Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Ke Rata Botswana (I Love Botswana) August 16, 2025

By (Community Public Health, Brandeis University) - abroad from 06/03/2025 to 07/25/2025 with

CIEE: Gaborone - Summer Community Public Health

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This experience taught me to live life more in the moment and take things one day at a time. It was a great learning experience.

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.

The academics were a great experience. Each class felt very revelent to my studies and I gained great insight into healthcare in Botswana. The professors/faculty were a diverse group with varied life and career experiences such as a public health physcian, a psychologist, and a language instructor for the PeaceCorps. It was a great experience to be taught by faculty from Botswana. The courses allowed me to understand different sectors within Botswana such as NGOs, the public healthcare sector, and private healthcare sector. I was also able to learn about the many vulnerable populations in Botswana including immigrants from Zimbabwe and the Bazezuru community.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CIEE staff in Gaborone was amazing. They took every effort to ensure I was comfortable and tried to alleviate any stress I may have. They provided us with resources to succeed in Gaborone living as dorm students and navigating Gaborone. Baswtsana, Keneilwe, Ruby, Opelo, and Gaone were all very kind and took every effort to ensure the program ran smoothly even with multiple programs running concurrently.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I found the dorm living to be very comfortable, the administration provided us with heaters, pots, pans, and utensils which made cooking very easy. The roommates I was paired with were very similar to me in living styles, so it was easy to reside with them. The dorm itself was well equipped and had everything we needed.

* Food:

The food was amazing. I would definitely recommend everyone to try food from Botswana. There are so many varieties of bread, meat dishes, and starches. Everything tastes fresh and delicious.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Since I lived in a dorm, I felt a little less integrated than homestay students. Although, I felt very comfortable walking around the city, the mall, or at the clinic. Everyone treated me with kindness.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any health issues, but my roommate had very severe food poisoning for multiple days. After notifying our professor and a staff member, a member of administration went with her to a private clinic to see a physician. There she was able to get medications and got better very quickly. In preparation for coming to Botswana, I did have to bring medication to prevent malaria. No vaccines were required. Tuberculosis and HIV are prevalent health issues. I took precautions to prevent tuberculosis in the clinics by wearing masks.

* Safety:

The city was very safe. I would recommend going in groups of 2 or more. Many people want to talk to you if you are a foreigner, especially American. This is just out of curiosity, there is no ill-intent. Do make sure you know where you are going because it is sometimes hard to get directions from people.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

It was an amazing experience. I do not think I would have had an experience like this if I had gone to any other country. There were so many opportunities to learn and explore the country's public health. scene.

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)

It was very easy. Some days we would make food at the dorms, and other days we would go out to restaurants. For lunch on school days, we went to the cafeterias, which were very economical, only being $4 for a large portion of food.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100 dollars
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? For future study abroad students, I think it depends on their destination. Food was very affordable in Botswana, but if I went to London, I imagine it would be much more expensive.

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

Many phrases we learned in our course were applicable to daily life, such as asking how are you and other words. Language specific to clinics was not easy to grasp other than the word for doctor and nurse.

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? For Setswana, none
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? I would recommend practicing with friends or even people from your host country. In Botswana, they are happy to hear you speak Setswana and teach you new words.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Academics and the exposure to different healthcare sectors that make up Botswana (NGOs, public/government, private)
  • The people and culture
  • The food
* What could be improved?
  • I think integrating homestay and dorm students better since we all take the same courses
  • It would be great to have more events with CIEE administration and student volunteers
  • Changing the course schedule to be more accommodating and have time to do school work.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew that not everything will happen instantly and when I arrive to take things one step at a time.

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 Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!