Best Experience of my Life

My semester in South Africa was amazing and I could not recommend participating in a program in Africa enough. This program gives you professional opportunities as well as the adventure of a life time. From going on safaris to meeting high level anti-apartheid activists, you're able to do it all through SIT. Traveling across South Africa and to countries like Mozambique is a once in a lifetime trip event because you get to see insider views of each country and deeply understand the politics and complexities of the countries you visit. The program also offers a period where you can participate in an internship or independent study project, and both are amazing opportunities. I was able to intern with The Umkhumbane Schools Project and work with a small NGO to provide educational resources to students in a township outside of Durban. Living in Durban is also an incredible experience, and unlike anything you will experience in the US. Durban is vibrant and diverse, it offers everything from high end restaurants and entertainment to working class diners (like Patel's, the restaurant that invented Bunny Chow and is a must see when you live in Durban)! The program offers you a deep look at the city by arranging excursions to learn from local NGO's, from the Gay and Lesbian Center to international environmentalists. You also meet politicians and see important historical spots all across Kwa Zulu Natal. All of my friends studied abroad in Europe, and I can't help but feel that I received a very different and valuable experience than they did. While my friend was skiing in Chamonix I was taking basin baths at my rural homestay with the local Sangoma, a traditional healer. This program gives you an understanding of South Africa, from the city and its politics, to its rural areas and prisons. I cannot recommend this program enough. It was life changing for me and has opened a door into international politics that I am planning to pursue. Because of this program I have international professional connections and a new world view that was informed by the unique experience of studying in the Global South. If you are looking for a study abroad experience that will offer you new experiences and further your academics through experiential learning then SIT South Africa: Social and Political Transformation may be perfect for you. I studied abroad during COVID, and even with the restrictions that came with the pandemic, I had an incredible and enriching experience that has changed my life.