UIndy Study Abroad at Stellenbosch University

I decided to study in Stellenbosch, South Africa for one main reason. I hadn't studied abroad in undergrad, so I was looking for a Master's program that would allow me to both study International Relations and do fieldwork in a developing country. The University of Indianapolis happened to be launching their South Africa program right as I was looking for a place to study.

I became the first person from the university to study abroad in South Africa, and it was an amazing experience. I was able to study the effects of colonization both in the U.S. and in Africa. I was then able to spend my free time teaching English in a township school and then travel to Kenya to do some fieldwork with street children. I really got a broad perspective and met some amazing people.

This program was special because it took place in Africa. It is hard to find a genuine study abroad program in Africa. I wasn't interested in the typical places like France, England, Italy, etc. The program taught all of their grad school classes in English which was perfect for me. They offered the volunteering experience in the townships which was essential to my degree.

There were over 250 international students studying at the university when I was there so I ended up meeting people from all over the world. I still keep in touch with many of them. Stellenbosch is located in Wine Country and only 45 minutes from Cape Town, so my weekends were filled with lots of exploring - from vineyards to the V & A Waterfront to Kruger Park all the way to Botswana, Mozambique, and Zanzibar!