Shelby Knight

Overall Experience

Studying Abroad in the Bahamas for a week was one of the most fun trips I have been on. I got to go to a new country and experience a lot of different and interesting things. During this trip we got to meet lots of new people and learn about their jobs and how hospitality works in the Bahamas. We went on tours of many all-inclusive resorts and clubs while learning about the work it takes to run the places. On this trip, we also had lots of fun. I made new friends and got to enjoy Breezes, the all-inclusive resort we stayed at for the last couple of nights. We also got to swim with lots of sea animals like dolphins, sharks, sea lions, and stingrays. But one of my favorite parts was the conch. Bahamians love conch and this trip made me realize that I love it too! Overall, this trip is an amazing experience, especially if you want to just dip your toes into study abroad and not commit to a full semester.

Learning experience

Working in hospitality and events is no easy task. This industry is a lot of work and hours, but it pays off. Throughout the trip while talking to our tour guides, I learned that their jobs are hard, but they love what they do, they work for the outcome and when everything is put together and done, it is like a breath of fresh air, and you can say "I just did that." I learned this while talking to the lady who gave us a tour of Baha Mar. She was talking about the amount of work and time that goes into each event and the number of last-minute changes that sometimes have to be made when something goes wrong. She said that her favorite part is that breath of fresh air.

Memorable experience

One of the most memorable experiences I had during my week abroad was definitely touring the high-end resorts and learning about the different pricing of different rooms. During out tour of Atlantis, we learned that the room that hangs between the two room is about $22,000 a night which is insane to thing about. The other resort that I loved and was very memorable was the Oceans Club. This club is a four seasons resort and some of the villas go for about $8,000 a night. It was so cool to learn about some of the logistics of the resorts and was definitely a memorable moment from the trip.

What did you not expect?

Something that surprised me was the amount of thought that has to go into a resort or venue. On this trip we toured a lot of resorts and hotels and one thing I noticed was that all of the tour guides mentioned features that seemed minor but in reality, they are extremely important for a venue. For example, we toured the Baha Mar resort, and the lady mentioned how in their outside wedding area the grass has a drainage system. This was new information to me because I had never thought about that precaution before. This factor will change how I approach my profession because I will begin to think about factors like that for wherever I end up in the future. I will try and think of different necessary precautions also.

What advice would you give?

Some advice I would give to someone who wants to study abroad is, don't be scared. I had the most fun I have had in a long time, I was so scared prior to the trip because I had so many questions and thoughts when in reality, I should have been excited and carefree. As soon as we landed in Nassau our supervisors had everything under control and planned. I didn't need to worry about transportation, food, or where I was going to sleep because the week is already planned out down to the minute.

How has this experience impacted your life?

This experience impacted my life because I would not have been able to go on this trip by myself. This program provided opportunities and experiences that were achieved a lot easier with the university. On this trip I made new friends and connections which will help me with long term career goals in the future. But I think the thing that was most impacted by this trip was my educational goals. I learned lots of new information that I didn't know before and was told some of the do's and don'ts as well as some great advice from the industry professional. Overall, this experience impacted my life in a very positive way.

How did you learn about this experience?

I found out about the international opportunity at the study abroad fair. I have always wanted to study abroad but wasn't sure how well I would adjust. When I saw the flyer for this trip, I knew I had to go. I then set up a meeting to talk about, what the trip was about, and I was immediately sold!

International Connections