An Experience I'll Never Forget! February 01, 2021
By A student (Villanova University) - abroad from 01/27/2020 to 03/21/2020 with
IES Abroad: Cape Town - University of Cape Town
I learned about the unique and rich political and cultural history of Cape Town and South Africa as a whole, which was both fascinating and important to learn about. I felt enthralled by the people around me and the rich background they came from, and that was incredibly worthwhile.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academic rigor and resources at the University of Cape Town were certainly difficult to navigate. The enrollment and course registration process is very dissimilar to how it is carried out in the U.S., and the number of times classes met per week could be intimidating. However, the IES Abroad Centre staff are there to help you and do everything they can to ensure that you are properly participating and succeeding in your courses while in Cape Town. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The IES Abroad Cape Town Centre staff are wonderfully welcoming, supportive, and genuinely caring humans. They are there to not only help you navigate the experience of living abroad, but more so want to get to know you and help you achieve the experience that you are looking to have. They put together a wonderful program for the students, and it was fantastic to take part in! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Whilst on the program, I lived in a single unit apartment with a kitchenette and individual bathroom. There were many other students from the program living in the same building (on the same floor!), as well as students/peers from the University itself that were excited to meet the study abroad students. It was a great living arrangement. |
| * Food: |
The food in Cape Town is great! You can get a decent assortment of cuisine options, not to mention its very inexpensive, which is a plus! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Very integrated! As a student directly enrolled in the University of Cape Town, this program gives you the opportunity to regularly interact with students from Cape Town and South Africa as a whole. If you are in the apartment living arrangement, you are also living amongst local students, which is an added plus. You get out of the experience what you put in, so you can certainly be as integrated in the culture as you so choose! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was a bit tricky to navigate, and was a largely unfamiliar experience. However, the IES staff are very helpful in doing the best they can to make sure you are taken care of. |
| * Safety: |
Cape Town is not a very safe city, and it is very important that you have your guard up and act accordingly while studying abroad here. Theft and violence are an issue, and being cognizant, sticking in groups, and aware of your environment are a necessary part of this experience. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Without a doubt! Cape Town is such an incredible place that is not only beautiful and incredible to explore, but also loaded with cultural and historical complexity and history that was so exciting to learn about and interact with. |
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) |
Cape Town is a highly inexpensive city and it was very easy to live on a budget. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100/week or so |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
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? | I wish I knew how important safety was going to be while I was in Cape Town. I knew that the city could be dangerous and that I would need to be careful, but I didn't realize the extent or feel the implications until I was there. This is definitely something worth thinking about before you decide to study in Cape Town. |
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. |
