Getting over my Fear of Fish in BELIZE! Faculty-led Coral Reef Ecology Past Review
By Amy L (Medical Biology, University of New England) for
Study Abroad Programs in Belize
I learned that many problems we face or have faced in the US are occurring in other countries as well, such as obesity, poverty, homelessness. It has definitely changed the focus of how I want to practice medicine.
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. |
The workload was the same as most 400 level courses while at UNE during the academic semester. The teachers teaching methods are a little scattered and hard to follow if you are not a marine biology major. When we were studying the corals in Belize we had to make a list each day of at least five new species that we saw. Other wise our responsibilities were to snorkel in the corals, be safe and have fun. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The showers that were really just pvc pipe were awful. The first day they spit slime out of them and we had a scorpion in our bathroom for a couple of days that was a little crazy. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We stayed in beach cabins (kind of like what you have at summer camp). Our host family were the cooks and the guides from Bachlar Chico marine reserve stayed with us at our camp. The local beach dogs came and visited us at every meal. |
| * Food: |
Pretty much rice and beans or some variation of that every day. Not bad though overall they cooks did well considering. The only complaint I had was the instant coffee. It's not even like instant coffee in the states. That made mornings a little difficult. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One day we went into San Pedro and it was kind of like a city here in the states but not at the same time. Nobody's in a rush to do anything but so much is happening every where. People don't have doors on their homes, just a sheet which seemed a little odd. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Nothing seemed any less safe than being in same Boston or Hartford to me. I question the medical care however because one girl clearly got sun poisoning and was diagnosed with at UTI. However, to present with those symptoms the UTI would have to have been present more than a week. |
| 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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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Face your fears and experience every minute of it. You may never have another chance like this again. |
