SAS: It's not a boat, it's a ship. It's not a cruise, it's a voyage! Past Review
By Evelyn H (Computer Science & Engineering, University of California - Merced) for
Semester at Sea Study Abroad: Make the World Your Campus
Although short, SAS allowed me to learn about many different countries at once while teaching me how it all comes together as the Mediterranean.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes that were offered during the summer fit very well with all the countries we were visiting and made them that more exciting. |
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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? |
The cabins inside the ship were very nice and a bit small, although that is understandable since we were on a ship. There are stewards for each floor and section of the ship which clean each room, bathroom, and make beds everyday. It is a bit awkward getting used to having someone else come in and clean the room for you every day, but the stewards are SUPER nice! |
| * Food: |
They are very good about making gluten-free, vegetarian, etc. meals, although do not expect to be floored by the food every day. There are only so many dishes you can make with potatoes and pasta, so you soon learn to enjoy the food when you are off the ship. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Safety is a tricky subject while on SAS. Whenever you are on the ship there are no problems or threats to safety as long as you are not doing something stupid on the ship. SAS was very good at keeping the students safe and well cared for while at sea. They were also very careful about safety when students participated in SAS-led excursions. However, when you were in the different countries, personal safety was your personal responsibility. As a traveling student in a foreign country, you need to make sure you are using common sense and taking the proper precautions to ensure your safety. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Although you can pay for a many excursions through SAS, you will always want to do some solo travel with friends. Make sure you take into account how many different countries you will be going to and what they average exchange rates are. It is easy to spend a lot of money in the European countries and run out by they time you hit Turkey. |
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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