South Africa Study Abroad: Highly Recommended Past Review
By Jessica U (Political Science and Government., Wellesley College) for
CIEE: Cape Town - Arts and Sciences
Yes, absolutely! I learned so much about South Africa and other walks of life, and I also learned so much about myself and matured so much.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Most of my classes were not difficult and not challenging, and honestly, not very informative. I took one class, Advanced South African Politics that I thought was very useful, and really deepened my understanding of the political culture in South Africa. Aside from that class, however, I was unimpressed with the academics, and would not say that my academics were the focus of my study abroad experience. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
It was a little bit disorganized, but that sort of added to the cultural experience as South African generally is remarkably disorganized. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved living in the house I lived in. I did live with Americans, so my cultural experiences might have been better had I lived with a host family or in a dorm, but at the same time, it was nice to have a group of Americans with whom I could discuss my experiences and compare notes. |
| * Food: |
It would be possible to be a vegetarian in South Africa, but difficult to be a vegan I think. If you are in Cape Town, go to Maharajah, a whole in the wall vegetarian indian restaurant in Rondebosch. Love love loved it! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| 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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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I really can't remember, but I spent more than I expected to, and more than the program information told me I would. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Travel is an unexpected expense. Because of safety considerations, after dark, you have to take cabs everywhere in Cape Town, and those cabs can be expensive and the costs add up. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | You need to be outgoing, adaptable, and laid-back. If you're open minded you can really enjoy South Africa. If you're high strung or need to be on a strict schedule, then this program will be filled with endless frustrations. |
