Semester at Sea was the single BEST decision of my life! Past Review
By Diana C (Marketing., Trinity University) for
Semester at Sea Study Abroad: Make the World Your Campus
YES YES YES!!! I feel more open to the possibility of living abroad and starting a career somewhere other than the US. I feel more empathetic and flexible. I do not need every second of my life planned out and I know that no matter what life brings me I can handle it. Life is complex and I am ready to take on everything...the good, the bad, the ugly. I feel confident that no matter what I face in life, I will handle it with a sense of direction and composure that I wouldn't have had before.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I feel as though SAS did a fantastic job of Classes were structured around going into a port and APPLYING what we were learning about UNDERSTANDING cultural differences and EMBRACING them. I genuinely MISS this when I am back on campus. I always knew Trinity was a bit of a bubble, but I never realized how naive we really are about the world. My eyes have been opened to so much and all I want to go do is LIVE life and move on into the real world!! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They had lots of available information on the countries we were visiting so that was extremely helpful. I also really enjoyed having lifelong learners on the voyage because sometimes they not only had helpful tips, but also very interesting and unique stories that were fun to hear! The entire voyage FAR EXCEEDED my expectations and I wish that I could go back!! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
On the ship we lived in dorm like rooms and in port I spent most nights in hotels or hostels just to switch things up. Although many students on the ship were American, I was surprised to meet a pretty large number of foreign students from Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia, Russia, England, Egypt, etc. |
| * Food: |
The food on the ship was ok, but became very dull after about a month. Everything was generally the same...you could expect salad, pasta, potatoes, and pork....ALWAYS hahaha! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I can't choose any single or group of moments that were incredible because the entire experience was a ONCE IN A LIFETIME thrill. I LOVED EVERY SINGLE SECOND. I had moments that were extremely stressful, times I got lost, and times that I had the most deep conversations with locals...no matter what it was, each moment was special in its own way and shaped me. SAS is the BEST decision I ever made. The students are inspirational and the experiences you will share with them will be ones that you will laugh, cry, and joke about for the rest of your life. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Fantastic health services. They were very attentive and tried to be very proactive in preparing students for certain potential health problems in various countries BEFORE we got there! |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | On the ship I spent about $10/week, but in port I would say about $100/day. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | SAS is pretty expensive. You can shop smart in port, but don't restrict yourself too much because this is a ONCE in a lifetime experience. Be sure to try local food and occasionally stay off the ship, but to save money spend nights on the ship and eat most meals on the ship...that'll help keep costs down. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you are independent, outgoing, and flexible you will love this program. I always considered myself to be all these things, but after I did SAS I realized that I had so much room to grow and it really helped me attain a new level of independence and confidence. All in all, I grew up and I feel like I finally have a real sense of direction for my life. |
