SFS Study Abroad: Marine Biology in the Turks & Caicos Islands

Why did you decide to go abroad with your provider?

Rie: I had been looking around online for field courses with something to do with marine science, since I wanted to not only do a bachelor’s degree in biology, but also get skills both in the lab at my home institution, as well as experience with fieldwork and visit other types of environment.

Several things made me choose the program with SFS. Firstly, the great amount of time spent in the field was appealing to me – that’s the first thing I wanted from my stay abroad. Secondly, I became curious when I saw that their “marine protected areas” course takes place in the Turks and Caicos Islands – a place I’d never heard of. How cool would it be to go to a place you’d never even heard of before?

Thirdly, I was convinced that it would be great when I started my sign up process and the staff was of so much help to me – it was a bit difficult with the application, as it is not designed for a Danish student.

Describe your most meaningful souvenir and why you love it?

Rie: South Caicos is not a touristy island, and so there are no souvenir shops around. I may or may not have bought some if there were, but either way, the very best souvenir I brought back was a small purple envelope with my name on it.

During the last days on the island, our student affairs manager, Molly, had put up envelopes for each of the staff and students, in which we could put little notes for each other – “warm and fuzzies”, they called it. In there are notes from some sweet friends I met during my time on South, great memories of great times. I also have a bracelet my host mother in Panamá gave me when I visited on my way to TCI – I gave a matching one to a friend from the SFS program, so that is a great memory of both places.

If you could do-over one thing, what would it be?

Rie: With the cost of the program, plane tickets etc., I could not afford to also go out and buy an underwater camera – I really wish I had! If I could do something over, I’d definitely find a way to get one – even if I had to borrow it!

So much time was spent in or on the water, either diving, snorkeling, sailing or swimming, and there was so much cool marine life and so many funny situations that would have been great to photograph! Luckily, other students had underwater cameras, and I got to see their pictures – but still!

What made this experience unique and special?

Rie: I think one thing that makes this program very unique is that you live on such a small island – South is about 21 km2 in size, and so both the local community and the areas in which we did field work are very close by. Also, students and staff all live at the Center, eat meals together and help each other with cleaning and so on. You get to know people in a different way when you live so close.

Furthermore, the island is somewhat isolated – a food boat comes in every few weeks, and hardly anything is produced on the island itself. The only freshwater source is rainwater, which is collected and cleaned for cooking and drinking. Freshwater showers are rare, as water needs to be conserved.

What position do you hold at SFS? What has been your career path so far?

Molly: I am the Student Affairs Manager at the The SFS Center for Marine Resource Studies in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). As Student Affairs Manager, I am responsible for the non-academic aspects of the program including health and safety, risk management, community outreach and integration, in-country travel, and student life.

My favorite aspect of my job is the community outreach and integration part—I get to coordinate different opportunities to get the students involved with the local people and culture. My career path has taken many loops and turns, but I am happiest when I was facilitating intercultural experiences.

Did YOU study abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Molly: I studied abroad every chance I could; I have a world atlas kids book that I began drawing travel routes in (every single page has multiple options for future me) when I was about ten. Travel has always been something that I aspired to do. I began studying abroad when I was a senior in high school, spending that year in Zaragoza, Spain. I then went abroad every year of my undergraduate career: Patagonia, Chile; Salamanca, Spain; Perugia, Italy; Santiago, Chile.

I first went abroad because I wanted to explore the world – in high school the world seems so big and exotic, I wanted to start to see it. I continued to go abroad because there were so many different places, cultures, and languages to learn.

What about the future of the industry? How do you think study abroad and international education will change over the next 10 years?

Molly: My graduate degree is in International Education, so I have had a lot of theory and study about this topic; what trends will continue, how will it all change. I hope to see an increase in STEM students, underrepresented populations, and non-traditional students going abroad.

I think that the more that people go abroad and look outside of themselves, the better off we will be. While study abroad is my profession, I also believe that there will be an increase in in-country exchanges; we tend to forget that even within our own country the cultures are very different depending on the region.

What unique qualities does SFS possess?

Molly: SFS is a perfect program for STEM students. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students often do not go abroad because they are unable to transfer credits due to the rigorous requirements of their degree area.

As such, the programs that SFS runs, such as TCI’s Marine Resource Studies, enables students to continue with their biology requirements while abroad. The students are not cooped up in a classroom all day, but rather go into the field, engaged in hands-on learning. This is coupled with community outreach, where students have opportunities to get to know the culture, people, and language (and the importance of the topics studied in class).