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.

Studying abroad was always a dream of mine, but I didn't know if it would actually become a reality. Fast forward to my junior year, and in the fall semester, I start to seriously plan on going abroad. I originally planned on studying in Granada, Spain, until I became aware of the opportunity to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. Before fully committing to Cape Town, I spoke to students who had studied abroad there during previous semesters, and ALL of them absolutely loved it and said it was the most amazing and beautiful experience of their lives. I decided Cape Town was where I wanted to go and started to get extremely excited. The students who I had spoken to did not go through a study abroad program. Therefore I was very hesitant in doing so when my study abroad coordinator recommended that I did. She was right, going abroad with IES was the best decision that I made! Immediately from the moment of arriving at the airport, IES representatives were so welcoming and easy to locate, I remember that day like it was yesterday. Cape Town was exceptionally amazing because there are plenty of things to do. In addition to having opportunities for joining school clubs, you have the beach, beautiful mountains and the city! After being in Cape Town, I have gotten to appreciate outdoor activities such as hiking and the beauty of mother nature. Of course, going to a new place for six months is nerve-wracking, but IES provided fantastic housing, support, and field trips just to name a few things. I miss my IES family in Cape Town and which I could go back immediately!

Studying Abroad with IES Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa has been more significant in my life than I could have imagined. I knew I would have fun, meet new people, and experience unfamiliar things, but I gained so much more than I expected to. I learned and improved skills such as understanding cultural differences, working in diverse teams, listening, tolerating ambiguity, and being flexible. I explored other countries in Southern Africa, including Botswana and Zimbabwe. I stepped out of my comfort zone daily, from trying new foods to learning new languages. None of this would have been possible without the incredible support from IES Abroad. They provided medical, social, academic, mental, and cultural support in every way. They organized several (free!) field trips and excursions, many of which would have been impossible to do independently.

The five months I spent in South Africa were radically different from my life in the U.S. Every day, I was called to question key aspects of my identity and how they have affected my life's trajectory. The academic rigor of UCT(and in a very different teaching style from American schools) pushed me to work harder than ever during a semester where I had already committed to four extracurriculars. To use the South African slang, it was "hectic"- and I wouldn't have had it any other way. The sheer variety of the experiences I got to have, compounded with both the rapid change at home and abroad, as well as the country's vibrancy, resulted in the experience of a lifetime. Communal efforts to conserve water continually inspired and humbled me with their dedication, and the major university and city life couldn't have been more polar opposite to my small-town, Vermont college life. From even before I ever boarded the first of several flights to South Africa, IES Abroad and its regional Cape Town center went above and beyond by providing highly relevant information and conscientious advice. Optional events offered by IES regularly throughout the semester were high-value, incredibly fun, and added visibility to the spectrum of South African daily life and culture. The center staff were warm and highly capable, and made a decisive effort to help and get to know their students in every way possible. Studying abroad with IES has facilitated the most significant semester so far of my college career.

Prior to arriving in Cape Town, South Africa, I knew that I was going to be studying in a very developed city, but I was still not quite sure what to expect in terms of the people and their culture. I remember feeling very anxious at first, but in a matter of about three to four days in what was initially an unfamiliar city, I began to feel more at home. From the moment I landed, I felt very comfortable with the IES Abroad staff and I felt like I could be very open with them about any issues I had. Overall, they were very accommodating, and made me feel welcomed throughout my entire stay. In terms of the structure of the Health Studies Program, I felt like it was planned out very well, because we had a wide variety of activities to choose to participate in, such as scenic drives, animal encounters, hiking, and more. I feel like the IES Abroad staff did a great job in trying to account for students' interests because they really did try to give us all opportunities to participate in what we were truly interested in instead of forcing us all to partake in the same activities. Furthermore, the cultural aspects of the trip exceeded my expectations. Prior to arriving in Cape Town, I did not realize that we would get to actually take tours of multiple townships and actually interact with certain people who lived there. For example, one of my favorite memories of the entire trip was playing soccer with a few children from the Langa township. I actually got to interact with them and learn about their living conditions, which was a great cultural experience for me. I think IES did a great job specifically with this Program with not limiting their students to the socio-economic bubble of Sea Point, Cape Town, the more developed region of Cape Town where the students stay at the Mojo Hotel. Furthermore, the service-learning aspect of this Program also exceeded my expectations. I learned so much from the nurses I shadowed because I constantly asked them questions about Tuberculosis, heart disease, diabetes, and anything else I encountered with them because I was so curious, and they were so willing to answer all my questions, which is something I really appreciated. I did not expect to see surgeries at all, but I was lucky enough to see the removal of an entire colon, which was so exciting to see as an undergraduate student. In terms of the South African Health Care class we had to take, I feel like it was not too time consuming, and I feel like what we learned in class we actually applied to what we encountered during our service-learning experiences. All in all, I had an amazing experience in Cape Town, South Africa through this Program because I feel like I really pushed myself to learn more about the culture throughout service-learning and through our planned activities, but mainly through my free-time. For any students interested in this Program, I encourage you to use your free-time effectively to try new things, like eating at exotic restaurants, completing the Three-Peak Challenge, going to a traditional braii, and so much more. Cape Town has so much to offer, and I am thankful for IES Abroad for giving me the opportunity to travel to this great city and take so much back with me back home.

My journey in Cape Town, South Africa was an adventure I will never forget. I began my journey with no expectations, predispositions, or an idea of what I had signed myself up for. I learned more than I could ever have imagined about this beautiful country, the intricacy of their health care system, and, most importantly, myself. Through IES Abroad I was given the opportunity to conduct a research project of my choice relating to health care in South Africa and given the background and resources to do so. I loved that I could follow my own passions throughout the class work and focus on the aspects of healthcare that were most interesting to me, personally. The shadowing, done in hospitals throughout South Africa, was by far the most beneficial experience. It allowed me to observe and interact with the healthcare system first hand and gave me the opportunity to encounter some amazing individuals. IES Abroad planned a wide variety of optional activities for me, which was greatly appreciated due to the busy schedule I had throughout my six weeks there. I felt like I experienced the true culture of South Africa throughout these activities and they helped to push me outside of my comfort zone. Most importantly, IES Abroad introduced me to the most amazing friends that I will hold close to me for the rest of my life. Thank you IES Abroad and thank you South Africa for an experience I will never forget.

Cape Town is rated as the most common destination to visit a second time. After living in, learning about, and exploring this place for 6 weeks, that fact is undeniable to me. The IES Cape Town study abroad experience is unlike any other as it combines education with exploration, and allows you to not only learn about the environment in which you are living on a social and political level, but to also witness the environment in a way that you can analyze and understand what you have learned. The program exposes you to people and places that leave you humbled, inspired, and entirely awestruck. My summer in Cape Town is a summer I will never forget – a cliché statement meant in the most genuine way possible.