What it’s like to study in Bonaire

Over J-term, I had the privilege of studying geology in the Caribbean on the island of Bonaire. The experience was unique for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that I am not studying geology or any other science related field. I am in fact a marketing major with a minor in film. Going into the trip, I was afraid that this would hinder my enjoyment but I could not have been more wrong. The professors were fantastic at explaining the science in a way that I could understand, without dumbing it down like I was in elementary school.

The trip was also my first time leaving the country, which added a whole layer of new experiences that I would otherwise miss out on, like getting my passport and navigating an international airport.

Bonaire's official language is Dutch, though nearly everyone also speaks English, so I rarely ran into a language barrier. As an added bonus, they use U.S. dollars as currency, so I didn’t need to worry about currency exchanges or credit card fees.

Adventure from sunrise to sunset

The day-to-day was a blast. I love hiking, swimming and rock climbing, which is exactly how we spent the majority of our time. Our days were typically split into two or three activities: a morning session, an afternoon session and an occasional evening activity.

We’d start around 8 a.m., enjoy breakfast and coffee with an ocean view, then either load up the cars for a hike or suit up for a scuba dive. After returning for lunch around noon, we’d head out for our afternoon activity and typically wrap up by 5 p.m., The rest of the evening was ours until our nightly 8:30 p.m. group meeting, where we’d recap the day and plan for the next.

Best views I’ve ever seen

My favorite hike was when we climbed Mount Brandaris in Washington Slaagbai National Park, the highest point in all of the Netherlands (Bonaire is a Dutch territory). This involved a mix of trail hiking and light rock climbing, and the views from the top were the most beautiful I have ever seen. At the summit, we had a lecture about how mountains are formed and what they’re made of. There was something special about learning on location like that. It felt like being in a documentary, learning from experts while looking out at the stunning landscape.

A once-in-a-lifetime dive

My favorite dive by far was the last one of the trip. When our dive master asked what we wanted to see, our dive group threw out long shots like sharks, dolphins or whales, which were quickly dismissed as unlikely on the island.

Then, about 30 minutes after being told we would NEVER see a shark, we were gliding along the reef  when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught the unmistakable figure of a massive shark. I started freaking out, pointing it out to anyone who could see, and especially  the dive master who had just told us it would never happen. On the boat ride back, we all were simultaneously dumbfounded and ecstatic, knowing we had just experienced a once in a lifetime event.

Overall, this trip was a fantastic way for me to experience a new culture and leave my comfort zone in a safe and manageable way. I never imagined myself studying abroad in college, but now that I have, I can truly say that it is an experience you will never find anywhere else.