I peaked. Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The two classes I chose on top of the required courses were transformations of social theory and a women and gender studies course. The entire academic experience was quite different from what I experienced at Marquette. My first day I was extremely intimidated by my classmates and professors. However, as the class went on I realized how beneficial taking these classes in South Africa was because teachers often compared what was happening in various countries in Africa to what happens in the United States. This not only expanded my cultural understanding, but also helped me gain knowledge beneficial to my studies.

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The K-House was an amazing experience. It allowed me to develop relationships with every person living within the house and also people in the Observatory community. Observatory, the town K-House is located in, had everything we needed. The house itself also had various safety precautions to make sure we felt safe and comfortable within our homes.

As someone who is incapable of cooking anything other than ramen, I really enjoyed the restaurants there. They had a large variety of options within Observatory that we could walk to and even more throughout Cape Town. I was introduced to a plethora of new foods, some great and some a little scary. As far as groceries go, there were definitely differences with the food options. Many of the foods in America were also in South Africa, however they were a little different from what we are used to.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The friends I made at school and in Observatory were eager to introduce me and my roommates to various aspects of the Cape Town culture. Their friendliness was immensely helpful and made me feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. I often had classmates that would message me asking if I needed a tour guide or advice on where to go, what to do, and the best restaurants.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I was terrified to get sick while in South Africa due to my unfamiliarity with the healthcare and steps regarding medicines and doctor appointments. However, towards the end of the semester I ended up with strep throat and a severe case of tonsillitis. My program advisor immediately got me an appointment and helped me get to the doctors office and explained the necessary steps. It was different from what I was used to because I have seen the same doctor my whole life and in this instance I had to go to the hospital. However, everyone was extremely helpful and got me the necessary medicine to make a speedy recovery. I received a few shots prior to this program and then also needed malaria pills for a spring break trip to Botswana. However, those pills were not necessary for my stay in Cape Town.

This program took necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their students. Mr. P took us to and from our internships as well as classes. I also always walked in a group of people and never on my own. Due to these reasons, I never felt I was in danger while abroad.

I would choose this program again in a heartbeat. When deciding where I wanted to go, I contemplated Europe for the travel and experience, however, decided that that is something I may have the opportunity to do in the future. Unlike this, I learned I probably won't have another opportunity to spend 5 months in South Africa studying and working within the non profit community.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Everything in South Africa was substantially cheaper than it is in America. This was extremely beneficial while trying to stay within a budget. here are a lot of options to go on various excursions and small trips while abroad in which the cost added up, however I found this manageable.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

In the beginning there was a lot of encouragement, our guest speakers also encouraged us to use it a small amount with our greetings. Our classes were about 4 weeks long in the beginning of the semester

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• Local Students

• Observatory
• Working at Embrace Dignity
• Traveling

• Class selection

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