OTS in South Africa-- YOU MUST CONTINUE TO SEND TULANE STUDENTS!!! Past Review
By Melissa M (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University) for
Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS): South Africa - African Ecology and Conservation
OTS in South Africa and every person involved in the semester has permanently changed my life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned more in the three months spent in South Africa than I in my cumulative time spent in the American schooling system. The professors were more passionate, the grading system requires more of each student, and the workload was challenging, but made enjoyable by the subject matter and the non traditional teaching methods (field based, hands-on science). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I have never been instructed by such passionate, caring, and intellectual people. From educating us in the classroom to teaching us life-saving skills while conducting research out in the open savanna, our program directors and teaching assistants always kept us safe, engaged, and well informed of our surroundings. I was continually amazed at how efficiently our group of thirty traveled the country-- complete with a full library, computers, office supplies, microscopes, insect collecting kits, stationary, whiteboards, electrical equipment, and first aid. My expectations could not have been any farther surpassed-- academically, socially, and personally. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Additionally: permanent tents, chalets, large dorm-like rooms at tourist camping sites within national parks. Should be noted that the stay with a host family was not in a traditionally western house, but rather a compound of traditionally African mud-based huts. |
| * Food: |
Accommodating to American preferences while exposing us to South African cuisine. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Every minute of every day. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Kept extremely safe and well informed by our professors. Healthcare was always accessible. Multiple vaccines were required for this program. South Africa is the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Did not spend money. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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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