SIT: Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems

This program offers an absurd amount of opportunity to learn about so many new things in vastly different ecosystems with a challenging structure and expectations that pushed me to a new standard of academics that I hadn't expected. The people in charge of the program are fantastic, and incredibly helpful, and it was rare to meet an unhelpful Panamanian. The Independent Study portion is unmatched in allowing and forcing you to grow beyond your bounds. Without this experience, I think my education would have been gravely incomplete.

A lot of you people searching for abroad programs have more than likely considered going to Europe for what is likely also an amazing experience. I was also ready to pull the trigger on some program where I would be taking classes at a university in another country where I would be surrounded by a ton of other abroad students doing the same program as me. To be fair I never did go to Europe, so I can't suggest too many things about the abroad programs there.

What I can say is that my experience in Panama made me so grateful that I made the decision to go against the grain and do something that most people won't get the chance to do.

Between hiking through tropical cloud forests, snorkeling in a pristine Caribbean archipelago, climbing a volcano, and wading through a river to catch frogs, this program really has everything for the adventuring soul. If you have any kind of passion for the environment and nature, this program will overload every dopamine receptor in your entire body. Completing this program reaffirmed my passion for the environment, traveling to unique places, and having amazing experiences with amazing people, and hopefully it will make you feel the same.

This program was an amazing experience where my fellow students were passionate about conservation, climate change, and learning. We were able to visit beautiful places and learn from local community members about the many different ecosystems we experienced. The academics were very well integrated into where we traveled although the workload was challenging at times. There was a good balance of city and rural life, as well as class and free time. I would highly recommend this program for any environmental science student who wants to challenge themself or who wants to become more literate in Spanish about ecological/environmental topics.

This program is incredibly travel and outdoor-heavy. You are constantly traveling all over the country for different modules where you spend 90% of your time doing field work outside. You are never bored and always busy. The places you get to see are actual paradise and there is plenty of time to hike, explore, and swim in between class. There is also an incredible variety of subjects to learn about from birds, to coral reefs, to forest, to amphibians. The program teaches you how to use different research methods and conduct experiments, so that you can be successful in executing your own research project during the last month of the trip.

SIT Panama is an incredible abroad program for students who love the environment and traveling. You will learn how to do all kinds of field work, learn/improve your Spanish, and make incredible friends and memories for a semester. The program is very travel-heavy, and you'll likely only stay in one place for a maximum of one week. You and the other students will be learning in the field with professors who are at the top of their field. You will have plenty of time for exploring and relaxing in various towns and the City.

What I loved about this program is the extensive traveling and unique experiences that this program provides. We travelled all over Panama and even some of Costa Rica, seeing and doing just about everything you could imagine: hiking, swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, sight seeing, and of course, learning. This program takes you beyond the traditional classroom setting and teaches you way more than coursework. It got me out of my comfort zone in the best way and taught me the importance of living in the moment.

This was everything I could have hoped for and more in a study abroad experience. I was nervous about leaving everything behind and coming to Panama, but it turned out to be the absolute best decision of my life. The program staff were extremely laid back and allowed us to have an authentic, incredible experience. Every day we did something incredible, exciting, and new that left me wiser than I was before leaving the US. I have a greater confidence in myself and have made forever friendships. I cannot recommend this program enough.

This program, which focuses on traveling and in-the-field learning, provides students with an incredible opportunity to not only study a diverse set of habitats and ecosystems, but also to live among and alongside the people who interact with them on a daily basis, displaying multiple sides to the education provided by this program. Aly Dagang, the program's director, is a true hero, providing unbiased, eloquent education while supporting social and personal activities/development. You will gain great confidence in yourself and abilities while learning in some of the most beautiful environments, spending the first two months of your program exploring the country with your fellow students and professors and the final month researching anything you could desire or imagine, developing independence and allowing for incredible self-exploration; I could not have asked for a better experience.