Cultural eye-opener Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

University of Cape Town is a challenging school. I felt like I worked harder at UCT than I did at Trinity, but received worse grades. The quality of instruction varies significantly depending on the class and instructor.

On-site administration of your program

The Arcadia part of the experience had it's ups and downs. The program coordinator, Alan Jansen, is very knowledgeable and friendly, though he sometimes appears very distant and unattached to what goes on in the program. He delegated the more "hands-on" affairs to two different employees, one of was a kind of secretary who rarely interacted with us, and the other which was our "go-to" person for questions or concerns. The "secretary" was competent, but left halfway through the program. The "go-to" person was friendly, but unreliable and irresponsible (she also accepted another job halfway through the semester). She sometimes showed up late to events, was hungover for morning activities and drunk for night-time activities. On the University of Cape Town side of the experience, it was very well structured and organized. The orientation sessions and registration process were long and tedious, but covered on the essentials with few slip-ups. This was not the case with the University of the Western Cape (an alternative option to UCT), which was generally unprepared and unresponsive to student issues.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The apartment flats were comfortable and reasonably sized. There was a minor problem with bedbugs, but it was quickly resolved. Some students complained about the neighborhood, but I thought it gave a more authentic living experience than living in the "international" suburb. I never personally felt unsafe in our neighborhood. I thought it was the perfect blend of safety and authenticity (I woke up every morning to the sound of the Call to Prayer blasting from a nearby mosque - what a cultural experience!)

Cape Town is a very international and culturally diverse city. You can find pretty much anything you could possibly want (including KFC if for some weird reason you crave greasy chicken and soggy "chips"). Personal recommendations: Boerwors (the most delicious sausage you'll ever have), Biltong (like beef jerky, but way better), Samoosas (Delicious Indian pastry stuffed with pretty much anything-mixed veg, apple-cinnamon, and many others), Ostrich (tastes like chicken - sort of - but it is tasty). Also, make sure to try out some Malaysian delicacies - just look for the "Certified Halal" sign!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The first thing to understand about South African culture is that there is no unified "culture." Many of the old racial/cultural divides still influence individual communication and ideological perspectives. My advice is not necessarily to try to "blend in" with any particular cultural group, but to embrace the differences and examine how the individual parts make up the collective whole.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

My roommate had an inexplicable bout of vomiting one night and had to be taken to the hospital. The emergency service was prompt, professional, and competent. The program coordinator (Alan Jansen) was so disconnected from the whole process that he completely misunderstood what was going on in communications with me the following day. Otherwise, from what I understand, the healthcare experience for him was relatively smooth.

Well, Crime is a problem in South Africa, particularly in the urban townships. While there were one or two crime-related incidents (objects being stolen) in the program group, I personally did not experience any significant safety problems. The keys to safety: know the safe areas and stick mostly to them, Have a look of confidence/walk with purpose, don't be an obvious tourist (talk loud, where expensive clothes/jewelry), and always travel with some friends when going out late (three or four is a good number). If you stick to these guidelines, you should be fine.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Cost of living is comparable to the United States. Some things cost more (imported things), and others are slightly cheaper (domestic food products).

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• International Students

• South Africa!
• Academic challenge
• small program size

• Arcadia Program organization
• more Arcadia-sposored trips
• not much personal connection with locals

The Academic or Linguist