South Africa--A Complex Experience in the Rainbow Nation Past Review

By (The Evergreen State College) - abroad from 04/08/2019 to 05/22/2019 with

Wildlands Studies: The South Africa Project : Oceans, Coasts & Wildlife

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Yes--made strong connections with professor and peers. Came back feeling inspired and with better formed goals for the future.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Professor and experts were friendly and knowledgeable. Covered a variety of ecology and anthropology topics in-depth and did lots of fieldwork.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Daniƫl was a wonderful professor. He was supportive and friendly and clearly enthusiastic about his work.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing ranged from campsites to nice little homesteads or airbnbs. Was impressed with the quality of housing we had for the price of the program.

* Food:

Were largely shopping for ourselves. South Africa has a diverse range of meatless options for vegetarians/vegans at most stores, diet was accommodated for.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Lots of interesting cultural exchanges. Could have been prepared a little better for the reality of visiting townships.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Easy to vaccinate for program--typhoid shot is the most difficult to obtain but is available at most pharmacies.

* Safety:

Some areas are somewhat rough but I felt absolutely safe within the program

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Amazing range of experiences, especially considering the relatively low price tag.

Finances

* 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)

Exchange rate in South Africa was very good. Shopping for groceries was biggest source of spending but food prices were very reasonable.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? ~$50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep track of expenses--it's easy to spend without thinking when the prices are better than in your home country

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • Bird ringing
  • Boat trips
  • Professor, peers, and experts
* What could be improved?
  • More, less managed interactions with locals
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Make connections! You might fall in love with a place and want to come back--connections will make that possible.

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 Adventurer
The 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.