CIEE Tropical Marine Ecology + Conservation in Kralendijk, Bonaire

I met my best friend on that trip, and it only happened because CIEE helped us both get there. We both are not in financially good standing but had a desire to study abroad and they got us there. I met locals and people from all over the country and a handful of us still stay in touch and are good friends, even after being apart for so long. I went back to Bonaire and spent the next holiday season with locals I met on that trip as well. Also, the trip helped develop my passion for marine and environmental conservation. I realized how passionate I was about environmental sustainability and conservation efforts while abroad with them and I'm currently enrolled in a university to work towards one day having a job related to marine conservation. And no, it wasn't a flawless program, there were a lot of issues, but CIEE has great people working in Bonaire; as long as you keep an open mind and really take in the good moments, you'll have an amazing experience. The res hall is clean and a great place to live, you never get tired of the ocean, and you learn a ridiculous amount from working in the living environment and studying in their lab. You aren't challenged but if you put in the effort you learn a lot.

Let me start by saying that Bonaire is a beautiful place. The island is a fantastic, the weather is gorgeous, and I have met so many wonderful people while I've been here, both from the program and just on the island in general. I've enjoyed being able to dive multiple times a week and carry out my own independent research project. The excursions we have on the weekends are amazing as well, from spelunking to visiting Curacao. It's been eye opening to experience a whole different culture and learn about a field of biology that I'm very interested in pursuing as a career.

That being said, I have never felt more academically stressed than I have on this program, and I normally attend a university that's well-known for its academic rigor. It isn't even because the material is difficult, or that there is too much material being taught at once. It's because of the staff. They're wonderful people, but I have never met anyone less qualified to teach college-level academic courses. It is not a good thing when I've come to expect a teacher to say "I don't know" to an answer asked in class, on the material that they are supposed to be knowledgeable about. And when I am told to see a certain teacher if I need help with something, I expect to be helped, not told that they don't know how to work the program, which results in points being taken off my final grade for that assignment. Additionally, the program has such a disorganized structure, which makes for incredibly poor communication between the students and the staff; there is no set schedule of what classes are on which days each week. Sometimes, I even feel as if the staff actively try to make life difficult for the students, and I'm not alone in my opinion. I have already lost track of how many times I and my peers have spent voicing our frustrations about the unhelpful nature of the staff among ourselves.

The worst part is, I am writing this about halfway into the semester. I am already beyond frustrated with the staff, and it is not even the end, when all of our major assignments are due and final exams are given. Bottom line is, if you are looking for a study abroad experience on a tropical island, and you can take these courses without worrying about whether or not you will even get credit for them, I would highly recommend this program. But, if you are looking for something with a fulfilling academic experience as well, avoid CIEE Bonaire.