Barbados

Barbados: Student Comments

“Attending the University of the West Indies in Barbados was a life-changing experience. The people I met were very friendly and welcoming. Although it is a small island, there is a lot to do and see. The scenery in Barbados is breathtaking! The sky is amazing because the clouds sit really low and just before the sunsets the sky looks like a rainbow. It always gets dark about 6 p.m. and when it gets dark, the sky looks unreal, there are so many stars and they shine so bright. My most memorable experience is taking a road trip with about 20 friends to Culpepper Island for Independence Day. Culpepper Island is a huge coral formation off the coast of Skete's Bay that could be its own island; however, you cannot get there by car, you have to swim to it. The best part about Barbados was the people. The local people have a relaxed attitude and really take the time to enjoy life. I noticed that many of them do not get upset easily and are willing to go out of their way to help others. Because I lived on hall, I had the chance to meet people from around the U.S., Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean. So going abroad gave me a greater understanding of cultures outside of my own. West Indian people seem to have a particular confidence in who they are and they take pride in their culture. While in Barbados, I had the opportunity to attend smaller classes than what I'm used to at UCLA. Many of my professors at UWI were approachable and made my transition into the academic system easier. I enjoyed getting to know my professors and having the opportunity to do more group projects in class. ”

—Dominique Allums, UC Los Angeles
2004-05

“After a month of living off campus, I moved on campus and into the extremely cheap dorms. Moving to the dorms was the best decision I could have made. There were always cool people around, we split the cost of cabs, class was a two-minute walk away, and there were always things to do. There are also so many beautiful beaches in Barbados like Bat's Rock, St. James Beach, Crane Beach, Sandy Lane Beach-the list is endless. And there are no privately owned beaches on the island so anyone can go to any of them!”

—Martine Beerman, UC Santa Barbara
2004-05

“Every memory I have of going abroad is a good one. I only reflect on my time positively and with a smile. One of my favorite memories was the first Friday I spent in Barbados. All the California students went down to a huge fish fry called Oistins. None of us knew what to expect at all and we had such a great time! We tried new kinds of food and really saw the relaxed and fun side of the Bajan culture. We got to hear music, dance, and see some of the art that the people sell. It was also our first night of bonding and getting to know one another so we had lots of good stories and laughs. We had many more nights like this throughout the semester, but this was the first time Barbados was new and exciting and fun!”

—Jennifer Coco, UC Santa Cruz
2004-05

“I made the university soccer team and we recently went to Trinidad for an inter-campus competition. It was a really good experience! It was the first women's soccer competition in which all three campuses of the University of the West Indies were present so it was a historical event. I was very excited to get to be part of such an event.”

—Shannon Johnson, UC San Diego
University of Cave Hill