An incredible experience, despite the program's failings Past Review
By A student (Public Health, Brandeis University) - abroad from 01/27/2015 to 06/13/2015 with
CIEE: Cape Town - Service Learning
I learned so much about the reality of poverty and inequality in Cape Town, but also generally in the world. I saw and experienced and learned so much! There were many difficulties and challenges with disorganization and difficult program staff to work with, however it was certainly still worth while. However I think that unfortunately the programs failings really did taint my experience and I do not know if I would recommend it to someone else. Cape Town is an incredible city, with so much history culture and fun things to do. It was mountains ocean and unbelievable natural beauty. If this program is your best choice to study abroad in Cape Town then it is worth it!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I learned a ton through my experiences in Cape Town. The service learning component allowed to to become really involved in the community and I learned so much from the people I met and worked with. However, the CIEE academics were sub par. I never felt academically challenged at all. There was little to no homework until the end of the semester when we worked on our capstone papers, our final culminating project. I was disappointed with the teachers and classes and it impacted my experience negatively |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The CIEE Cape Town staff is friendly, sweet and warm, however extremely unhelpful. There was a lot of disorganization issues that limited what we were able to do. Much of this can be attributed to cultural difference, and there not being a similar expectation for how things should happen as there is in the US. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in Rondebosch Court. A large apartment housing building right in the center of Rondebosch near UCT and grocery stores and everything we need. It was a great location and great living conditions. Only down side is that it was a large apartment building full of about 100 Americans. We were pretty isolated and one had to go out of their way to interact with South Africans. |
| * Food: |
We cooked for oursleves in our own kitchens. I really enjoyed that and it is easy to find lots of fresh fruits and veggies. There are also many places to eat out within a few minutes of Rondebosch Court. As far as South African food, one should know that south african food is essentially meat in different forms. Braai is very popular, equal to our barbeque. I am a vegetarian, which was fine, but did not leave a lot of room for cultural food experiences, |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We were pretty isolated in our American living and american classes, however there is so much to see and explore if you take the initiative. However, it can be very easy to get caught in the american bubble. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
N/A I did not have any health issues while abroad. However one should know that there is very good health care in South Africa, but only for those who can afford. There is intense inequality. The private healthcare is only of the worlds best, while the public health care is one of the worlds worst. Any abroad student with health issues will certainly be treated with private health care. |
| * Safety: |
I definitely did not fully realize the reality of how serious safety concerns are. I was constantly aware of myself, and my belongings all day every day. Crime is a real concern and it is important to be aware of. I was lucky to have never been a victim of any crime, however I had many friends mugged and lost iphones. Most loses happened at night when people were going out and drunk. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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 was 12 to 1. Things are pretty inexpensive in comparison to the dollar. I really appreciated that! However one must be aware that is does add up quickly. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-$150 a week? |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
There are 11 different national languages in South Africa. In Cape Town the primarily languages spoken are English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. Our program had the choice to learn Afrikaans or Xhosa. People tend to choose the one most useful to their service site. I choose Xhosa and it was a ton of fun. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| 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
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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? | 0 |
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? | It is so important to make your own experience and to take into your own hands how you want your experience to be. |
