IES Abroad - Study Abroad in South Africa

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.

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.

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.