A Salty Good Time! Past Review

By Jonna Keith (Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/21/2019 to 05/17/2019 with

Williams College: Mystic - Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

My "abroad" experience in Connecticut was all I could have wanted or asked for. We had amazing field seminars in the Caribbean (we sailed on a tall ship!), California (we went tide-pooling!), and Louisiana (we met so many lovely locals!). These field seminars were focused on experiential learning and showed me a new way to connect to the world around me. If you're pausing because the program isn't outside of New England, don't fear! Mystic is a one of a kind experience and you won't be sorry!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	The professors make this program amazing. They push you to grow academically and personally. I don't think I'll ever love a group of educators as much as I have loved the profs at WM.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	The administration team was incredibly responsive when problems arose. I'd like to note that there were almost no problems thanks to the wonderful admin team!
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	I lived in Albion house. It's a beautiful three bedroom home that I lived in with three other people. We were responsible for running the house (we cooked/ cleaned). I really enjoyed this aspect of the program
* Food:	You get to cook!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	We had ample time to explore the local town. We'd often bike into town and work at local coffee shops! Mystic is full of welcoming people.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	It's just the US system...
* Safety:	Mystic Connecticut is incredibly safe!
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Mystic is absolutely wonderful. The classes were intense, the field seminars were fantastic, and the professors were splendid. I feel like I've grown as an academic while making amazing memories. All of my "shipmates" from the semester will definitely become life long friends!

Finances

* 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)	Incredibly easy with given food stipend. Our house had a ton of left over money!
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Maybe $10-25, depending on if we went out to eat or went to a coffee shop
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Shop at Aldi's!! It's an amazing grocery store with cheap produce!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?	0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Field Seminars Living Situation Maritime Skills
* What could be improved?	Work distribution
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	The deadlines come quickly! Do not delay on doing your work!

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 Adventurer The 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Marine Policy
Course Department:	MAST
Instructor:	Catherine Hall
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	An amazing course. Katy pushed me as an academic while also connecting to me on a deeply personal level. This course is faced paced and I loved every minute of it. It was a lot of writing, but I felt accomplished at the end of the semester.
Credit Transfer Issues: