Interstudy in Cape Town Changed My Life! Past Review

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ISA Study Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I would go back and do it again if I could. I had the best 5 months of my life.

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

There was a wide variety of courses at the University of Cape Town that I was interested in. There were great courses in the subjects that I wanted to take, such as African history, literature, politics. However, the classes are very large and there is not a great amount of incentive to go to class. I found that it was much easier to pass at UCT, but more difficult harder to get really good grades. Since it is such a large school, tests and papers are often graded by people other than the professor, such as grad students. I get much more attention at my home university, and I am a vital part of my class. Being a number at UCT made me slightly less motivated to do well. However, there is more to the learning experience than inside the classroom. Every day I was learning and experiencing new things that I think ultimately impacted my interests and who I am today.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They are helpful and supportive. Will definitely get you set up and ready to go on your program. It sometimes takes a while to hear back from them about a question or concern. The best way to deal with them is to go into the office when you need something.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I ended up really enjoying living in my apartment. It has a kitchen, bathroom, common room and each person gets their own bedroom. It was nice that we all lived on the same street because we didn't have to travel far to see friends. The area is a 5 minute walk to campus. It is not the nicest suburb by UCT, but by the end we all grew to love it.

* Food:

Cape Town has amazing food! On campus, try souper sandwich. It was my favorite.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We went on to a safari lodge, which was a really great trip. Interstudy also organized an awesome farewell dinner at a nice venue downtown.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Be aware of your surroundings. And try to travel or walk with another person, especially at night. I didn't have any safety issues. If you are smart about it, you will most likely be fine.

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

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)

Language

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be open minded and ready for new experiences. You will be out of your comfort zone and it will be great!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Genocide: African Experiences

Course Department: History
Instructor: Muhammed Adhikari
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was my favorite class that I took at UCT. The professor is brilliant and has extensive knowledge on the subject. He is a fair grader and really cares about his students' work. He encourages questions and participation and will always have an answer for you. I also liked that he is very open to hearing what each student has to say. He is an awesome guy, and even surprises you with a joke one and a while. Despite it being a depressing topic, it was an incredibly interesting course that I got a lot out of.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Comments

I did not write this. What a scam.

Yesenia_8882 October 29, 2011