Can't wait until I can go back Past Review

By Nicolas K (Biology, General., Middlebury College) - abroad from 07/01/2013 to 11/08/2013 with

CIEE: Cape Town - Arts and Sciences

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I learned so much I don't know where to begin. I learned to cook for myself, I learned how to be a much more independent student, I learned that I really love Biology (I fell in love with learning about animal locomotion). It was an amazing experience and I am so glad I did it

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	They gave us a lot of independence which I loved
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:	Food around Cape Town is excellent and cheap!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I made some South Africa friends but for the most part people socialized with Americans and other internationals
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I never had an issue
* Safety:	I felt very safe in my environment but I did hear stories of people getting mugged and such
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

Finances

* 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)
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	Food and drinks are much cheaper than in the US so I ended up spending the same amount I would in the US but just bought way more
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Don't go out to bars and out to eat too much the first month because you burn through your money fast even though its cheap

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	Although there are 11 different official languages in SA, English is the primary language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	none
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Apartment
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students
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?	The city of Cape Town Hiking Living in close proximity to so much
* What could be improved?	Mandatory program meetings The execution of CAP events
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Nothing! Its all about figuring it out while you're there!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Avid Adventurer The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Marine Resources
Course Department:	Zoology
Instructor:	Colin Attwood
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	It was very challenging but I learned so much. The teacher was extremely knowledgable in his field and gave great lectures. Assessments were done through three mid terms, lab notebooks, one large project and a final. We took field trips to aquaculture labs and fish processing plants and we dissected many local fish species
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Life on Land: Animals
Course Department:	Zoology
Instructor:	Mike Picker
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Yes, it was relatively challenging. We went on a week long field camp to the South African bush where were conducted research for our end of year project on birds, small mammals and insects. There were many lecture and lab professors all of whom were very knowledgable and giants in their fields of research (Mike Picker discovered the Mantophasmatodea order). We were assess through two mid terms, lab notebooks, two projects, and a final exam.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Xhosa
Course Department:	Language
Instructor:	Tessa Dowling
Instruction Language:	Xhosa
Comments:	Not terribly challenging. I tried to use what I was learning to speak to some of the local people that I knew spoke Xhosa. Tessa was very good at teaching an introductory language course, she was patient and knowledgable. We were assess through oral presentations, 5 quizzes, a final exam and a final oral exam
Credit Transfer Issues: