Courage, transformation, wisdom. Past Review

By Kelly Allyn Cruchett (University of San Francisco) - abroad from 01/24/2019 to 07/16/2019 with

Marquette University: Cape Town - Service Learning in South Africa

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

I gained a great deal of cultural competence as well as personal confidence through this program. I learned so much about the contemporary issues that South Africa faces as a result of its past and drew parallels with similar issues of race, class and gender in the U.S. as well. All of these lessons and personal improvements made this trip more than worth while.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.	I appreciated how every class requires you to meet with a tutor, this made me feel like I always had a resource to go to if I had questions. Overall the course load could be a bit demanding at times however the subject matter was so engaging that I didn't mind it.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program	Malikaya, Mr. P and Tshiamo were all great support systems in the program. They were there whenever you needed them and we really felt like a family very quickly.
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?	Khouse is a great place to stay. We lucked out since there wasn't many of us so we had a lot of space and I loved living in Obs.
* Food:	I'm glad that we were able to grocery shop and cook for ourselves and MAN are the food spots great in Cape Town. The one thing you must eat there is a Gatsby!
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I felt like I was a part of the community through school, my service site and my free time. It truly became a home to me. But it required effort, you definitely get out what you put in.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?	I luckily never really encountered and health issues while I was there. But our program effectively assisted us in making sure we had a health care plan while we were there.
* Safety:	I know it has a reputation but Cape Town is basically like any other city: be smart, stay in groups at night, don't take public transit after dark and you'll be fine. The only issue in Cape Town that I find to be a bit more prevalent than other cities I've been to is pick-pocketing. Avoid putting your phone in your back pocket, taking large amounts of cash out in public and if you have to take a purse of backpack out with you always keep it close. Overall as long as you stay aware of your surroundings you'll be fine.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes Studying abroad in Cape Town allowed me to get to know who I was apart from friends, family and everything that was familiar to me. Not only that, but the service learning component allowed me to work in an environment of passion and progress that also showed me what I was capable of as a professional. Overall, this program helped me grow as an individual and if I could go back tomorrow I would.

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)	When it came to basic grocery shopping I would say it's very easy. The only challenge is there there's always somewhere to uber to or eat at so I couldn't but spend money constantly (at my own fault).
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$50
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Try to live modestly during the school week so you can splurge on yourself on the weekends.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language	During the first couple weeks we learned basic isiXhosa for introductions but we rarely if ever used it since Cape Town is so diverse and most people speak English there was no real need for it. However I would have loved to lean more of it during the semester.
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Beginner
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	none
How many hours per day did you use the language?	0

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Other
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local 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?	Location Service Learning Attending classes with locals
* What could be improved?	Teach participants how to take public transit
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	Readjusting to the U.S. is much harder than adjusting to the host country.

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 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.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	African History: Colonial and Post-Colonial
Course Department:	History
Instructor:	N/A
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The courses I took at UWC, "African History: Colonial and Post-Colonial" allowed me to add onto my existing knowledge of African history and politics that I had gained through minoring in African studies. The course was half lecture and half discussion so I was able to hear my peer's perspectives on subjects like colonialism and its effects on the continent and what it means to decolonize both politically and mentally.
Credit Transfer Issues:

Course Name/Rating:	Politics of Land Rights
Course Department:	Geography
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	Taking region-specific courses like "Politics of Land Rights in Southern Africa" enhanced my experience abroad by informing me about contemporary issues going on in South Africa and gave me totally new insight on the residual effects of Apartheid to this day.
Credit Transfer Issues: