Life Changing Experience with IES Abroad Cape Town! Past Review
By Maureen (Connecticut College) - abroad from 07/02/2016 to 11/12/2016 with
IES Abroad: Cape Town - University of Cape Town
I gained an entirely new perspective on issues such as development, racism, xenophobia, and poverty. I feel that I was able to mature immensely as a result of seeing and understanding things that may be "taboo" within our culture.
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. |
University of Cape Town is a challenging institution, but with very good and knowledgable professors. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Made sure that everything ran smoothly despite the student protests throughout South Africa. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had a single room, which was great, and the house was cleaned once a week. Overall it was extremely comfortable. |
| * Food: |
The food in Cape Town is incredible! |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Through service learning with my IES Abroad course, I was able to become very much integrated into the society and I came to understand many of the societal problems that South Africa faces. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had to visit a doctor once. The IES staff made an appointment for me that was walking distance from my house. The doctor was very good and put me on antibiotics immediately. I was feeling better by the next day. |
| * Safety: |
Although Cape Town is not the safest city, IES made sure to warn us about all of the safety precautions to take while we were abroad, and I felt safe the entire time. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
The IES staff took such wonderful care of us, and made sure that we had activities to do while the student protests shut down the university. Cape Town is and incredible city, and I wish I could go back immediately! |
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) |
We were paying for our own food, which was difficult for me because it is something that I don't do at school, but overall because the Rand is so weak, food ended up costing much less than it does in the US |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I knew not to be nervous, and instead to be solely excited for what was to come! |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
