CIS Abroad - Summer in South Africa

Prior to going abroad, I was extremely nervous but excited at the same time. This trip completely changed my life. It allowed me to see how people live in an area I never thought I would go to. It helped me realize that we as humans have something in common with everyone no matter where we are from. Thanks to this trip, I have found a new passion for traveling and I now have such different life aspirations than I had prior to my time abroad.

Some of my favorite memories of my trip were, hanging out with elephants, hiking to the top of Table Mountain, and meeting people who I will always have a connection with. This experience was so unique because it was completely different from what I was used to. Everything was different than my everyday life in the U.S. I was actually thankful for this because it just made me learn more about this new region and myself.

The program was nothing short of incredible and I will never forget the wonderful experiences or people I met.
At first, I was scared it would be difficult for me to make friends, but there were a lot of program "mixers" that forced the students to be together. I made lifelong friends pretty quickly and we still talk pretty regularly.
The activities were incredible. We went on the famous Garden Route tour, travelled to Cape Town, and had wine tasting tours. We travelled so much it almost didn't feel like school.
The classes were interesting and very informative. Everyone was required to take a South African history course, and it was amazing. I learned so much and the professor was very knowledgeable and helpful.
I feel very blessed to have been able to do this program. I wish that I could go back to see some of my South African friends and to travel around the country again. It was such an incredible experience and highly recommend it to anyone even considering studying abroad.

The country was gorgeous, and CIS gave us plenty of opportunities to explore it. We got to explore Cape Town and Stellenbosch, and the classes were interesting and engaging. I can’t wait to go back someday. For future participants: make sure to bring warm clothes and an umbrella! Summer in South Africa is actually winter and can get pretty cold. My favorite memory is climbing to the top of table mountain and looking at all the amazing views