A Trip of a Lifetime! Past Review
By Anna DeMotte (Collin College) - abroad from 07/08/2017 to 07/21/2017 with
Broadreach: Program At Sea - Caribbean Marine Biology Voyage
I learned to be adaptable, and flexible. I also gained a new understanding and appreciation for stepping outside of my comfort zone and exploring in ways I typically wouldn't have considered.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were attentive to every need of our boat and each individual student. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
More fresh fruit and veggies to snack on would have been nice but I was unexpectedly pleased with the varieties of meals offered. Broadreach generously provides meal options for a host of dietary needs and restrictions, so nobody ever went hungry. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Would have liked to immerse in a little bit more of the Caribbean island culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
When I was in need of healthcare while abroad, I was taken care of very well. The only thing to note was slightly unclear methods to pay for the doctor's visits and medication type necessities. The healthcare provided in St. Barth's was very good. Their primary concern was treating me, whereas in the States their first concerns are typically insurance, payment, etc. |
| * Safety: |
Buddy systems are always a good idea, and the instructors always made sure we traveled in groups, so safety was very good. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It met all the criteria I was searching for when looking for a study abroad trip. High-intensity marine biology course, opportunity to earn advanced dive certifications, and a boat life experience. |
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) |
I took $200 total. The instructors take $40 the first night to set aside for you for your journey back home (covers airport fees like baggage). This was to ensure we didn't spend all our money and not have any for the trip home. I spent another $80 on food/snacks/drinks, and the last $80 on souvenirs. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It depended on how much shore time we had, and where our shore time was. I spent more money in St. Barth's and Saba than anywhere else. I didn't spend money any time other than shore time because you don't have the opportunity to. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep in mind that islands like St. Barth's and Saba are on the more expensive side. A burger in St. Barth's was about twice what I would normally pay for a fast food meal in the States. Budget appropriately. |
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? |
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 had known that opportunities to charge your devices are few and far between. The leader of the day was the only person allowed to charge their things on the boat's power outlet. Any other opportunity was if you could find a charging port during shore times, which took time out of exploring. I understood and appreciated the point of stepping away from electronics, but it did limit the number of pictures and videos I could take for memories. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
