Global Classroom by Ainsley Cook

You could definitely say we were immersed during our time in Chile. Contemporary Chilean history is all around Santiago and the University. We would often pass by La Moneda, the president’s building and the site of the military coup in 1973. I lived very close to Plaza de la Dignidad (formerly Plaza Italia) where a lot of the city comes together. Historically this has been a place of convergence for…

Reflection on my Chilean Experience by Alina Rosario

My study abroad experience in Santiago, Chile has taught me a lot about the Chilean culture as well as their history and how it affects them today. I think that this experience will help me in my future career in understanding people from different Spanish speaking countries and the difference in native speakers of the language. In my time there, I learned a lot more about the Spanish language and…

Protests in Chile by Leasette Leon

In mid-October, as I was finally adjusting to my new life here in Chile, a mass movement of protests began. These protests first began by a group of high-school students, due to the rise of the metro prices, which was labelled as “Evade”. However, this was only the spark that lit the fire. These protests have now become a national movement for social change. These manifestations have been conducted all…

Favorite Day in Panama by Ella Salinski

My favorite day so far consisted of a data collection lab in which we measured the diversity of echinoderms in a coral reef. The specific echinoderms we were searching for included sea urchins, sea stars, and sea cucumbers. Using tape and flags, we marked off a section of the reef and counted each species of echinoderms that we saw with underwater paper. It was exciting to use new methods and…

Panama by Jianna Wankel

The Institution of Tropical Ecology and Conservation (ITEC) is a remote and off grid lab where the CofC Panama students and I stayed for 2 weeks. ITEC powers themselves through solar energy and a generator which is used sparingly. Every morning the generator was turned on for 30 minutes in order to make coffee. Every night it was turned on so that we could have our lecture. Since Panama is…

Introduction by Jianna Wankel

My name is Jianna Wankel and I am a senior at the College of Charleston studying marine biology. For the May semester of 2023 I am taking General Ecology in Bocas Del Toro, Panamá! I chose to do this program because Panamá has incredibly rich biodiversity. It contains tropical rain forests, temperate rainforests, and coral reefs. A few goals that I have set for myself while I am abroad is…

Panama by Ella Salinski

The first destination of the trip was in Panama City, where we had a two-day layover before heading to the island of Bocas del Toro. The majority of this course takes place in a remote field station located in a tropical rainforest; therefore, we are not as exposed to the cultural aspects of Panama compared to many other study abroad experiences. Thus, our time spent in the capital of Panama…

Introduction by Ella Salinski

My name is Ella Salinski and I am a sophomore studying Marine Biology with a minor in Environmental Sustainability. I am attending the Panama Maymester to study General Ecology. I chose this program because I wanted an opportunity to be immersed in what I was learning about. I’m looking forward to seeing and experiencing what I hear about in the classroom in person. Through my research of Panama, I learned…