Family Can Be Found Whenever You Go June 15, 2026
By A student (Psychology, Wellesley College) - abroad from 01/14/2026 to 05/09/2026 with
The Caribbean Student Support Network: Contemporary Caribbean Studies
I learned how to make the most of time-limited experiences, how to cook and budget for living expenses, how to take care of myself through exercise and hanging out with good friends. Besides that, I learned a lot about where I'm from and how the Caribbean functions on a global stage. It was more than worthwhile. I would've paid more to have a chance to do it at all again.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The University of the West Indies utilizes a British style of education which is very rigorous and relies heavily on final exams for the bulk of your grade. That being said, I loved each of my professors and was very happy by the amount of support offered through tutorials and office hours. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
CSSN was there every step of the way and made sure I felt safe and comfortable for each aspect of the journey. I loved getting to know my cohort and the directors. By the end, I felt like I could come back and visit anytime and I'd be welcomed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I enjoyed my dorm and the block mates I had. Although at times, the facilities would be iffy, the RAs and other residents truly made it worthwhile. |
| * Food: |
Trinidad has the best food. Period. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I was able to attend many events curated by the university and my program. I was also lucky enough to be invited to events outside of campus by the friends I had made. By the end of it, there wasn't much that I had missed out on. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had some culture shock the first time I went to visit the campus doctor, but my program was there to guide me the second time I went so I didn't feel as lost. |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I've never felt more free to explore myself and who I want to be than when I was here. |
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) |
Trinidad overall is very affordable but some items that are foreign (like from Canada or the US) will be more expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100 |
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 knew how much I would enjoy everything in the end. That I didn't need to worry or stress about being in a new country for the first time nearly as much as I did. |
