A rare, eye-opening, and life-altering opportunity Past Review
By A student (BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES., Trinity University) - abroad from 07/12/2013 to 08/11/2013 with
Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS): South Africa - Global Health Issues in South Africa Summer Program
I learned about the many facets of global health and gained research experience in conducting field work. It was definitely worthwhile.
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. |
The theme to the program was "don't let you schooling get in the way of your education." The faculty created a learning environment where we could learn from lecturers as well as from our own experiences (research, field trips). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program was organized exceptionally well. I was never distracted by a problem of logistics and was able to focus on my learning experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was always comfortable in our living arrangements, however we were always rooming with a group. The lack of privacy wasn't a major issue because there was opportunity to take time to yourself during most days. |
| * Food: |
A kitchen staff traveled with the program and provided wonderful food for every meal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The majority of the time spent on the program was with the other students and faculty, but various field trips and a 3-day homestay immersed me into the local culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had no major health issues while abroad, but we did travel with medical supplies. We were in a malaria infected zone for a portion of the trip, so antimalarial medication was necessary. |
| * Safety: |
South Africa certainly has a prevalence of violence, but I felt very safe in the areas we traveled to. I also felt that the faculty were always looking out for everyone's safety. |
| 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) |
While on the program, students only need a small amount of spending money because everything else included in the upfront program fee. That fee is substantial, but definitely worth it. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20 |
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? | 0 |
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 was not surprised or unprepared for anything I was faced with. I entered the program with no expectations which served me best. |
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! |
