Program Reviews

Some people you talk to will say that it was "THE experience of MY LIFE!" and that the friends they made are "the greatest, bestest, most awesomest, perfect friends I could ever have! BFFL!" but take note if the person talking is eagerly foaming at the mouth.

Yes, it was an awesome experience.

Yes, you will explore other countries and cultures.

Yes, your view of the world (and your place in it) will be expanded and greater understood.

Yes, you will make some awesome friends.

But the program isn't perfect, so don't expect to sign up and have everything be sunshine and rainbows. Academically, some of the teachers really suck. Don't assume that just because the teacher is on SAS means they're going to be awesome. Make sure you research the professors before signing up for their classes. Some people were surprised by how much busywork some of the so-called "easy" classes had.

Bottom line, if you want to get off your butt and do something remarkable, this is your chance to push yourself. Stop talking about the life you want and start creating some amazing memories. Paradise waterfalls in Dominica, the view from Table Mountain in South Africa, the fun and low key (and very underrated) Busua Beach in Ghana, not to mention the taxis, trains, buses, boats, rickshaws, and planes you'll travel in along the way.

Stop thinking about it and just do it!

This program is a learning experience unlike any other. The interactions between students, teachers, staff, life-long learners, and locals in very country helps you learn more about each other and grow as an individual. After circumnavigating the globe and seeing foreign places that many people dream about going to, that is when I realized how fortunate I was. I met many locals in these countries, who were the most accepting; respectful;and welcoming people I have ever met in my life.I would highly recommend going on Semester at Sea as a study abroad program. I can guaratee that you will have a FANTASTIC time with SAS...you may never want to go home, I didn't.

As with any study abroad program, there are amazing things about Semester at Sea along with drawbacks that are typical of a voyage of this nature: spend 110 days sailing around the world on a ship with 800 other people, hitting 11-13 countries along the way. The number of countries is a little vague here because unpredictable stuff happens. I sailed on the Spring 2011 voyage and we were supposed to go to Japan, but after the disasters happened in March, we went to Taiwan instead. We also made an emergency stop once or twice on some random islands because of a breakout illness on the ship. The ship is often tossed about by storms and we lost our first day in South Africa because the winds around the cape were so strong. But that is part of the adventure and unpredictability of Semester at Sea, and all of the disadvantages don't outweigh the enormity of this experience. If I had chosen to study abroad in Europe, I might have done the typical thing: fly around the continent on the weekends, see great architecture, party, meet some cute European boys. Instead, I visited 12 countries in all four corners of the world. I snorkeled in the Champagne Reef while visiting the island of Dominica, searched for caimans in the dark through the reeds of the Amazon River, stayed with a Ghanaian family in a remote village, slept on the Great Wall of China, took a 12-hour train ride across India in a 4th-class car, rode a camel through the Thar Desert at sunset, explored the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia riding the backs of motorcycles, trekked mountains alone in Taiwan, and saw what looked like the end of the world while standing in a cloud on Table Mountain in South Africa. These are just a few of the many things I was able to do with Semester at Sea. Yes, it's pricy, but ultimately it's worth it. You will get your bad eggs on the voyage, usually a large group of half-wits who just like to get drunk in every country, but you shouldn't let that group of people dampen the amazing possibilities presented to you on this trip. There is no other study abroad program quite like it. And no, I am not a social media representative for SAS, I actually enjoyed it this much. I'm so glad I chose Semester at Sea for my study abroad venture, it was literally a once-in-a-lifetime experience, unless I get to do it again. Which I would, in a heartbeat.