Cape Town: I cannot imagine having completed my DePauw experience without the 6 months I spent there Past Review
By Stewart J (Sociology., DePauw University) for
CIEE: Cape Town - Arts and Sciences
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* 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? |
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* 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
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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) |
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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 |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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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 |