The Most Intellectually Enriching and LIT-est Time Past Review

By (University of California - Berkeley) - abroad from 05/25/2018 to 07/28/2018 with

iXperience Cape Town – Future-Focused Summer Courses and Internships

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
So quick background on me: I was a college junior majoring in a non-business and non-tech field and I remember frantically searching for a summer opportunity that would educate me in these two sectors, while simultaneously ensuring that I would have funnest time. Honestly, it's really competitive out there - getting an interview, landing that internship amongst a pool of talented students. The whole process is daunting. When I discovered i_Xperience, it was basically the perfect trifecta that met my three needs for an unforgettable summer internship: 1. learning for the sake of learning 2. hands-on professional experience 3. cultural/ personal exploration Simply put, i_Xperience did THAT. I spent a month learning about the fundamentals of Product Management, worked on a team to design and pitch our digital product, and spent the second month applying what I learned at a South African e-commerce company. When I go into interviews, I milk this experience because it was one of the professionally and personally internships in my college careers. Being a part of i_Xperience has given me an edge and a story to talk about. Beyond the professional development, Cape Town is literally adult Disneyland. I lived on the beach in Camps Bay, ate really good, did something out of my comfort zone every day, and met some of the most brilliant people across the globe. If you're in the same boat as me- APPLY.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

No pre-requisites required

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration are the warmest, friendliest people ever!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We literally lived on the beach

* Food:

OMG, don't even get me started

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

South Africans are the warmest people :)

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I went during the Cape Town drought, so we all had to abide water laws.

* Safety:

Watch out for theives, I had my phone stolen at a night club. Always be in a group, never carry tech in your pockets, INVEST IN A FANNY PACK

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)

Food is uber cheap, Uber is uber cheap, having a fun time like sky diving, safaris, underwater shark cave diving can be pricey (obvi)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Staff, students, locals
  • Internship Placement
  • Legal Age is 18
* What could be improved?
  • internship company selection
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Be aware of your surroundings and always be around people. Locals can easily detect if you're a tourist and that can make you an easy target for theft.