Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Experience of a Lifetime Past Review

By (Biology, General., St. Mary's College of Maryland) - abroad from 05/19/2012 to 07/09/2012 with

St. Mary's College of Maryland: Traveling - Gambia Field Study Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It is hard to put into a few sentences what I learned from this experience abroad. It was truly something that changed me academically, culturally, and personally. The number of opportunities I had while on this trip are unimaginable. I learned an incredible amount about the medical field and healthcare in a third world. I was able to see and do things you probably wouldn't be exposed to until medical school here in America. I actually wish that I had chosen to do an entire semester in the Gambia, instead of just the summer.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was great however it would have been really beneficial to have a generator. The power outages were frequent and it made it difficult to keep up with academic course work.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There are a number of prevalent health issues in the Gambia, and you needed quite a few vaccines to travel there safely. However, our health was taken very seriously by the program administrators while we were there. All students with health concerns were immediately seen by a doctor.

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Very easy, I spent about $250 in 7 weeks while living in the Gambia.

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I spent about $250 in 7 weeks while living in the Gambia.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Non
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • I liked the amount of exposure I had to the culture and the number of opportunities I was able to have in my field of interest.
* What could be improved?
  • The first few weeks were extremely busy, and it was sometimes difficult to keep up. I think better organization of events, trips, and lectures would truly improve this program.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew I had a better understanding of how the Gambian people were going to react to us, before going on this program. I don't think I was completely prepared for some of the interactions that I experienced immediately upon arrival.