SIT Study Abroad: Panama: Tropical Ecology, Marine Ecosystems, and Biodiversity Conservation

I had never traveled outside of the U.S. prior to attending this program. I absolutely loved my experience. This program offers the perfect mix of academics, fun, and adventure. I feel like I learned a lot more about conservation, humans in relation to the environment, and how to conduct environmental research. I came in with some hard science background, however, other people had a great time without that background. I would recommend that you only do this program if you are really interested in research and learning about different ways of doing science. There is definitely a huge social science component, which I really liked as an anthropology major. We were given the opportunity to engage with local communities. It was a challenging program is some ways and pretty fast paced. I felt like the time flew by because there were so many activities and places visited. It is really fun to get to see the different parts of Panama. I want to go to Panama. The program does a really great job of connecting you with local researchers and professionals. I loved the freedom of doing my own research project. As well all the staff are super helpful, supportive, and overall wonderful people. Our academic director was great. If you are worried at all about bonding with people, don't, you get to know people very fast and spend a lot of time in the group. Overall it was an incredible experience, that definitely affected my perspective and has impacted the way I live my life now.

I cannot say more positive things about SIT and this program in particular. As a biology major, studying abroad in the tropics is a must, especially if you're interested in biodiversity. When I was considering programs, I was hesitant at first to go to Panama because it did not seem like an obvious choice. However now, I don't regret it at all. All SIT programs are incredibly well structured and defined - the courses follow the syllabi posted on the website very well and you will get a day-by-day calendar schedule of where you will be and what you are doing. SIT is also more "legit" in terms of its academic rigor - I spent a lot of time (especially on excursions) in class and in the field. The tropical ecology and related field methods course allowed me to learn from and do research with Panamanian scientists who are the best in their field in Panama/the tropics and oftentimes are affiliated with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The ISP, or Independent Research Project component of the trip gave me a unique opportunity to develop and propose my own project and was great preparation for writing scientific papers. We also had five homestays that were really amazing and manageable even for me, who came in with no prior knowledge of Spanish. You also take a Spanish class which is more like small-group tutoring, which improved my language skills immensely. The hands-on, experiential academic and cultural experience really immersed me into the ecosystems and cultures of Panama. I was taken out of my comfort zone, made life-long friends, and really developed my skills as a biologist. I wouldn't hesitate to do this trip again!

A lot of people say that study abroad will change your life and it seems super cliche and silly. But this experience was without a doubt the best thing I did in my entire life and brought back to me some things that I had lost. I learned so much about tropical ecology and conservation and culture but also a lot about myself. We travelled around the country, saw so many different places and cultures and learned amazing things. We took the time to have fun and go on adventures on our free days and saw an unbelievable amount of beautiful wildlife. It was intense and absolutely beautiful. To anyone considering this program, do it. It was paradise.

There were two things about this program that made me super nervous going in: the long-term homestay in Panama City, and the Independent Study Project (ISP). Looking back now, those same two things were hands down my favorite aspects of the program (which is saying a lot, because I loved practically every single aspect of the program). I ended up living with a wonderful and unexpected couple - my "Mom" was born in Italy and my "Dad" was of Chinese heritage. The cooking (both Italian and Panamanian) was incredible, and I couldn't have asked for a more welcoming family. Thanks to them, my Spanish improved by leaps and bounds and I felt very rooted in the local culture. Though it seems scary and might not always be quite as positive of an experience as mine, the homestay element of this program is so essential and contributes so much to the program's impact.
Similarly, the concept of the ISP can seem pretty horrifying at first. You set out completely on your own to design, execute, and write up a study in a foreign country - it seems crazy. But, with the support and guidance of the SIT team regarding everything from project ideas to making living arrangements, it is 100% doable. It challenged me in ways that my school in the U.S. never could, and it helped me grow academically and personally. I feel so much more capable and independent because of the ISP, and I can't emphasize enough how wonderful the experience turned out to be. In short, when it comes to study abroad, you have to through your caution to the wind - it will all be so much more than fine!

We lived with homestays, a primary one in Panama City, and others throughout the country as we traveled around. While I was very nervous for this, it turned out to be the most valuable part. I made such deep connections with my family and my Spanish improved so much. We saw so much of the country, covering a huge span of environments, topics of discussion, and lifestyles. Never did I feel like a tourist, and we truly got to do things and see Panama in such an authentic way that someone really could not get otherwise.

The number of awesome moments and experiences are endless, such as holding and taking data on hummingbirds, learning about medicinal plants with the Naso tribe, seeing both oceans at the same time, learning to take taxis around the huge city, helping organic farmers plant lettuce, interviewing lobster divers in Spanish, hiking through the jungle at night, eating plantains in every form, riding on hand-made bamboo rafts. The variety of experiences was incredible.

The director and professors offer a lot of support for helping to decide on a topic for the final project and you have a lot of freedom to choose a topic you are really interested in. I got to interview lobster divers on an indigenous island in spanish and their native language. This was difficult at points, to try to communicate and to organize my time for 2 weeks taking data, but I grew so much from the challenges that arose and learned an immense amount about their culture and myself.

Being vegetarian is definitely possible here, though chicken is very popular. Although fresh tropical fruit was plentiful, a lot of Panamanian food is fried or carb based, which can be a bit tough after awhile. Lots of rice and beans and plantains and fry dough and salchichas (hotdogs).

If you like nature, SIT Panama will definitely foster your appreciation of nature. The program staff is extremely helpful. Program excursions included visiting an indigenous territory, Barro Colorado Island and EARTH University in Costa Rica. Through these excursions, you gain insight regarding current ecological issues, sustainable practices and indigenous resource use. This program includes an Independent Study Project, allowing you to gain relevant research skills that may be applicable to future research. This program left me with an insatiable wanderlust.