The Permaculture Design Course at Sirius Ecovillage changed the way I look at the world! Past Review
By Ashley C (Sustainability Studies/Natural Sciences, Holyoke Community College) for
Study Abroad Programs in India
After learning about Permaculture I have found that everything I do in my life now is influenced by it. It gave me a deeper understanding of what it means to live a sustainable lifestyle.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I consider my time at Sirius Ecovillage this summer one of the most valuable components of my education thus far. Not only did I learn the technical skills necessary to create functional Permaculture Designs but I also found that their multifaceted approach helped me to fully embrace the philosophy behind Permaculture. I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in sustainable living and regenerative design. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Living Routes staff was very responsive to student needs and stressed the importance of maintaining a learning environment in which students felt secure and supported.Issues and requests were dealt with promptly and the program in general exceeded my expectations. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Students who chose not to camp were housed in the community house at Sirius Ecovillage. Our rooms we're clean and comfortable and the residents of Sirius Community made us feel at home right away. After just a week I felt like I had been there for months! |
| * Food: |
The student diet at Sirius Ecovillage consisted of organic vegetarian fared prepare fresh each day by on of the community members. Many of the ingredients were picked fresh from the Sirius gardens. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Days spent off site were filled with field trips to local farms and projects. Students were well taken care of by Living Routes staff and lunch was provided for each trip. I sincerely appreciate the effort it took for the Living Routes staff to organize our field trips and felt it was an integral component in my education of Permaculture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
While I did not have any health concerns while in my program a few of the other students did, and not only did the community members come together to provide them with help and support but the Living Routes staff took extra care to ensure that each student was safe and properly cared for. |
| 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?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Anybody can benefit from learning about Permaculture, you will be surprised just how much it applies to your everyday life! |
