Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Round River was incredibly life changing! Past Review

By (University of Vermont) - abroad from 06/20/2017 to 08/02/2017 with

Round River Conservation Studies - Taku River Watershed Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned an incredible amount about the ecology and natural history of the area. I also learned a lot about what field studies include and some methods around them. Another huge aspect of this course was learning about the Tlingit First Nation People and their rich history. There are so many things that I learned on this course that benefits my life everyday.

Review Photos

Round River Conservation Studies - Taku River Watershed Program Photo Round River Conservation Studies - Taku River Watershed Program Photo

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Doing a Round River semester this summer in British Columbia was one of the best experiences of my life. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity. This summer was the most fun, educational, productive, and emotionally rewarding time of my life. I will forever be thankful for the things I learned. My instructors were incredibly intelligent and compassionate people which made the entire experience quite unreal. Round River is an absolutely amazing organization and I feel lucky to have had the chance to work with them this summer to help out with conservation research. I urge EVERYONE to apply. This experience was full of exciting and life changing moments!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living in tents and around base camp was an incredible experience. Sleeping outside for 6 straight weeks was utterly calming and I loved it. Base camp was a small cabin that we went to lectures, cooked, and did work. Everything was amazing!

* Food:

We all cooked together and I actually learned a lot about cooking. I was always well fed and happy throughout the summer!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

This experience was so special because Round River has so many connections with the Tlingit First Nation and we had many opportunities to meet incredible people and learn about their culture and history. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

I always felt so safe with my instructors. They were amazing

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

I would most certainly do a Round River program! I may be biased, but I think the Taku program offers the most once in a lifetime experiences.

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? $5

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Other
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Other
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?
  • Hiking every day
  • Learning about Tlingit culture
  • The relationships I made
* What could be improved?
  • Cheaper tuition
  • More backpacking
  • More credits
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I found it nice to listen to music in my tent before going to bed. I wish i downloaded more music to my phone before leaving home.

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.