Incredible and life changing Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The actual courses were thorough but not too difficult, however combining classes with our daily tasks aboard and exploring new countries and islands and solidifying long lasting friendships made for a hefty work load of constant learning in many different areas. However, as with everything, you take away what you put into it, in my experience I couldn't bear to miss a second of anything, and took my duties on board quite seriously, which left me consistently happy and occupied.

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Living aboard a ship with 25 other people was one of the happiest living situations of my life, my cabin mates are, to this day, some of my best friends. As a whole, we formed bonds which would not have been possible in standard dorm or host family style living.

I did not attend this program in search of great food, that was very low on my list of priorities. That being said, and with all things considered, the food was great. We had amateur chefs everyday, some cooking for the first time in their lives, and we were in, for the most part, very remote areas of Southeast Asia where food expectations are very different from America. But we had three meals a day, everyday, plus snacks if we needed, the meals varied daily and we had water and juice to drink; no complaints.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

While on shore we integrated as much and as best we could, and I definitely learned a lot from those experiences, however, as per the nature of the program, most of our time was spent at sea or in isolated anchorages, which did not offer a lot of social integration.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was fortunate enough to not require healthcare while attending the program, however friends of mine did and I do not remember hearing any complaints from them. The doctors in Thailand were friendly and thorough and no one's ailments progressed past rudimentary stages thanks to the knowledge of our healthcare providers on board and their willingness and ability seek alternative help when necessary. Cleanliness aboard was a must, which helped with the overall health of everyone.

I cannot comment on a host city or location, as my program took place aboard a sailboat. However, as for the sailboat, safety was of the utmost priority. Many things can go wrong on a sailboat, but with the knowledge and experience of my staff members, I never feared for our safety. The staff were very well trained and took safety very seriously. That being said, we were not treated like children aboard, I felt the staff did a great job of knowing the fine line between fun and danger and letting us figure some stuff out for ourselves but not to the point of seriously endangering ourselves or others.

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

All of our boarding and meals were included in the total price, any extra money spent was completely optional.

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• Americans
• International Students

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• Sailing and life aboard a sailboat
• Constant learning and new experiences
• Going to new places and making lifelong friends

• More computers and learning resources