Cape Town Study Abroad: Daily Lessons Past Review
By Anna Kroeger (University of Iowa) - abroad from 01/29/2018 to 06/16/2018 with
IES Abroad: Cape Town - University of Cape Town
Studying Abroad with IES Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa has been more significant in my life than I could have imagined. I knew I would have fun, meet new people, and experience unfamiliar things, but I gained so much more than I expected to. I learned and improved skills such as understanding cultural differences, working in diverse teams, listening, tolerating ambiguity, and being flexible. I explored other countries in Southern Africa, including Botswana and Zimbabwe. I stepped out of my comfort zone daily, from trying new foods to learning new languages.
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. |
|
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
IES Abroad staff were exceptionally supportive in all areas |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Apartment-style living with single rooms, private kitchen and bathroom |
| * Food: |
Cape Town has just about every food offering imaginable! Very vegetarian and vegan friendly. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had many opportunities to interact with locals, but I wish a homestay living option had been available. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I sprained my ankle on the top of a mountain after a sunrise hike. After calling the IES 24/7 emergency line, the program director connected us with mountain rescue who helped me down the mountain safely. An ambulance took me to the emergency room recommended by my program director, and care was quick and thorough. |
| * Safety: |
Many students were pick-pocketed, primarily losing cell phones. However, I had no negative safety concerns, and I was not pick-pocketed at all. Public transportation is not safe, so Uber was utilized for all transportation. Uber was completely safe. It is unwise to travel anywhere alone; especially at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
IES Abroad was the most supportive program, as far as I saw. I met other Americans whose programs were barely helpful or supportive at all. IES provided medical, social, academic, mental, and cultural support in every way. They organized several (free!) field trips and excursions, many of which would have been impossible to do independently. |
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) |
Everything was very cheap in Cape Town. Food and activities were very inexpensive compared to the US. The only major unforeseen expense was the many Ubers we had to take due to unsafe public transportation. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $75 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Cook at home! This program does not include a meal plan, so it's very easy to be tempted to eat out often. This adds up extremely quickly, even though it feels cheaper at first. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
|
| 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? |
|
| * What could be improved? |
|
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | It will take dedication and significant effort to integrate into the local culture. It is far too easy to simply hang out with Americans...it is much harder to make friends with locals. It's important to make the effort early on to meet people outside of your fellow program participants. |
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 NetworkerAn active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume. |
