An absolutely life-changing, INCREDIBLE 5 months in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa!!! Past Review
By Christina H (Sociology, University of Denver) for
University of KwaZulu-Natal / UKZN: Durban - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
YES! The most worthwhile, amazing experience of my life! I gained so many things from it, I don't even know where to start. Through volunteering at a children's home I learned so much about poverty, loss, and tragedy, but also joy in the midst of troubles. Through my involvement in the local church my life was absolutely transformed. I learned that travel isn't so much about the place, but about the people and the relationships that are formed. It changed my future plans in a big way. I absolutely fell in love with Southern Africa, and am now looking for job opportunities there for after I graduate. I have already gone back once to Pietermaritzburg, where I went on a mission trip to Zimbabwe with NCF Church - the local church that I got really involved with. My hope is that that was the first return of many - I would love to live there soon! Honestly, I could not have asked for a more fantastic experience. It was incredible!
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg Campus |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Academics were definitely different from the U.S., and I found my classes to be on the boring side. They are very lecture-oriented, and focused very little on discussion. For one class I got to intern at a children's home though, and that was amazing! Academics were definitely different from the U.S., and I found my classes to be on the boring side. They are very lecture-oriented, and focused very little on discussion. For one class I got to intern at a children's home though, and that was amazing! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
There was very good support from the interstudy office on the Pietermaritzburg campus. They couldn't actually help you a ton when it came to administrative glitches and logistics, but they provided a listening ear and someone to guide you. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Res was great for most of the exchange students... I did feel very unsafe sometimes due to a lack of security between my flatmates. I had food stolen from the fridge many times, and there were several situations where I was targeted as an American and felt harassed. It was scary, but my situation was abnormal. Most exchange students really enjoyed their res experience and felt very safe. |
| * Food: |
I had to cook for myself, and the communal fridge regularly had food stolen, so I really struggled to have fresh food in the fridge. I ended up eating a lot of canned food, which definitely wasn't ideal. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I got really involved in the greater Pietermaritzburg area, and it was absolutely incredible! I joined the UKZN Mountain Club, so I went hiking a lot with local students which was great. I also got super involved in a local church (NCF) and made incredible, lasting friendships. I loved it so much that I went back the following summer on a mission trip with NCF to Zimbabwe. I was totally welcomed into the community and could not have asked for a more incredible experience! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt very unsafe in my living situation. Otherwise, I just had to learn to navigate the area... which is very different from the USA. In general, it's not as safe, so you just have to get in a different mentality. I didn't mind it at all... you just have to be on your toes! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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) |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This program is for students who don't like to follow the crowd. Pietermaritzburg is a small city, so it doesn't have all of the tourist attractions, nightlife, and entertainment in the same way that larger cities would. What Pietermaritzburg really has to offer is an intimate feel and an opportunity to really get to know locals. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer, sports teams to join, ways to get involved at the university, and lots of friendly people who want to get to know exchange students. It has a strong African feel, and isn't as westernized as some of the larger cities in South Africa. It is also a little harder to travel from Pietermaritzburg since it's about an hour and a half from the closest large airport, so it's good for people who want to settle in and LIVE in South Africa, as opposed to TRAVEL in Southern Africa. |
