An Unforgettable Experience in an Unforgettable Place Past Review
By Hannah M (Environmental Studies and Political Science, George Washington University) - abroad from 05/28/2014 to 06/06/2014 with
The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad
It has been about three months since I was a part of The Green Program and everyday I wish I could be back in Iceland. It is hard to describe how amazing it really was – whether it was the people, the place, the hands-on education, the adventure, or a perfect mixture of them all, I constantly replay the trip in my mind hoping to grasp on to the memories that are left. The most amazing part of the trip was definitely a great sense of community that I instantly felt from everyone. We all were strangers brought together by our motivation to want to make a difference in this world in terms of the environmental and energy sustainability. Everyone had the same goals in mind to want to experience hands-on the environmentally friendly aspects of Iceland and all of the adventure that came with. Although the classroom lectures were informative and interesting, I found that the real benefit came from the exclusive access we got to the various renewable energy power plants (geothermal, wind power, biomass, solar, and hydroelectric plants) and with that we got the chance to speak with experts within the field. Another influential part of the trip was our end goal of our Capstone Projects. For the Capstone Projects, we got a chance to form a group with our fellow program members and create a revolutionary idea and present it to our peers. This allowed us to bounce off of each other and gain new perspectives. Other than the educational side, every single day we got to experience Iceland through adventure. Whether it was snorkeling through tectonic plates, spelunking, hiking through the mountains, or using crampons on the glacier – every adventure was better than the next. The Green Program was an experience of a lifetime and the only downside is that it was only for 10 days! I recommended this trip for anyone who is ready for a life changing experience with amazing people, in an unforgettable country.
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Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
This program had a lot of educational experience built into it - whether it was the classroom lectures or the hands-on exclusive tours of the power plants. The education ranged anywhere from energy independence to the natural environment of Iceland. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The Green Program did a really great job in exposing us to Icelandic culture and everyday life. Every day there was a great balance between education, adventure, cultural exposure, and of course, fun! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Throughout the program, we stayed in very nice and comfortable hostels and hotels. Allowing us to choose our own roommates at each place, we were able to create a strong bond with our fellow program members which really created a community feeling. |
| * Food: |
The Green Program was VERY attentive to my special food requests. Being a strict vegetarian, I was initially nervous but after the first day I felt as if the leaders were very attentive to my needs and made sure that for every meal there was a vegetarian option. Not to mention that every meal was freshly cooked and delicious! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
After leaving Iceland, I definitely felt as if I was very exposed to Icelandic culture. The immersion ranged from home-cooked Icelandic meals to talking to our two guides from Iceland as well as many natives from Iceland. Everyone was so nice and always willing to answer questions and chat about Iceland! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Thankfully I did not have any health issues during my time on The Green Program. I did however feel very confident that if I was to get sick or hurt that the leaders would have been very attentive to my needs. The leaders were always focused on everyones well being! |
| * Safety: |
I never once felt unsafe during my time on the Green Program. Everyone was very nice and welcome conversations and visitors! |
| 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) |
After paying for the trip, everything was including while in Iceland! All meals, hotels, hostels, excursions, transportation, etc. The only time that we did need to spend our own money was to buy snacks and souvenirs! |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
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 felt as if the information provided beforehand was very informative and really prepared me for the 10 days! |
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. |
