Take a Dive in The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Past Review
By Christina B (Geology and Environmental Science, Florida State University) - abroad from 08/03/2015 to 08/12/2015 with
The GREEN Program: Iceland - Sustainability and Renewable Energy Abroad
Jumping into my first experience abroad in Iceland really exceeded all the expectations I previously had. I learned the cold isn't really that bad, the best places in the world are the ones I have yet to explore, my ideas of alternative energy are more broad that I know, and friendships built out of curiosity and common goals will stick with you forever. The GREEN Program was completely worth it and provided me with an unparalleled international experience.
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. |
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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? |
Lots of fast paced moving from hostel to hostel. Overall the accomodations were amazing but the last hostel we stayed in was a little boring. |
| * Food: |
Sometimes I felt like with all the activity we were doing, we should have been fed more often, but I probably should have just brought a few more snacks along. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The cultural integration night and the drum circle was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
During one of the hard hikes, a fellow student was walking on loose ground. The ground gave out from underneath him and I was the only student directly behind him and watched him fall which could have been several hundred feet because we were on a switchback of a mountain. Thankfully, there was a ledge 6ft below and he only fractured his arm in the process of catching himself. They took him to the hospital as soon as he said he would accept treatment. |
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| 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) |
Iceland is a very expensive country, but well worth the money and they experiences you have there especially the rural outdoor experiences. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $400 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I would take about $500. There will be several opportunities to buy souvenirs, and your justification will probably be "well since I can't buy it anywhere else" and end up purchasing it. |
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? | 10+ |
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? | How to layer for cold weather. Being a Florida native, I didn't have the proper winter attire with me, mainly because I simply didn't own it. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
