Program Reviews

I attended the Costa Rica Broadreach veterinary adventure. Those three weeks were some of the most rewarding, exhilarating, and eventful weeks of my life. By the end of our trip, the counselors became both role models and friends, and the group of students formed close, unbreakable bonds. Broadreach constructed a wonderful balance of veterinary lectures, field exercises, and fun activities. The food provided was always accommodating to everyone's personal needs, and delicious (I am a very picky eater and this was one of my main concerns, but it was very yummy!). The Costa Rica veterinary experience takes place in many locations in the country, so our sleeping arrangements changed every couple of days. With that being said, our sleeping accommodations were clean and spacious.

I have been on 3 Broadreach trips now, and all of them have been incredible. There are so many incredible counselors who help with the trips and really do make it fun. I have done both the land-based trips and live aboard trips and in both cases, the team makes it really easy to get accustomed to the different places. It may seem scary, especially as a first-time trip, but I promise you will make lifelong friends on the trip and more than that, have incredible once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Every Broadreach trip has inspired me to learn to see the world with even more wonder and has given me a renewed respect for our planet.

I touched down in Costa Rica after a 12 hour flight from Germany, and was instantly blown away by my surroundings. I had grown up in a Middle Eastern city and so was in awe of the sheer amount of vegetation that surrounded me. It is not only a vegetated country, but one teeming with wildlife, and it wasn't difficult to spot a family of white faced monkeys or a crocodile in a river wherever you went. Unfortunately, this did mean very few of us left with less than 20 insect bites, and it made nights a war between man and bug.
Even so, that awe and excitement I had initially felt never left me once, and every day of the programme became my new favourite. I started the program wondering if I wanted to become a veterinarian, and left with an unshakable motive to pursue this career. The way the trip was put together completely sold the profession for me, and gave me the perception of Costa Rica as my home.
Whether it was cows, horses, dogs, cats, primates, or a wide variety of wildlife such as two toed sloths, the program allowed us to investigate them all, shadowing surgeries, acting as anaesthesiologists, practicing sutures and saving the animals we cared about so much. At one of the wildlife sanctuaries we were at, I had the opportunity to hear the heartbeat of a sloth, which completely changed my perfection of what life was.
Not only was there a large variety of wildlife, but we also visited 5/7 regions in Costa Rica over 3 weeks, and saw sights we would never forget. Rivers, dense jungle, waterfalls, rapids, lush fields, fiery sunsets, national parks, rolling ocean waves, and even volcanoes!
As you probably do, I had my doubts as to if this program is too good to be true. In all honesty, I expected something to go wrong at any moment, but it never did. The only issue is who your group is, because your trip-mates can make or break the trip, as you continuously share close quarters which can be uncomfortable at times. If you're not good at communicating with people, this aspect of the trip may pose as a struggle. Another prime issue is petty crime in Costa Rica. Thankfully we had no incidents, but it's important to be aware and keep your belongings close at all times.
To wrap up, if you're a high school student, aspiring veterinarian, and someone who loves nature, this is the summer program for you!

I am a thirteen year old boy, and dispute the many camps I have been to, broadreach really blew it out of the water. It was by far the most amazing experience I have ever done. Everything about it was fantastic, from the learning to the views and sails. The scuba dives were amazing too, and I came back home open water certified. The night dive was phenomenal, and we saw an octopus swimming along on the sea floor. I would recommend this to anyone, and hope I can do another broadreach program in the future.

was a little nervous going into but ended up having the most amazing time ever learning so much and meeting so many new people. i learned so much about so many things that i never would have thought i would learned while i was there. we went to coolest places and get to experience the coolest things ever. i was so sad to leave all of my new friends that had been like family for the past few weeks. The councilors were also the kindest and most supportive people ever and were always there to talk about things.

This was an amazing trip I would go on again. In fact, I have already signed up for the advanced trip. The people were great and you learn so much just by having fun. The experience is one of a kind and the scenery is like no other. I put my hammock up and was chilling most nights (unless it rained). Scuba certifications were so much fun because I get to complete everything with my friends I’ve made on the boat. You make long time friends on this trip. I have one person coming from Arizona to Tennessee to spend fall break together. Really a once in a lifetime trip.

My personal group of people on my Broadreach trip was really fun and interesting! Wouldn't trade the experience for the world. I got to live on board a SAILBOAT! HOW COOL IS THAT?!? But seriously, you get to become really close friends with everyone on board and get fully emersed in the experience. Boat life becomes you and your scuba course work becomes actual useful information. The wildlife, the people, the setting and the overall vibe all factor in to come out as the perfect experience. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

The Fiji shark studies Broad Reach trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I learned how to live in small quarters with quite a few people. I learned the average house skills like cooking, cleaning, and staying organized. However, I also learned all about sharks and diving as well. During this trip you get the real idea of how Fijians live. Your diving with the amazing B.A.D. Staff at least 4 hours a day to see sharks or super cool coral. I gained so many friends that I still keep in contact with after the trip and I’m actually planning on doing a get together with them for thanksgiving!!! This experience has changed my view on life in so many good ways and I would recommend this trip to everyone.

This 12 day trip was the most incredible experience I could have ever imagined. I made friends for life and over came so many of my fears. The bond I made with the instructors is something I had never experienced before, they were unbelievably supportive and fun to be around. The mix of learning about new topics and having fun swimming around with your friends is an incredible part of the adventure. The instructors were so supportive and always prioritised the kids safety and fun while teaching us to dive.

This was not the adventure of a lifetime. That’s what I have to keep telling myself, because to acknowledge that I’ll never experience anything like my Broadreach trip again would send me into a bottomless pit of depression.
I had found this program 3 years prior and immediately started saving up and dreaming about the trip. I was incredibly fortunate to receive a generous scholarship from broadreach that helped greatly with the costs. My only concern going into the program was that it would be impossible to live up to the expectations I had built over the 1,075 day wait. Somehow, it still exceeded them. Waking up on the island was a dream come true, and never in my life have I been more present in the moment. Learning to SCUBA Dive was such an unbelievable experience: I still picture all the amazing animals I saw underwater and am counting the days until I can dive again.
The people there were also absolutely amazing, and we still talk nearly every day. I never felt judged by my peers, and Broadreach makes it so easy to bond and make lifetime friends. The instructors were all great and I found the classes fascinating. We were able to learn so much in such a short time, but it is all very manageable and low-stress.
Getting to work with local conservation efforts was very rewarding, and I still can’t fully believe that I’m certified as a coral restoration diver now. If I weren’t aging out, I would absolutely do another trip. To anyone who is even slightly considering broadreach: go for it. You will not regret it.