Semester at Sea was the best and most valuable experience of my life Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

This program is such a unique academic experience. You don't seem to spend as much time in class, but I left the program with twenty times more absorbed knowledge than I ever have in my entire schooling career. You learn things in your classes, but then you experience them first hand as soon as you get into the countries. There is no better way to truly learn something than to experience it.

On-site administration of your program

THe program has a very tight-knit administration. However, there is very open communication between the administration and the student body. I knew all of the Deans by name and talked to them constantly on the ship. I don't even know the name of the Dean at my home university. They were very easily accessible and approachable. They got things done quickly and efficiently, with no hesitation to ask for help or volunteers, even among the student body, if they needed it. They researched each country before we got there and held pre- ports to inform us of cultural and logistical aspects of each country. The program size was PERFECT. There were enough people that I noticed a new face every day, but I also felt like I knew a lot of the student body. My expectations were exceeded by this program.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Semester at Sea is a floating university. Therefore, we live in cabins on the ship. They are very nice and come in price ranges, depending on how nice you prefer your room to be. Stewards clean your room everyday, and there is laundry service. There is a bathroom in your cabin. THey are pretty small, but very comfortable. <br /><br /> I only wish that the economy cabins had a little more storage room.

Since we are at sea for the semester, the food has to be able to keep well. As a result you have a lot of pasta and potatoes. However, there is a professional chef who cooks every meal and there are always at least 3 choices of what to eat. It was buffet style, so you could eat however much you wanted. The food was typically very good. They made significant accomodations for dietary restrictions.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Everything I did on this trip was impactful. The sevice visits were the best things they offered, but seeing the big sights was great too.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

We had good healthcare available ont he ship. emergencies would have to be dealt with in the country we were in. All of the other aspects really vary from country to country. Most of the health realated incidents people experienced resulted from disregarding certain warnings that the staff provided.

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

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• Americans