IES Abroad - Study Abroad in South Africa

Cape Town is such a beautiful city, with so much to learn and experience. I was worried the program I chose wouldn't immerse me as I wanted but I was absolutely proven wrong. This specific program was focused on experiential learning which taught me more than I ever thought I would gain. Highly recommend to anyone interested in health care, how culture affects it, and historical implications.

Studying abroad has always been a goal of mine - living in a new country, meeting different people, and exploring a new culture - and IES Abroad made it a reality. Studying abroad in Cape Town was a once in a lifetime experience. The academics at the University of Cape Town were challenging, and could be frustrating at times because of the differences in workload and grading compared to the US. However, I did learn a great amount in relation to South Africa's history and culture. IES staff were kind, hardworking, and helpful with anything that need during your six months abroad. They helped with any issues that may have arised in academics (both at the University of Cape Town and the IES courses), housing accommodations, service learning, field trips, etc. They are there for you if you are having a problem adjusting to the differences in academics or living abroad, or if you just want to stop in for a quick chat. Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed about IES were the free field trips which included Boulder’s Beach (penguin colony!!) a Cape Malay cooking class, tour of Bo-Kaap, District 6 museum, Old Biscuit Mill, etc. They also offered to optional excursions at an additional subsidized cost (highly recommend) which was the Garden Route and a safari at Kruger National Park. Cape Town is such a beautiful place, and the people are so friendly! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience abroad because I met so many great people, got to check off several items off my bucket list, and learned about a new culture and the history of South Africa.

Before I went to Cape Town, people would tell me that "studying abroad is a life-changing experience," and I had a hard time believing them. Initially, I thought that studying abroad was a chance to experience a different world. But I did not think that experiencing a "different world" would change me. To me, it made sense that study abroad students would experience a different world and gain skills in intercultural communication--among other things--as a result. However, I reasoned that experiencing a different world and having one's life fundamentally changed were two mutually independent events. That said, living in South Africa for a semester and being able to take classes at the University of Cape Town changed my mind. Sure, I acquired skills, but more importantly, the radically different culture and world I got to experience forced me to change. Admittedly, I'm rather introspective, but studying abroad led me to reflect on all the differences I saw between South Africa, America, and their respective citizens. Moreover, I then had to decide how I would think and live moving forward. So, when people say that studying abroad is a life-changing experience, they're not lying or overexaggerating. Studying abroad gives students the chance to reflect on and be changed by all that they experience. And IES Abroad made this process as smooth as it could have been.