Improved my skills and learned a lot on marine conservation January 31, 2024

By (Marine Sciences, University of Newcastle) - abroad from 08/01/2022 to 09/02/2022 with

Cerca Abroad: Greece - Marine Conservation Internships in Greece

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My hosts & organisers were amazing and so friendly, making me feel at home.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 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? Yes

My name is Oren and I am from Australia. I also lived and attended school in Chile and Canada before finishing my high school education in the UK. I have been exposed to different wildlife ecosystems and cultures and I applied for this experience to boost my training and future career. I love animals and the natural environment is where I feel most at home. I selected to join the Marine Conservation program for gaining experience in wildlife and environmental conservation and overall, to develop a life goal of working in worldwide conservation efforts. I worked at the Archipelagos in the island of Samos, Greece on the Marine Mammal Conservation program. Typical tasks included cetacean/ monk seal/ sea turtle presence & behaviour recording, photo identifications and passive acoustic monitoring through boat-based surveys. I also worked on anthropogenic activity assessments from fishing. During this time I improved my social and teamwork skills and learned much about the importance of conservation in wildlife and the environment. Staying in Greece is such an unforgettable experience. The food is fantastic, people are easy going and I loved spending my free time at the beach.

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? 50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? At the internship site they have a refectory where they offer, as part of the program, breakfast, lunch and dinner so the only money I spent was on going out at night

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

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • Made me feel at home
  • Amazing beaches
  • Learned a lot
* What could be improved?
  • All good!
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that they have loads of snorkeling equipment so that I would not bring mine

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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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.