Past Review
By Allison J (History/Political Sci, SUNY - Binghamton) for
SUNY Binghamton: Traveling - Tropical Forest Workshop
I think this study abroad experience was worthwhile. I learned a lot about the local culture and about tropical ecology in general. The environment is unlike anything I have ever seen and I feel very appreciative that I had this opportunity to see it firsthand.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | N/A |
| 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. |
The workload was fairly intense but not ridiculous. I think the climate was the most difficult thing to get used to. When we worked in the field, the heat could feel very intense. So, water and brimmed hats are a must or else you will feel horrible. The grading was not too intense I found. I thought I did horribly on the first test and I ended up getting a 90. So, it is not so bad, despite all the information we go over. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
For the most part, I thought that our leader did a good job; in that he kept to the printed itinerary he handed out beforehand. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We stayed in cabins for most of the time. Any other time we stayed in hotel rooms. <br /><br /> The housing ranged from cabins with bunkbeds to hotel rooms. We stayed in cabins for most of our trip. I thought it was nice for we were in close promixity to the local people and we stayed away from the tourist-like areas. The cabins I stayed at were fairly nice. However, the showers were either cold water or nonexistent and the toilets were usually in bad shape. Those were the only negatives. |
| * Food: |
The food was good to alright. Most of our meals were cooked by the local people. So, I was happy to try some of the local dishes. However, after several weeks of rice and beans, I did crave "American" food; usually I would try to stock up on food when we went into town. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We got to attend a festival and witness a bull riding competition. We also had several opportunities to play soccer with the local kids. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
If you needed medical assistance it was bit difficult to get to a hospital or go to a clinic just because of the distance. We usually stayed in remote locations. We did have first aid and basic supplies but for bigger problems (i.e. ear infections) it was a more difficult. |
| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I needed about 400 dollars in all for personal expenses. However, I had an ear infection that costed me 100 dollars and I spent around 60 on souvenirs. So, you can probably spend less if you want to. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would say bring extra money for medical expenses and for food. I found I was hungry between meals and I appreciated having snacks with me. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
There was not a huge emphasis on spanish but you could practice it will you were there and it was somewhat encouraged. We had one spanish lesson overall. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I think a student who loves being outside and is in fairly good shape will enjoy this program immensely. The landscape and the wildlife is amazing. You not find anything like it here in the United States. |
