Awakening from SA Past Review
By kimberly h (PSYCHOLOGY., Southwest Tennessee Community College) for
Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS): Traveling - TnCIS in South Africa
YES. it makes your love your life more and be appreciative
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. |
I loved the knowledge, culture, food and our instructors. Without each aspect, the experience would not have been as wonderful as it was. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Strengths: Diversity. We were a group of people from all over the world (Americans, Iraqis, and Pakistanis). Weakness: Disrespectful students from TSU (Not all but majority). |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The first two places were wonderful (A former mafia mansion and a beach house). The last city wasn't very pleasing. Aside from the discrimination against our group, we were declined extra blankets (it was winter time there) from the owner (which the workers gave us some after the owner left), there wasn't any hot water on our side of the building while the other side had more than enough, there were holes in our floor and walls, there were also rat dropping and a heavy roach infestation through the place (including the refrigerator). That was Riverview Lodge in Cape Town, South Africa... very bad! |
| * Food: |
DELICIOUS. I ate snails, best calamari ever, orchard, crocodile, kudo, spring buck, hake, the list goes on |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Seeing Nelson Mandela's prison was an awakening moment for me as well as visiting the townships where all the poor live. |
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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? | ($1 equals R7 a meal was like R25). Souvenirs can be negotiated so that priced very each shopping moment |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Everything has a cost. Safari, Shark diving, Petting Cheetahs, even taking a lift to the top of a mountain. I suggest $200 extra would help in those unexpected costs |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Take care of yourself and be well prepared physically as well as mentally |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
African American Literature |
| Course Department: | Engl 2202 |
| Instructor: | Dr. Irby |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Awesome! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
