The Best 10 Days of My Life Past Review
By Avery M (Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering., University of Southern California) - abroad from 05/28/2014 to 06/06/2014 with
The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad
The GREEN Program was the best 10 days of my life. It gave me such an unforgettable experience. The most precious part of the trip was being surrounded by 40 other college students that all had one common interest--the environment. It was really special to have something in common with a very large group of people. It was a breeding ground for great conversation, laughs, and bonding. I learned a lot about renewable energy--and not just in the classroom setting. The lectures were interesting and valuable, but I thought that physically going to and seeing these renewable energy facilities in action brought it all together. It showed me that everything I had been learning in the classroom could be actually applied to real life, and that it was making a difference. We visited geothermal, biofuel, hydropower, and wind plants. We also worked on capstone projects, which gave us a chance to apply everything we had learned on the trip. My group did a project involving disaster relief shipping containers. The containers would contain shelter, bathrooms, and all the basic necessities that natural disaster refugees would need to survive when one occurred. This program was also amazing because we did fun, adventurous things every single day! We went on hikes, snorkeled between two tectonic plates, glacier hiked, camped in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, swam in a geothermal river, swam in the local geothermal pools, and enjoyed the outdoors. Being outside, experiencing Earth's natural beauty, and learning how to live more sustainably was a perfect recipe for a fabulous program. Lastly, the program leaders were AWESOME! They were around the same age as the students, which made it really easy to bond with them. They are such cool people to talk to, and they're very knowledgable about the environment. It was easy to relate to them!
Review Photos
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. |
This trip definitely had some great educational aspects--the capstone projects, lectures from professors at Reykjavik University, visits to renewable energy facilities, etc.--but I wouldn't say that the whole trip was educationally-focused, which was nice. The adventure balanced it out. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The GREEN Program did an incredible job at immersing us in the Icelandic culture, while also focusing on the renewable energy aspect. We had so many activities every day that were jam-packed with fun, the environment, education, adventure, and team bonding. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We stayed in many nice hostels and guesthouses. They had a "homey" feel to them, and it was great to bond with the other students in such close quarters. I especially loved the housing arrangements because you really felt like you were in Iceland with the authentic sweaters and surrounding sheep. |
| * Food: |
The food was good! However, there was A LOT of fish and lamb, since that's what Icelanders mainly eat. If you don't like fish or lamb, they still have some variety, but it was surely a large portion of our cuisine. On the bright side, we had freshly cooked meals every day! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the local culture. Having two guides from Iceland was nice because they could pronounce all of the crazy words and names, and it really made you feel like you were studying abroad. All of the people were incredibly nice, and they enjoyed letting us into their businesses and homes. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I started feeling a little sick towards the end of the program, and my trip leaders were very attentive. They always checked in on me, and even delivered medication to my door. Once the program ended, I traveled around Iceland for 10 more days with my family, and I got tonsillitis. I had to go to an Icelandic doctor, and the health care system was amazing! They examined me, prescribed me some medication, and I felt better within days. I was very impressed with the speed and ease of the Icelandic health care system. No vaccines were needed to attend this trip. |
| * Safety: |
Since there are only 320,000 people in the entire country, almost everywhere we went was open space. There was no crime and I never felt unsafe. The only concentrated area we were in was Reykjavik, the capital, when we arrived the first day. None of the students ever felt threatened there either. Iceland is VERY safe! |
| 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) |
The cost of the program covered everything--food, housing, transportation, etc. The only time we needed to use money of our own was when we went shopping (for souvenirs, etc.) or when we wanted snacks that weren't already provided. (There were a lot of Icelandic snacks though! SO YUMMY!) |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $150. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Before you make a purchase, ask yourself if you really need it. This program provided literally almost everything for us, so there really wasn't much need for that much spending cash. |
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? | Nothing! I felt prepared for the program, and wouldn't change anything about the experiences I had. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
