Traveling to South Africa was the BEST decision I have ever made! Past Review
By Jaleyca Rivera (Psychology, University of Hartford) - abroad from 07/07/2017 to 11/17/2017 with
AIFS: Stellenbosch - Study Abroad or Service Learning at Stellenbosch University
After this experience, I have learned to be more appreciative. Living in another country on my own has shown me that there is so much out there in the world and it has given me a new perspective on my life goals. This experience has humbled me and it has inspired me to travel more.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The classes at Stellenbosch are much different from the ones offered at my home university. The grading is weighed differently and it can get frustrating trying to understand what your overall grade is. Most of my grades were only made up of: 25% Essay, 25% Presentation and the final exam was 50% of my overall grade. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Hestea and David (Resident Director and Assistant Director) were so unbelievably helpful and made my experience so much better! They answered every single question I had and guided everyone through the process. They really made everyone feel comfortable and they were attentive every step of the way. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Had a flat that I shared with 3 other girls but I had my own room and bathroom. |
| * Food: |
The food in South Africa is AMAZING. There are many options, you have to be open minded as well. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick one time while I was abroad and Hestea (Resident Director) instructed me on how to see a nurse on campus. It was quick and easy. I did not need any vaccines specifically for this program. |
| * Safety: |
Listen to all the advice that the Resident Director gives you. Be mindful that you are in a different country. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
South Africa is such a beautiful country. The people on site (AIFS Resident Director and Assistant Director) were fantastic. They were so understanding and they made me feel welcomed. |
Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
The exchange rate makes it a little easier and the cost of living there is much cheaper then here in the US. I was able to stay on a budget. For food, AIFS gives you a fairfx card that gets reloaded every month. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100+ |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Take the classes more serious because the grading is not the same. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
IsiXhosa |
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| Instructor: | Pumlani |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | Best professor! He made it very easy to learn the language and the culture. The class was so interesting and it was fun to learn the language. It was helpful to take this class because many people speak IsiXhosa in South Africa. I was actually able to use what I learned outside of the classroom. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
