Fun Past Review

By (Environmental Studies., Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/16/2012 to 12/14/2012 with

Round River Conservation Studies - Namibia Desert Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about Namibia and conservation but I also learned a lot about myself. It was worthwhile but it wasn't always easy.

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.

It wasn't difficult academically, but it was a difficult semester in terms of cultural shock, being in a small group, camping the whole time, not having much contact with home, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Everything ran pretty smoothly.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I love camping!

* Food:

The food is fine. The program isn't about food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

This is part of the program that lacks if you're interested in the culture. I would have liked to have more regular interaction with a broader spectrum of local people.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There were never any major issues that I was aware of and all of the minor issues that came up and that I observed were taken care of well.

* Safety:

Over all, I felt pretty safe. You just follow their instructions and it should be fine.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

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)

I barely spent any money while I was gone and I could definitely have spent less if I had wanted to.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $300 the whole time (3 months)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? In terms of booking airplane tickets, don't do exactly what flights they tell you to do. Definitely do your own investigation to find cheeper stuff.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Camping
  • Being easier academically
  • Seeing animals
* What could be improved?
  • The academics (it was easy but boring easy)
  • Leader - participant communication
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That you don't get very much internet at all.

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:

Natural History

Course Department: N/A
Instructor: Vehihama Kasupi
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was challenging because there was a lot to memorize from plants to animals to scat and spore. Vehi, the instructor, was extremely knowledgable since he is local and knows a ton about the area. We were assessed by one final exam at the end where we walked around outside and had to identify things. We also had a long slide show and had to identify what was in the slides.
Credit Transfer Issues: I haven't transfered the credits yet, so we will see ...