Sailing in the Caribbean for my Semester Abroad: Best Decision I Ever Made Past Review
By Cara M (International Studies, Boston College) for
Sea Education Association: Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean
I learned so much about the Caribbean and the ocean and about myself from sailing with SEA, and I could not be happier with my experience.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
On shore, living in a house with your classmates and future shipmates helps build the kind of community that really develops when everyone is living together on the ship. In this sense, as well as the general accommodations, the housing at SEA is awesome. Woods Hole is great, if a little sleepy in the winter, and there's beach access and bikes available to all students. |
| * Food: |
On shore, you cook for yourself (there's a communal grocery card for each house). At sea, there is a steward who directs what the ship eats, and cooks, and is generally fantastic, and the food is always phenomenal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Every SEA cruise does different activities in port stops, but our trips included visits to agricultural areas, a beach clean up, an afternoon at a Dominican school, and others. Every port stop, students also have at least one day off and can explore the area on their own. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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) |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It takes a special kind of student to choose SEA for a study abroad program. It's a lot different than going to a different country and attending uni there - there's so much to learn outside of the "classroom". This is definitely a program for students with a sense of adventure who want a taste of what an oceanographic research sailing ship can offer. |
