An environmental science major's study abroad dream: Round River Patagonia Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Round River absolutely nailed the academics! All of the courses and curriculum are very discussion-oriented but still manage to convey very specific pieces of information that you may only learn in a lecture setting. The amount of curriculum is just perfect, as it certainly challenged me while also allowing me to learn from the other experiences of studying abroad (culture, travel, language, etc.).The instructors are excellent sources of knowledge and conversation while also being there to be your friend as well.

On-site administration of your program

All of the instructors/program administrators I met and interacted with while on my program acted in the most professional, positive manner. Instructors ensured that we were learning at an adequate pace while also ensuring our mental and physical safety along the way. I happened to study abroad in the spring of 2020, which also happened to unfortunately overlap with the corona virus pandemic. I was unbelievably impressed by how our instructors handled themselves and our group before, during, and after the evacuation process. Not to mention that they have all become life long friends.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied with the living arrangements! However, just because I was satisfied does not mean the average person will be. NOTE: students spend almost the entire program sleeping in tents on sleeping pads and sleeping bags with only a few nights over the three months duration of the program being spent in an actual bed. The program takes you to some unbelievably beautiful, powerful, and inspiring locations, and thus requires its participants to be comfortable with sleeping in tents. If you are seeking a really wild adventure that may push you outside of your comfort zone (in a positive way), then this program is for you! But if you've never slept a night in a tent prior to the program start date, then it may not be for you.

Participants are given the responsibility of deciding what to eat and making the food, so the food is really as good as you want it to be! I personally really enjoyed the independence that came with the food system the program had established. Be aware that since many of the program's days are spent far in the field backpacking or camping, food options are often limited to what the group can carry in their backpacks (weight, volume, perishability).

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

If there is any aspect about study abroad programs where Round River truly shines above all others, it is their integration of participants into local culture. I feel like half of the things I learned during my time with Round River was simply from our opportunities to interact with the locals of Patagonia.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I (fortunately) did not have any experiences with the healthcare in rural Chile while on my program. Round River definitely works very hard to ensure the full mental and physical safety of all of its participants. However, simply due to the nature of the activities that students participate in (backpacking, primitive camping) while on the program, it comes with its obvious risks. With also being in a very rural part of Chile, access to top notch health care is not as accessible as in other parts of the country or other countries in general. There is a very small hospital in town the program is based out of. Round River definitely makes all students aware of these risks prior to their participation and actively aims to manage/calculate risk while out in the field.

I feel completely safe at all points throughout the program. To reiterate, the nature of the program comes with its associated risks, but Round River works very hard to manage all of these risks and minimize them as much as possible.

As a smaller third party study abroad provider, Round River provided me with the intimate and powerful opportunities to engage and learn that I know larger providers could never do. Whether it be interaction with locals and their culture, learning so much more about conservation than I did before, or simply seeing some beautiful places, Round River just can't be beat.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The cost to attend the program I would say is somewhere between middle-of-the road and on the higher end of most people's budgets. However, while you are on the program, there is very few opportunities to spend money as you spend most of your time in a rural town in Chilean Patagonian. Food and housing is included in your program costs, so really the only things you yourself are actually responsible for paying for while on the program is any extra food/drink you may want and souvenirs. Besides the cost of the program (which was still very manageable), I would consider this program fairly cheap!

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

All of the courses are taught in English. However, future participants must realize that you will be spending a majority of your time in a small town in a foreign country where its inhabitants only speak Spanish and not a lick of English. Since all matters occurring within the program will be dealt with in English, students that only know English can definitely get by (me included), but it is definitely helpful and a little bit more educational to know some Spanish.

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• Interaction with the culture and people of Pataognia.
• Active engagement in research with real-world implications.
• Meeting amazing people that I know I'll keep in touch with for a long, long time.

• The academics are very specialized towards environmental science/conservation majors and may be difficult if a participant does not have an educational background in these topics.
• Having a couple more opportunities to sleep in a bed would have been nice!
• This program comes with very little connection to the outside world. I enjoyed the lack of contact, but I just wish I was informed of its absence prior to participating.

The Avid Adventurer