Rachel Currant

Rachel Currant a sophomore in Genetics participated in the Caribbean Marine Biology travel course to Honduras.  

• How did you learn about the Honduras program?
  • Before coming to ISU, although I'd only been to the ocean once, I had a great interest in the ocean and marine biology. Studying abroad is something I knew I wanted to explore at Iowa State, and when I came across the Marine Biology study abroad on the ISUAbroad website, I knew I wanted to apply. 
• Why did you choose to study abroad? 
  • Being a spring break program, it fit really well into my semester and academic plan! All study abroad opportunities are a great way to get out of your comfort zone and experience something new, but this one really offered a unique experience - it's a little difficult to SCUBA dive in the ocean in Iowa... 
• Do you think your experience benefited you personally, professionally, or academically?
  • This experience helped me grow in all realms through a wider academic scope of biology, experience with research, knowing more like-minded students on campus, meeting amazing and smart individuals in Roatan, and gaining experience at traveling. Although I was nervous before, this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone, helping me grow into a more experienced student and overall person.
• Overall experience from studying abroad?
  • Studying abroad has been one of the most impactful things of my time at Iowa State (or not at Iowa State, logistically). I wanted to stay longer and continue learning in the new and exciting environment where I learned so much from the ocean, the facility's staff, advisors, peers, and each excursion we went on. It completely opened my eyes to potential new experiences I can learn from and pursue - definitely have continued to search on ISUAbroad for new potential programs to join!
• Most memorable experience:
  • Each day for the majority of our trip, we went on two or more dives a day to either establish our diving experience or gain data for our research projects. One of the most memorable experiences was whenever we would reach a drop-off on a dive. It was like when Nemo looks out past the ocean being large and vast above the ocean floor, diving deep. Those dives or when a monkey tried to steal a plush Cy from another student's hands.
• Did you experience any difficulties?
  • The first couple days of our trip had some rainy weather, causing large swells in the water. While difficult, the extra challenge helped those of us get certified to learn our skills and deal with different water conditions!
• What advice would you give to students interested in studying abroad?
  • To students interested in studying abroad, I highly recommend asking questions about programs you're interested in and apply! My program was one I will never forget and has contributed to a lot of the experiences that I've gained since then, academically and professionally. 
• Anything else you would like to share from your experience?
  • I am so grateful for the experience I got through the Marine Biology study abroad and hope to do another program through CALS and/or ISU soon. I am very thankful for the CALS program, scholarship, and support I received to make it the amazing and possible trip that it was!