exercises and trips) were in the chumba! |
| * Food: |
The cooks are amazing! And we were even given a chance to bake some cookies for everyone! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick while I was studying abroad, but I was quickly taken to the clinic and taken care of. I couldn't have asked for better service! |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The program was wonderful! The people really made it what it was! |
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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 0 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We learned some Swahili in the first month or so, and we practiced throughout the semester. All programming was in English though. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
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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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 will not spend much time outside camp due to scheduling conflicts. |
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. |
