More like a long road trip with strangers that become close in the end Past Review
By A student (Environmental Science, University of Maine - Orono) - abroad from 02/17/2018 to 05/29/2018 with
SIT Study Abroad: Iceland - Climate Change and the Arctic
While I certainly learned about climate change and the arctic ecosystem/culture, more than anything, I learned about people and how to function independently. Life can be tough in the bitter cold of Greenland and darkness of Iceland but these communities have adapted and figured out what to do with what little they have - a key takeaway. I learned a lot about life from the lecturers, homestay, my peers, locals and staff. I gained insight into what I want my future to look like (and what I don't want it to look like) and to me that is more worthwhile than a powerpoint slide on ecotourism.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While not as rigorous as 16 credits at my home institution, the ISP portion is comparable to a standard semester long project/term paper/independent study - good practice for upcoming capstone/thesis. When in Isafjordur, academic resources/networking is excellent if you're excited about embracing and engaging with this small but well integrated community (didn't get to know the other Universities as well and therefore not sure how they stack up). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
On site staff is composed of 4 people, mainly just 2, so it is important to establish good connections with them to ensure a smooth, safe and fun experience. On-site admin was pretty easy going and hands-off which is good practice for being independent. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Hostels were always clean but usually fairly far (20-30 min walk) from schools and downtown. Homestay: 5 stars, miss my host family so much! |
| * Food: |
It make come as a surprise but you can successfully be vegetarian/vegan here, but I recommend keeping an open mind to traditional foods. Especially in Greenland and during homestay. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
If you make an effort (make friends with locals, travel around, truly become part of your homestay family) and seek out those cultural experiences you will integrate well! If you don't try, then you may miss out on a lot. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
While I did not experience healthcare firsthand many students in my class did and it seems that navigating healthcare in a foreign country is a learning curve but accessible. To my knowledge most students were satisfied with the provided care but timeliness and compassion of healthcare professionals could be improved. |
| * Safety: |
Most days I felt safer here than back home. |
| 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) |
I had stipend consistently overlap. You can't go out to eat for every meal but you can certainly afford to do so couple nights a week and purchase nice produce and food from the grocery stores. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $ 25 -100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Know that pretty much everything in Iceland and Greenland is more expensive, come prepared to budget. Pace yourself, try to conserve stipend in the beginning so you have more for later to put forth gifts/experiences/etc. Walk to places as often as possible (it may be cold or wet but you'll learn early on this is unavoidable) - however utilize the bus system in Greenland because it is cheap and convenient. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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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?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
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? | How much free time you will really have (a lot) ... take advantage because time does fly and there is always something to see or be a part of. The local weather, especially in Reykjavik, will affect you at some point - do your best to stay positive and really cherish blue skies and sunshine when you can. Wifi isn't as accessible as everyone makes it out to be, conserve your initial cellular data if that is important to you. Also, you'll be a part of a small group (under 20) that you will spend pretty much all your time with for 3.5 months so please be inclusive and kind from the beginning to the end. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
