I love Trinidadian Carnival and Jamaica but did little outside of that August 08, 2024
By A student (Sociology and Anthropology, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/17/2024 to 05/12/2024 with
The Caribbean Student Support Network: Contemporary Caribbean Studies
I was able to visit Jamaica for the first time and that is something that will stay with me forever. I gained an understanding of all that goes into Carnival season and meet some lovely people. But so many times it felt like the program was dragging on and I wished I made a different choice.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I do not like the format of the UWI classes as there is little support but I did find support with UWI students. I did enjoy some of the classes that were apart of the program core class. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It is incredibly hot and that is to be expected. But the dorm hall had sanitary problems with the common areas as there was not a consistent cleaning staff outside of this there are few common areas. |
| * Food: |
The food is expensive, you really have to get in the routine of cooking most of your meals. I enjoyed the program food. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wished this was an element more explored in the program. As for many of the trips that we took we were sitting a tour bus just driving through an area. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Wellesley provides healthcare coverage. |
| * Safety: |
You will be safe on campus as there is a gate system and you will get advice on how to navigate the area. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
There is so much to explore across Trinidad and Tobago and while in this program you really only barely touch the surface. I wish we did more engaging activities as getting lectures during scenic car rides is nice but it is not truly an experience. |
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) |
The food even if you are not ordering out or going to a restaurant can be very expensive and with the size of the fridge, you have to keep going back and buying things in small quantities. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | 150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Gain an understanding of local recipes to help cut down on grocery costs. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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 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? | We only spend hours in Tobago and majority of it is inside a car. All of lectures for the core class are on Saturday. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
