iXperience is the Ultimate Study Abroad Experience Past Review
By A student (Vanderbilt University) - abroad from 05/30/2016 to 07/22/2016 with
iXperience Cape Town – Future-Focused Summer Courses and Internships
I learned iOS development, a valuable, in-demand skill. As part of my internship, I built an iPhone app that a company will use as their main product/service in South Africa. Not many juniors in college can say that. I also learned so much about Cape Town and South Africa. The history and culture of South Africa is rich and Americans can learn so much from the people there. It was the most worthwhile experience I've had in my life. I learned more in eight short weeks than I have in an entire semester.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The course was intensive, but I learned so much in a very short period of time. The professor and TA's were available after class for several hours every day also. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The core team is very friendly and wants to get to know as many students as possible on a personal level. They also really want to help you succeed. This really added to my overall enjoyment of the program. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The facilities were nice yet not amazing, but the community and vibe of where we stayed was awesome. It really helped bring everyone in the program together, which made the overall experience that much better. |
| * Food: |
Cape Town is for foodies. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got sick once and the heath and safety person from our program was very attentive and concerned about my minor issue. He checked in regularly until I was better, and he also gave me some recommendations of his own. The doctor's office I was sent to, however, was a little sketchy. |
| * Safety: |
You have to be aware of yourself and your surroundings at all times, especially at night. You have to know which areas are not safe, and which areas are high risk for pick-pocketing. It's not smart to go places alone, especially as a girl. That being said, as long as you are smart and keep your wits about you, you should be able to have a safe time. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
iXperience gave me an incredible summer. It was the perfect mix of hands-on real-world learning, work experience, adventure, and fun. I was able to learn and develop an in-demand skill, with the help of my professor, classmates, and TAs. I had tons of fun doing incredible things like hiking mountains, shark cage diving, bungee jumping, skydiving, and so many others, but I was also able to gain some valuable work experience through my internship. I looked at lots of other study abroad programs before choosing iXperience, and to the best of my knowledge there is no other program like iXperience that offers the same value. |
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 from US dollars to Rands is very good for US students. It's pretty easy to live comfortably on a low budget, but there are so many cool restaurants and places to visit, you'll probably end up spending lots of money. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to exchange money when the exchange rate is really high. Also, get a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees if you can. |
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? |
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'd had more knowledge of the local culture. I didn't know much about Cape Town or South Africa at all before coming here, and I felt a little ignorant about some of the social and cultural issues. I learned quickly, but it would have been nice to know more before I arrived here. |
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. |
