Environmental Studies Study Abroad Programs in Fiji

Living on Argo was the most incredible experience of my life, I absolutely loved my voyage with 30 of my favorite people! I sailed from Fiji to Palau on the 40 day voyage, and I loved every minute of it!

I sailed with Sea|messter for 3 months from Fiji to Palau and Indonesia. I joined the boat with no sailing or scuba experience and ended up a rescue diver with multiple sailing certifications. All the staff and students were so friendly and the 22 strangers that I met on day one turned into a tight-knit family that was impossible to say goodbye to on day 80. The program is definitely challenging and will push you out of your comfort zone with long-passage and some rough nights but I now look back on those as some of my fondest memories. The boat transforms into a home with people who were put together by chance and now know some of the strangest stories about each other's lives. Nothing can ever beat the feeling of jumping off the boat to swim with manta rays just feet from our floating home or back-rolling off the dinghies to scuba dive across the equator or helming through 360-degree sunrises and sunsets in the middle of the ocean with some of your closest friends. This experience teaches you to be comfortable going outside your comfort zone and to always say yes, it may just turn into one of the best memories of your life.

I loved the Fiji Shark Studies trip as it was a good 'trial' for what I want to do as a career. The trip was amazing starting with the things we learned about sharks, the culture, and the science. My Fiji Shark Studies trip remains one of my favorite trips of all time as I was diving with Bull Sharks almost daily while having two amazing instructors M.G. and Saskia teach us an abundance of diving and shark science!

Fiji is an excellent place to have new cultural experiences. In addition to the rich Fijian culture, the University of South Pacific has students from many different pacific island nations, and the cultural diversity is widely celebrated. If you love to snorkel, scuba dive, surf, or just spend time next to/in the ocean, Fiji will be the perfect place for you. I have so many unforgettable experiences with sharks, rays, and other tropical fish and animals.

Seamester was the adventure of a lifetime. I went into it not knowing how to sail but wanting to learn, and came out of it not only with that knowledge, but also with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me so many new things about myself. The staff members were amazing with their teaching and support, especially when times got rough. Their diligence ensured we all made it safely across the pacific. I also loved the places we visited, with my favorites being the Galapagos, Mo'orea, and the Panama Canal. The class schedule could be challenging at times, and waking up for watch in the middle of the night was definitely not my strong suit, but overall I had an amazing semester. I couldn't recommend Seamester enough and I'm so grateful for this wonderful experience.

I attended the very first scholar games in Fiji! It was the best experience of my life! We attended class in the morning and then competed in various survivor like challenges while involving class questions. I became very close with many other students from all across the US and students from Fiji. I learned so much in such a short amount of time. I will never forget my experience and will forever cherish the memories I made.

I took a gap year after high school and chose to spend my Fall onboard S/Y Argo and sail from Palau, through Indonesia, to Bangkok Thailand. I had some scuba diving experience, but had never even been aboard a sailboat before. The Seamester staff was supportive and amazing. I made some of my strongest friendships and had the most amazing experiences, from diving with oceanic manta rays to long night watches sailing through the rough South China Seas. I learned so much about diving, sailing, and marine sciences, as well as so much about myself as a person. I would recommend Seamester to anyone considering it!

Best think I have ever done in my life I have learned so many new things the people the places the school it was all so amazing. From waking up in the morning to 25 other random people from around the world with the biggest smiles on their faces was so awesome. This made me realize what I want to do with my life and it was the best thing I’ve ever done

This was the best thing that I have ever done in my life opened my eyes to a whole new world that I am obsessed with now. I would do anything to go back right now. From the lifestyle of waking up early morning yo a boat filled with smiles to the long passages going crazy together I miss this lifestyle. If you do this trip you will not regret it at all This made me switch up the way I lived it showed me to appreciate everything so much more. From my mindset to my new unrest this trip really changed my life I love everything that we did with the trip. I love every single person I met and we all still talk just about everyday. This creates connections with people from all around the world Best thing in my life so far hopefully I’m coming back to work for you guys :)

I had the privilege of attending Sea|mester in Spring 2019 for the Antigua Yacht Regatta voyage on S/Y Ocean Star. I am now a graduating senior and recently was accepted into graduate school to study great white sharks-a dream of mine for many years. During the time I was at sea exploring the Caribbean, learning to sail, and becoming a Divemaster, I wrote a collection of personal essays, interweaving the area’s biology and ecology with personal introspection about how these ideas related to my growth, and I watercolored scientific illustrations of fish and invertebrates which resulted in winning my college’s Outstanding Honors Thesis Award. My time on Ocean Star was instrumental to my achievements. Onboard, I gained confidence in myself and my passions, and came away knowing that the ocean was what I wanted to devote my life to and that I had the ability to make a difference. So thank you, Sea|mester. Thank you for giving me, along with every other student who gets to be involved in this program, opportunities that can change lives.

For a while I was nervous about voyage but quickly realized that everyone was in the same position as me. The community that was built on this trip was enough to make it all worth it. We visited some of the most unique and beautiful places i've ever been to and it enabled me to see a new part of the world.

Everything was perfect ! From the staff helping me prepare for my voyage on S/Y Ocean Star, to the crew for being so amazing. I made some of the best memories of my life during seamester. Some things I'll never forget include deep diving in Saba, small boat sailing, exploring the islands as well as countless others !

I had amazing journey on Ocean Star through the Caribbean that I will never forget. The sights you see are just incredible and won’t stop reminiscing over. Everyday brings new challenges and adventures that will push you to better yourself.

Semester is truly an amazing program created by amazing people who know that adventure, getting out of your comfort zone, and living with 15 or more strangers for 20 or more days will develop you into an amazing human. That is the experience I had on Ocean Star with 15 people for 20 days. The program challenges you and bonds you in ways you can’t imagine. The benefit or getting to know each and every crew member by the daily “squeeze” ritual after dinner was one of my favorite memories. The learning experience of exploring new places, plus reality of how vital our oceans health is to society was something I’ll never forget and walking away from a voyage inspired to change this world we live in. I am forever grateful to the staff of Seamester. I highly recommend seamester to every individual and to do whatever it takes to get on that ship. You will not regret it!

This trip will stay with me for the rest of my life. I made friends that I know I will never lose. I had adventures that can be told again and again. I saw parts of the world that I didn’t even know existed. I learned facts that impress my family. I can’t even put into words how much I enjoyed this experience. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

I applied for this trip because I love sailing and I wanted an abroad experience that would allow myself to see as many beautiful places as possible. What I did not realize is that my fellow crew members would become my second family. From the very first time we were underway to the last, everyone was always looking out for one another to ensure their safety and to make sure we all had the best experience possible. Learning outside of a typical classroom was one of the best aspects about this program, while underwater learning was absolutely incredible. For me, I didn't think I was going to love SCUBA diving as much as I did, and now I can go diving whenever I want. Sailing under the stars, through beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and rainstorms were all what made this adventure so much fun. Waking up in a new country with a sense of adventure and excitement almost every day is something I am truly going to miss. Letting go of the rest of society, only worrying about yourself and shipmates, and living on the little island of Argo is an unforgettable experience.

This trip was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. When I tell people about it, it’s hard to because you’re forced to use a few words to describe something great. I went and saw the world differently from the actual tourist perspective. Also, I was with people that probably cared as much or even a little more about my general welfare than my folks back home. Great experience all around.

How can I even put into words the mind-bending experience I just finished? Even if I tried, I couldn't capture the beauty of the places we visited, or the kindness of the people we met, on and off the boat. I naturally felt nervous about stepping into the wide unknown, but my fear of danger and discomfort proved unfounded. While we had some very adventurous days, I never felt out of my depth or as if I were teetering on the edge of death. Everyone on the boat took care of us and made it an unforgettable experience. Like I said, there are no words.

If you are considering Sea|mester: do it. I could not recommend this program enough—they offer so much, and you finish the program having grown and feeling accomplished. Not only do you get to stop in multiple countries and go abroad, you also take classes and get college credit, learn to scuba dive, sail, make life-long friendships that are genuine, meet new people and make honest connections, challenge yourself in many ways, and more. I knew I would like it, but I never knew how much I would grow to love life living and learning on a boat. The staff is amazing and supportive, and all of your fellow crew make you feel at ease and at home. Meals are excellent and fun to cook. Overall, it is a one-in-a-lifetime experience that you don't want to pass up.

Seamester gave me an amazing opportunity, not only to travel internationally but also to gain sailing experience. I greatly enjoyed each place that we visited and getting to sail Argo made the passages between destinations enjoyable as well. The classes offered were engaging and the environment they were taught in allowed us to see many of the concepts that we learned about in the classroom first hand. All of the crew were all very knowledgeable and were always happy to help whenever I had a question. The ship was a pleasure to sail and I fell in love with her almost immediately.