I can't wait to go back!!! Past Review
By Ashley K (BS Zoology, University of Maine at Orono) - abroad from 06/11/2012 to 08/13/2012 with
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Tanzania - Wildlife Management Studies
This trip has taught me to be more patient and to take things in stride. It is not worth it to get upset over the little things in life.
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. |
I loved that work we did there over the summer. There was very little free time but that is OK because I was never bored!! I especially loved the wildlife lectures and field exercises. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Tanzania is amazing, the people are awesome, and the staff at the program camp was the best! I couldn't have asked for a better place to be! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The bandas were large and each had its own bathroom so we were never in each others' way. The camp was open and a nice place for study and relaxation. |
| * Food: |
The food was tough to get used to because of all the oil they cook with, but I'm not complaining much because why go abroad if you don't even eat like the locals? Once I got used to the type of cooking I was able to enjoy the foods there (the fruit was AMAZING). |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Most of the staff at our site were locals and we learned a lot of Swahili from them as well as the surrounding community. Everyone was very welcoming. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I needed a lot of vaccines for this program; yellow fever, Hep A and B, polio, etc, and I took a daily malaria med. I got sick in the middle of the program (I believe it was Giardia) and the student affairs manager brought me to the local clinic that was run by a couple of people from California. They got me the medicines that I needed and the price was not bad at all. |
| * Safety: |
I felt extremely safe in the camp and the surrounding area. We were not allowed outside the gate after a certain time (unless we were with a staff member) because of the hyenas in the area! |
| 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) |
Once tuition was paid there was no need for me to buy anything there because everything was included. |
| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | If food is provided then there is no need to spend the money on food. |
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 wish I knew how to barter. |
