Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

At the Ocean's Doorstep for a Semester January 10, 2022

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/31/2021 to 12/11/2021 with

The School for Field Studies / SFS: Turks and Caicos Islands - Marine Resource Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Huge focus on academic group-work and presentations, also being able to participate in real scientific research in the field was worthwhile for furthering a career in science.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

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?

Was not as possible during my semester due to safety concerns around the pandemic.

* 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? Yes

It was an amazing semester, even with the ongoing pandemic

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? $20 to $50

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Location
  • the community of staff and students
  • fieldwork
* What could be improved?
  • more trust given to the students
  • better balance of workload
  • more engagement with the community
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That the turks and caicos are not all touristy islands

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 Marine Ecology
Course Department: Biology
Instructor: Caitlin O'brien
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Very relevant for identifying organisms in the field and local ecosystems.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues
Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Policy
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Courtney Picket
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Amazing discussions about positionality and social sciences in relation to conservation issues.
Credit Transfer Issues: No issues
Course Name/Rating:

Resource Management
Course Department: Biology
Instructor: Kassandra Dudek
Instruction Language: English
Comments: No very challenging and content was not applied to the field well
Credit Transfer Issues: No Issues