There's no place like the Rainforest! If you're thinking about going-DO IT! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt that the workload was very balanced between field lectures and in class lectures. The work was heavily dependent on participation. The homework/field logs/tests/final paper were a good difficulty level for everyone that was there. I will go out on a limb and say that as long as you stay on top of your work and participate in everything, you will do fine. I absolutely loved having teachers who were from different parts of the world. They were all extremely well qualified, passionate about what they were teaching, and interested in what we had to say.

On-site administration of your program

I feel that the program overall had no weaknesses. Our instructors and site managers were all extremely well qualified and well versed in both of our host countries and American higher education as well. The program had three instructors, a student affairs manager, and a site manager, for thirty students from all over the USA. My expectations were not only met, but exceeded beyond measure.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

While in New Zealand we had the pleasure of living with a Maori family who were extremely friendly and hospitable(this was an amazing experience). We were treated just like a part of their family as soon as we were welcomed onto the property. We also stayed in cabins in the Waitakere mountains of New Zealand, which was very beautiful. We also had free weekends in our choice of hostel. In Australia we also had free weekend to stay in our choice of hostel but mostly stayed in cabins. At both campsites where we stayed in cabins, the bath house, kitchen, and classrooms were separate from the cabins, but it was not very far at all.

This is a very accommodating program. We had several people with food allergies, dietary restrictions, and vegetarians during my program and they were always fed well (sometimes us non-vegetarians wanted to eat their food because it looked so good). We were fed very large, good meals on site and always had access to snacks and drinks. On days that we would be in the field all day we had a good selection of things to pack our lunch with and were never really limited on quantity. We always had access to fresh fruits and things like trail mix to toss in our bags as well.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The list goes on and on. We were in the field several days a week on different trips. We went to several museums, we went to a Maori political rally of sorts, discovery centers, and many others.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I felt very safe everywhere that we went. We always traveled in groups and other than on free weekends, our instructors were always with us. On free weekends we chose to use a buddy system and had our instructors' cell phone numbers in case of emergencies.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Select all that apply

• Host Family
• Hostel
• Other

Select all that apply

• Americans
• Host Family
• Other