St. Maarten, the small Dutch island, is a perfect place for students to gain knowledge and expand their career experiences. The quaint Caribbean island is a perfect place for anyone wanting to further their work and education. Also known as “the friendly island”, St. Maarten is rapidly expanding their opportunities for students. The many options for studying, island safety, and affordability make it a perfect spot for any study abroad student.
The many options that St. Maarten has for students wanting to take their career further make it easy to find an option for everyone. One of the first ways that students can get involved is by contacting their home school to see if they already have study abroad options in St. Maarten. Many Universities in the United States have faculty led or affiliate programs for students to get involved with. Through faculty led programs, a student can join their professors on the island and take classes offered by their home schools.
The University of Alabama has a faculty-led program in St. Maarten. The college of communication and information sciences partners with Sapphire Beach Hotel and Resort to provide an influential learning experience for Public Relation students. Through the program, students are expected to take two classes on the island and construct a campaign book for a local brand to further their industry knowledge. Connie Craig, a study abroad student through the University of Alabama says, “I decided to study abroad in St. Maarten to explore new cultures, expand my knowledge in International Public Relations, and meet new people.”
Another option for students wanting to study abroad is by applying for an affiliate program. Located walking distance to Cupecoy, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, is an accredited University for students wanting to go into the medical field. The school offers a wide range of specialized studies and offers a comprehensive education experience. Two students, Jaxon and Thomas, studying at the American University say, “we chose to come to St. Maarten to get ahead in our hands-on experience. We wanted an advantage when going into clinicals and the American University offers a wide range of hands-on learning experiences for us to engage in.”
If studying through a University is not something that particularly interests you, there are many opportunities to intern and be a part of a work study program. Upon visiting the island, you will meet many international young adults that work on the island to immerse themselves in their selective industry. For example, Luca, a Netherlands native, is a student working at Sapphire Beach Club and Resort, who came to St. Maarten to “get work experience in the hospitality and management business.” He is often seen serving hotel guests, answering questions, and building relationships with customers. Another student, Emma, came to St. Maarten to teach at a local school so that when she returns home to Holland, she “will be ready to work as a primary school teacher.” Getting hands-on experience is vital for students wanting to become successful in their careers and coming to St. Maarten to gain new experience is a great option to set them apart from others.
As previously mentioned, there are so many opportunities to engage in study abroad. The Caribbean may not always seem like the obvious choice for students, but once you come here you never want to leave. The beautiful island of St Maarten is one of the most captivating places in the world. It offers opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles.
Our group of students that decided to come to St Maarten from the University of Alabama is a wonderful and creative group. We’re all public relations or advertising majors, which we never thought would coincide with island life. When you think of island life, everything is slowed down and relaxing. While that’s true, there’s also many exciting activities to do while on the island. For those who enjoy exciting nightlife, downtown Maho is the place to go. There are tons of restaurants and bars that anyone can enjoy. There are places for young kids who are living out their own roaring 20s, but there’s also cute family friendly places as well. We’re lucky enough to have a wonderful man named Andre, who ensures our safety by taking us anywhere on the island we desire to go. He offers us great rates and makes sure we always get home safe. He’s one of our greatest resources on the island.
For us, a typical day in the life is much more laid back than it is when we’re in the U.S. We have classes from 9am-1pm (depending on which classes you take), then we’re either going out and shooting content to help market the island or enjoying time by the pool. There are also many beaches in the surrounding area that are safe and great to go visit. On any day, you’ll find lots of students enjoying the bluest of blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Later in the day, many students will either cook for themselves at home, or there’s lots of affordable options that students can enjoy.
While we have only been here for two weeks, we’ve already made so many friends and met people from all over the world. We can fully say we understand why St Maarten is called the “friendly island,” everyone here are some of the most genuine and down to earth people you’ll ever meet. Even just sitting by the pool, people are always ready to strike up a conversation which helps us feel less alone and more like a family. As students from the U.S., we had no idea what to expect when we first came here. Even within our short time here so far, being a young student has become less and less intimidating, whereas before we had many questions about how we would adapt and feel once on the island. This island offers so many learning experiences for students while creating a new sense of home and identity through learning new cultures and meeting people from all over the world with all different backgrounds.
Liz Gawley, Lydon Ross
