Eye-Opening Experience May 13, 2025
By Na'Mia K (Contemporary Women's Studies, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/14/2025 to 05/10/2025 with
The Caribbean Student Support Network: Contemporary Caribbean Studies
I learned how to remain relaxed during periods of academic stress and the importance of work-life balance. I also learned how to cook traditional Trini dishes like callaloo, roti, curry chicken, and pelau.
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. |
The courses that UWI offers are wide, but teaching is often lecture-heavy, with minimal opportunities to collaborate within the classroom. Professors do a great job of providing a full layout of the course through the syllabus, allowing you the opportunity to work ahead. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administration was extremely helpful and approachable. Any questions and concerns that I had, they were able to answer and accommodate. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My dorm, Freedom Hall, recently opened back up this semester since COVID, so there were a lot of issues that had to be resolved. The AC in my first room wasn't working, so I had to move to another one, but overall, the accommodations were nice. Each room had its own bathroom, so I didn't have to worry about sharing a bathroom or cleanliness. There were also issues of us not having hot water until the last week of the semester. Housing, while being limited in staff, worked the hardest to accommodate all the issues in the hall. |
| * Food: |
The food in Trinidad is delicious, but there is no meal plan in this program or at UWI, so students are responsible for cooking their own food. While the program occasionally provides meals during the weekly check-ins and during program trips, the cost of groceries in the country can be expensive. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I made so many good friends during this experience and learned a lot about the country through these connections. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was accessible, and my program manager, Roannta, helped me find mental health services and a doctor after I hurt my knee on a hike. The local healthcare system is divided into public and private, but if you go private, the care tends to be a lot faster and more patient-focused. All the health care professionals I have interacted with have been fantastic. |
| * Safety: |
Despite the country being in a state of emergency, I felt incredibly safe around campus and walking around the area to go grocery shopping and run errands. There were no safety-related incidents that occurred. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I truly enjoyed this program and even wanted to see if I could extend it to the fall. From engaging with so many amazing people to experiencing, learning, and living in the culture, I took away so much from this 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) |
Groceries and the cost of living in Trinidad can be incredibly expensive, and with the Carnival season being in the spring semester, the cost of going to events can be high. These things, paired with transportation, made it extremely difficult to adjust in the beginning of the program as myself and the other student were trying to understand the lay of the land. As the semester progressed, it became easier to live on a student's budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to track different sales in the grocery store to stretch your budget in terms of food 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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| 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? |
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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? | I wish I had known before the logistics of Carnival, since this was my first one, and that if you want to play Mas or Jouvert with a band, you have to ensure you do this in advance. Last-minute spontaneous plans are not really a thing during Carnival. That event will be sold out if you don't buy tickets in time. |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
