SIT Study Abroad: Tanzania: Wildlife Conservation & Political Ecology

Going to TZ for a semester abroad with SIT was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I feel incredibly grateful for all the experiences I had and wonderful people I met--many of whom I stay in touch with today! The semester was an exciting mix of camping in national parks, observing incredible wildlife like elephants, lions, giraffes, and birds, and doing a homestay for 3 weeks. I really appreciated the cultural immersion, between the homestay and opportunities to interview community members for research/class. The SIT TZE staff is top-notch when it comes to support, kindness, and truly making you feel like family. This program has added depth to my life and I'm currently trying to return to the region because of how much I loved my experience.

This was an excellent program. Not only was it super fun, but it was very immersive and academically rigorous. The program staff did a wonderful job making sure we felt comfortable in Tanzania while making sure we were pushing ourselves to produce a really high level research project. The excursions were so amazing, and this is definitely a program where the students grow a lot throughout the semester. The class size was small, which meant we each had a lot of support from staff, and a tight-knit community of students. I could not recommend more.

I completed the Wildlife Conservation Programme in Tanzania in 2021 and it was honestly an amazing experience that I still remember to this day. Everyone was so kind and helpful, and I learned so much about wildlife and conservation during the programme. The classes in nature were amazing and it was great to be able to learn about wildlife while actually being surrounded by it. The weather was great, the people were lovely, and there was always something new to learn and experience. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to take part. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves wildlife, nature and travelling.

This program absolutely changed my worldview! Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the immersive experiences and connections that I have as a result of this program. The staff are unbelievably inviting, talented, and caring. They are highly knowledgeable and invested in the learning, development, and wellbeing of students. If you are looking for a unique opportunity to expand your world while gain valuable research experience, this is the program for you. You will not want to leave, trust me.

My semester abroad in Tanzania was life changing! A truly once in a lifetime experience that I truly recommend. The SIT program staff are the kindest most welcoming people you can imagine. Additionally, from game drives in national parks to home stays the cultural immersion and wildlife I was able to learn about and experience was amazing! The independent research project was also a great experience and offers the ability to research something you are truly interested in. I learned so much and had a wonderful time exploring Tanzania!

Traveling to Africa was always an experience I was looking forward to, however, I never thought that I would be able to immerse myself in the culture for a whole semester. I was able to learn a completely new language, live with a host family, see animals I have dreamed about since I was a little kid, and I made so many lasting connections. We were also pushed academically to complete and independent research project. Mine was on wildlife veterinarians so I was able to interview veterinarians and even got to shadow a sanctuary veterinarian. I would do it all over if I had the chance.

This program may not be appropriate for the faint of heart or health. However, if you're looking for a real-life adventure, I think few programs would measure up as well. The country's beauty, the richness of the culture and the thrill of studying African wildlife out in the field make the entire trip worth it already, while the challenging and difficult times did more to strengthen me as an individual than any other experience in my life ever did. The ISP is academically challenging, but the program leaves you a lot of time to focus on exploring and learning things hands-on rather than spending all your time studying. I especially recommend it for those wanting to do conservation and field biology: the techniques and research abilities you will develop will be incredibly useful in a later career. I decided that I wanted to work in wildlife conservation after doing this program; I have SIT and the people I met in Tanzania to thank for that.

I went abroad looking for experiential education and not classroom based education and that is exactly what I got on this program. Classes were sometimes held in classrooms, but were also held on nature walks or in a national park or sitting in the grass. The idea of everything being your classroom was really fun and let you learn all the time. This is a program that will push your comfort zone in terms of how you live. For example, my clothes were washed by a machine once during the whole semester and probably about half the semester was bucket showers, as opposed to a wall mounted shower, but these were never a problem. I think that in order to get the most out of this program, you have to be open to experiencing life in a way that you've never experienced it before.