Student-Athletes Abroad

This experience presented itself to me after I brought up that I wanted to study abroad. After I filled out interest forms somebody from the program contacted me and went over the money and the academic program that I would be going through. Since I did the academic program I went to the school during the week. There was security that followed me to and from school. Never did I feel unsafe! This opportunity also gave me the ability to grow athletically and socially, along with my academics. I would 100% do it again! The memories and friends I made will last a lifetime.

There exist few inadequacies regarding the Cape Town Internship with Student Athletes Abroad. The staff made the trip an exciting experience, from organizing partnerships with the several Non-governmental Organizations us interns worked alongside to the weekend excursions around Cape Town (e.g. Table Mountain, Robben Island, Wilderness, etc.). Staff members did an excellent job of briefing interns on South African culture and treated us with respect. If there did exist any problems, staff handled them in an adult manner. If a collegiate athlete is looking to travel internationally and experience a unique culture, I would recommend that he or she apply for a Student Athletes Abroad internship.

I stayed with a host family for three weeks, which helped improve my Spanish-speaking skills as well as helped me understand and grow with another culture. Although I am not an athlete myself, I was able to participate in daily workouts tailored to my ability level. The weekend excursions (zip lining, going to a hot springs, swimming at local beaches, etc.) were nothing short of gorgeous, but the weekdays were the most rewarding. During the week, I was partnered with a group that created an athletic program for underprivileged youth, and we also had the option to volunteer with the Costa Rican Special Olympics every weekday. The work we did felt valuable, and this will always be one of my favorite experiences.

I participated in the summer internship program this past June and absolutely loved it! It was the perfect combination of getting internship experience but also getting to enjoy traveling to a new place. Not only is it beneficial to be able to put on a resume but we also had the opportunity to be immersed in a different culture and be able to approach it with an open mind. I consistently felt safe and welcomed during my stay and would highly recommend this program to anyone!

I did the summer internship program in June of 2017 and it was the best month of my entire life! The trip was so organized while still allowing us as students to figure stuff out on our own. My host family was amazing and so welcoming. The amount of time they have us there is perfect because we really got to acclimate to the culture but didn't get bored. I came back with so much professional experience to add to my resume and memories that I'll never forget!