Hands-on Science in a close knit group Past Review
By Carly Winner (University of Wisconsin - Madison) - abroad from 01/29/2018 to 05/09/2018 with
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Panama - Tropical Island Biodiversity Studies
I gained a group of friends who care about the same things as me and have experienced living in the amazing town of Bocas.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
They expect a lot of work out of you, you will not just get to "chill out" for a whole semester, but it is a lot of projects, group collabs, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff were amazing. Professors, student affairs managers, cooks, etc, everyone was so friendly and made the center feel like home. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Share a room with bunk beds with 4 people and your own bathroom in each room. |
| * Food: |
The meals we ate were good, but they got repetitive. Snacks are the best part of the day. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We work in the community a lot which is awesome, you really get to know people, but it is a lot harder if you don't know Spanish. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any. |
| * Safety: |
They make sure you are very safe.....there is even a curfew at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I loved SFS and the fact that we were all so close all the time. |
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) |
We don't travel in this program so it is only how much you want to go into town/spend in town. Water taxis/taxis are always less than $5. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $50 |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
We were not often encouraged to practice/use Spanish. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Fifth Semester College Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 knew a lot, SFS really prepares you to know what you are getting into. |
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. |
