Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best Place to Study Abroad Past Review

By (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 01/25/2016 to 06/10/2016 with

CIEE: Cape Town - Arts and Sciences

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much studying abroad in a place that isn't so mainstream. It was the fastest 5 months of my life and I learned a lot about a country I had never really thought about.

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.

The amount of time you spend in class is minimal but the work is legitimate.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

CIEE is very involved with the students in Cape Town.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

There are a lot of singles, but it's not fully apartment style.

* Food:

Amazing food.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Cape Town is an unsafe city but I felt prepared and the program kept a look out for us.

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

Cape Town is amazing and CIEE was instrumental in helping up discover the city.

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)

The exchange rate is extremely favorable in Cape Town.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $50

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

The main language here is English, but there were opportunities to learn other languages.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Fluent
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 10+

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The organized trips and events they had for us
* What could be improved?
  • Better resources for understanding Cape Town prior to departure
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I understood how classes transfer before I came.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.