Cape Town: I cannot imagine having completed my DePauw experience without the 6 months I spent there Past Review

By (Sociology., DePauw University) for

CIEE: Cape Town - Arts and Sciences

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
YES. As I mentioned above, I cannot imagine having completed my time at DePauw without this experience. It has changed my outlook on life and I hope to return to Africa very soon.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Loved my living situation. Felt very safe ( we had security guards at night) and it was pretty nice to have a cleaning lady that came every day during the week. I became SO close with my housemates and loved having the opportunity to cook on my own. It was relatively close to school and the house itself was very nice. Overall, a great experience.

* Food:

I absolutely loved the food in Cape Town. They had great, culturally diverse options. For any students studying in Cape Town in the future: the Old Biscuit Mill, a local food market that is open on Saturdays is absolutely crucial. We went every weekend. Also, for an incredibly unique dining experience, check out Mzolli's in the township of Gugulethu.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We had a ton of great cultural events/field trips while there. We did a weekend homestay in a local township which was incredibly enlightening. We got to go to a whale festival in Hermanus, which was great. We toured Robben Island. We toured the local township of Langa. We went to a wine tasting in Stellenbosch.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Cape Town has a bad reputation for being incredibly unsafe. Although I did know students who were mugged while there, all were in compromising, unsafe situations which would have led to being mugged in many cities internationally. I felt safe almost all of the time while in Cape Town. I cannot really comment on healthcare because I was fortunate enough not to need any sort of treatments while abroad.

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? $1500
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Taxi's are relatively expensive, prepare for that expense.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

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  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

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A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? The type of student who would love this program is: someone who loves the outdoors, loves activities such as hiking, surfing, beaches, etc. A student who is pretty independent, and looking for a slightly more challenging experience than most European study abroad experiences. Anyone interested in making a huge difference in volunteer work they choose to do while abroad.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Belief and Symbolism

Course Department: Social Anthropology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: My favorite course of the semester! Very interesting and different from anything I had taken at DePauw.
Credit Transfer Issues: Nope!
Course Name/Rating:

Race, Class, and Gender in South Africa

Course Department: Sociology
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Great class, gave me a very different perspective on topics which were incredibly relevant to South Africa today.
Credit Transfer Issues: No!
Course Name/Rating:

Third World Politics

Course Department: Political Science
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: by far my hardest course of the semester, but very interesting nonetheless. Probably the class I learned the most in, consistently throughout the semester.
Credit Transfer Issues: no