Not your typical "easy" study abroad program, but GREAT experience in a non-traditional destination! Past Review
By Judith P (Integrative Biology, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign) for
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Tanzania - Wildlife Management Studies
after studying abroad, i can not wait to go back to kenya and tanzania! all i want to do now is travel and be able to experience new cultures in a non-touristy way
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
not your typical "easy" study abroad program - lots of work, teachers are locals so their teaching style is somewhat unorganized, you are based at your own field site in each country (not a local university) where you live, eat, work, & play |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
there is a student affairs manager from the states on-site who serves as the liason between students and local faculty; this person is your go-to person for any issues, counseling, medical problems, or administration questions - very helpful; program size is about 30 students so not too big and not too small |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
in kenya, you live in huts and bathrooms/showers are a short walk away; in tanzania your accommodations are nicer with bathrooms/showers in each room; very primitive living conditions, but adds to the experience- get used to bugs and cold showers!; you bring sheets for your bed and use your sleeping bag as a blanket, which you will also need for expedition camping trips |
| * Food: |
food is like a buffet with set meal times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; mostly local varieties which sometimes gets old, but overall the food was really good and vegetarian friendly; not much opportunity for snacking with the set meal-times so its a good ideas to bring snacks from home that you think you'll miss; only thing to drink is water (which is filtered) so also helpful to bring drink mixes if you prefer; you use own water bottle so bring a couple that will last you, but all other utensils are provided; need a tupperware / meal set for field trips and camping expeditions |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
lots of awesome safaris, cultural experiences, camping trips, hikes, etc., but not a lot of time to go out on your own- pretty much trapped in your camp especially in kenya unless something is planned |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
reliable clinics close-by to both field sites, but definitely not comparably to health care in the states; student affairs manager on-site helps with minor health issues; need a few vaccines before arriving, plus malaria prevention while you're there |
| 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) |
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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
there is a kiswahili language and culture component, but it is not well organized; it is helpful to try to learn the language though for better interaction with locals but in kenya most people know english |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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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? | good for a student who is very interested in third-world issues, especially related to conservation; need to love the outdoors and be okay with adverse weather, a challenge, and ready to be a world away from the modern conveniences of the states |
