School for Field Studies Kenya: One of the BEST experiences of my life!! Past Review
By Claire G (conservation biology, Colorado State University) for
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Tanzania - Wildlife Management Studies
This was one of the best experiences I've had in my life. I was able to learn a lot about another culture, and see amazing things. I enjoyed getting to know the local people and seeing the wildlife and scenery that I had previously only seen in photographs. This program helped me focus my academic interests, as before leaving I was a lot less sure of what I wanted to do. Any student interested in wildlife, social and political aspects of African society, field research, or natural resource management would definitely benefit from this program.
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. |
We took classes and also participated in directed research. The class portion was similar to that in American educational systems. We had lectures, did homework, wrote essays, and had final exams. The directed research was a lot of work, both in the field and doing write ups and computer analysis of our work. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I thought this was a fantastic program. There were only 20 or so students, which was really nice. The staff was very understanding of American ideas of education/living/etc. and helped us adjust to life in Kenya. There were things like problems with internet, but these are to be expected when living in rural Kenya, and the staff did everything possible to keep things running smoothly. It was a fantastic experience. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
We lived in a compound with multiple houses for students. Four students shared each house, and there was one common building where we ate our meals and had class. I always felt safe. We did bring our own sheets and towels, but food was provided. We all took turns helping in the kitchen. |
| * Food: |
The food provided by SFS was fantastic. They were open to listening to student suggestions on food, and we got to make some meals ourselves as well. There was a good variety of choices at every meal, and it was very tasty! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
With our program we did community service on our days off, which was very rewarding. We also got to spend many days on game drives through national parks. The program let us see several different parts and a lot of the country. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
SFS takes the safety of its students very seriously, and I never felt like I was in an unsafe situation. The student affairs managers were always around for students to bring concerns etc. They also were helpful in making sure we had any medical care we needed. The program let us know the vaccines we needed before coming. As we were traveling to Kenya, there are multiple vaccines you need prior to leaving, and you also must take malaria pills while in Africa. |
| 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? |
Many people in our community spoke English, but everyone was very willing to practice swahili with the students. We could practice our language with staff, professors, and the locals in the community. The basics of swahili were taught in class, and how far you chose to take it was a personal choice to practice with people etc. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This is a fantastic program, and if you are willing to put in the work you will get a lot out of it! Any student choosing it should try and get the most they can out of it: experience culture, language, food, wildlife, scenery etc. Every opportunity is given to experience, so take them! |
