My Engaging, Challenging and Transformative Time Abroad Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Even though the classes were less rigorous in a traditional sense (no tests, less papers, less daily homework), I found the overall educational experience to be challenging. The experiential approach of the program meant that we were expected to constantly be observing, thinking, learning, critiquing and discussing the world around us and the experiences we were having. The academics blended into time spent in the homestays and even excursions and activities on the weekends. I would say that I learned a ton on this program about South Africa, the world and myself. The approach to academics was drastically different than what I have experienced in the US. I personally enjoyed the ability to learn through experiences and interactions, whether in public or with phenomenal guest lecturers in the classroom, and witness what I was learning in real time with people impacted by South African history and politics.

On-site administration of your program

We interacted with the program administrators almost daily for the majority of the program. The program was administered in both a hands-on and a hands-off way. On one hand, the program administrators planned all of the excursions, living arrangements, and travel arrangements (up until the ISP period, where they still gave us support). There wasn't much room for choice in any of these things, as they were all incorporated into the program. On the other hand, the program administrators definitely expected us to be independent in some capacity. They wanted us to learn and discover things for ourselves, rather than just giving us answers. They also would plan everything, but would often not let us know of any of the arrangements or schedules until the last minute. I was perfectly fine with that because I am comfortable with having someone else plan my schedule and learning about it last minute. Some people were uncomfortable with not having control of our schedule or not knowing about things ahead of time, though, so this method of program administration worked for some people and not for others.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I really enjoyed being able to live in four different homestays. They were all very different from one another. I was able to get pretty close with my families. And living with another student during the ISP period was also valuable and made me more independent.

There are a lot of food options that you would find in the U.S., especially in Cape Town. I ate some of the best meat of my life there. In the homestays, I had a lot of chicken, rice and potatoes.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated in the local culture. Living in the homestays definitely played a large role in this. The program provided a lot of opportunities to meet local people and to participate in South African society. My classes and time spent outside of class was all intrinsically connected to the place I was situated in.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

In my experiences with healthcare, the program was extremely helpful. Everyone was on a health plan through the company International SOS. And if a healthcare issue arose, the program administrators were extremely helpful in providing advice, support and access to resources. I would say that healthcare was easily accessible for me there. The healthcare system was a bit different than what I am used to but not in a way that affected my quality of care at all. And there weren't any vaccines I needed specifically for this program.

Cape Town, like most cities around the world, is a place where a lot of pick pocketing occurs. Some tips to avoid this: carry your phone and money in your clothes, rather than a pocket; and never carry anything valuable in an easily accessible section of a backpack. Make sure to travel in groups, especially if you are new to the area. Cape Town is known for having a lot of crime, and you should approach this by being aware and observant, rather than fearful. In addition, I never felt at all unsafe in any of my homestays.

This program allowed me to learn so much about South Africa, historically, politically, and socially. I really enjoyed having such a an engaging learning environment. The opportunity to live in homestays and interact with local people was invaluable. Personally, I really benefited from the highly structured nature of the program. I had a lot of wonderful and memorable experiences. And I believe this program allowed me to learn a lot about myself and grow a lot as a person.

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

I found it very easy to live on a student's budget. The dollar is strong in South Africa. The program provided stipends for food. Unless you wanted to buy a lot of souvenirs or clothes or eat food more expensive than the amount allotted to us, it was easy to not spend much money on this program.

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

If we were interacting with Xhosa speaking people, the program would encourage us to use what we learned. We were also expected to use it in our two homestays with Xhosa speaking families.

Select all that apply

• Other
• Host Family
• Hostel

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• The homestays
• The way the academics connected to what was going on around us
• South Africa itself

• More communication between program administrators and students