Organization for Tropical Studies

Overall my experience on the African Ecology and Conservation program (AEC) for Spring 2025 has been absolutely amazing. I am so sad that the program ends in a few days. Going into this program, I was looking forward to expanding upon my current field work skills, connecting and forming friendships with others, and obviously seeing the Big 5. Thankfully, I can say that I got all that and more.

There's so much that happens in one OTS semester that it can be hard to unpack all of it and look back on it, especially when writing a review. But the professors and staff here have been so amazing and so supportive and so have my classmates. Field work was so fun but was definitely also challenging (mostly due to the hot weather) and our homestay definitely pushed me way outside of my comfort zone. However, it was so interesting and cool to see how the people in Guyuni village lived life and it was amazing how welcoming they were to us.

When not conducting field work, writing essays, practicing presentations, and more, our group tended to prefer to go on game drives. We would get up at 6am, sometimes earlier, and do our best to spot the animals first. It was always a good time, even on the days where we barely saw anything or when the wind chill in the back of the GDV made it feel way colder than it actually was.

The food was great and the accommodations were nice. Fair warning, there may be some locations where you have to share a room with 5 other people, if not more. Sometimes there would be as little as 2 total sharing a room. It can be challenging for some to navigate having that many roommates, but thankfully that wasn't as much of a problem for us.

Overall, I really do suggest going on this program. The sights, experiences, and the people absolutely make the program and I had fun working on all of our assignments, despite how stressful it could be. Myself and some other students are even planning on staying an extra week to go to Cape Town as our spring break location ended up being in St. Lucia (which was such a cute town).

This program definitely pushed me to try new things, and I certainly struggled at times throughout the semester. But every day was a good day, and when in Kruger National Park there is no way of knowing what animal is waiting around the corner. I spent most the semester racing to finish my academics to explore South Africa. The staff was excellent, the assignments made sense and the other students were fantastic. Some visiting instructors were not as good, but they did not stay for more than a week. There is inherent risk when doing fieldwork in Kruger with all the animals, but the instructors and game guards worked with us to make sure everyone was safe. The food was good, but communicate with the chefs if you have dietary restrictions. I was disappointed in how they handled lactose free (very poorly) or made sure vegans/vegetarians had protein (oftentimes didn't). Lodging varied tremendously, but I always had a bed to sleep in and a working shower.

This program offers an intensive dive into the tropical biology scene. The schedule is full, with regular excursions, lectures, and projects. The academic side of things can be challenging, but I found that mixed in with more relaxed activities and fun experiences, it was a great balance. You will definitely be busy, but that makes the free time all the more enjoyable. Exploring the field stations in my free time (usually in pairs or as a small group) was one of the most rewarding things, especially since this allowed me to see more of the birds and wildlife! One thing that was really important was to be intentional about getting good sleep. You will thank yourself later for having enough energy for the big days ahead!

One of the best parts about the program was the amazing staff, who were welcoming and friendly, but also super knowledgeable in their field! And of course, getting to know others in the group was incredibly rewarding. It's going to be a pretty intimate experience, since you will be with this same group of a dozen or so students for the whole time. This makes building these relationships really important, and super fun. And the food at each station was super yummy. I was always looking forward to meals and conversation in the comedor after a long day of hiking or classroom work!

Practice Spanish if you can! Bring a camera or binoculars if you are into birds and photography (you will be blown away by what you see!) and also be prepared for rain! The rain was tough especially in La Selva, but you adjust once you realize that it's supposed to rain, and that's what makes La Selva so alive! Mosquitoes were tough at Palo Verde, but with the right mindset and gear, they don't make too much of a difference.
Be ready for long bus rides, which were a great opportunity to see the countryside, connect more with others, and if your able, get a little rest.

I also recommend staying a bit after the program. I traveled for a week or so with people I had met during the first month, and it was a great experience, and really nice to be able to pick our own destinations and relax a bit after the business of the program!
All in all, this was an incredible experience. I learned a lot about biology and what practicing good science looks like, and also a lot about myself in the process. and it was amazing to see the new connections form with people that I am still in touch with to this day!

The first year I participated in the Disease Ecology and Wildlife Management Field Practicum was completely virtual through Zoom, but the following year I was invited to participate as an alumni/mentor in person in Kruger National Park. The in-person experience is definitely different, in a better way, than the virtual experience although both were very educational. I loved doing the field work and data collection within the park and everyone that I met through OTS and SANParks were super helpful and welcoming.

I originally completed a remote-version of this program through Cornell University during the pandemic. I remained in contact with my research mentors and the next summer I was invited back to participate in the field work component of the program.

This experience ended up being one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much about African wildlife, met so many amazing friends, and took countless incredible pictures. I would recommend this program to any student interested in conservation.