Ready for Takeoff

Following months of preparation, I am finally set to begin my semester abroad. After a blur of airports, layovers, and time zones, I will reach my final destination: Cape Town, South Africa.

Why South Africa?

Truthfully, I don’t have a straightforward answer. Is there a precise way to pick a study abroad destination? That’s a question I debated for weeks before I decided upon studying in Cape Town. After a lot of lecturing advice from one of my older brothers, I realized there is not a perfect plan for studying abroad. Yet, I needed a way to narrow down my pool of options. Ultimately, I decided:

·      I want to go to an English speaking country.

Though English is certainly not the only language spoken in South Africa, it is an official language and used by more than a quarter of the population there. Since I am only fluent in English and American Sign Language, this helped rule out a lot of places around the world.

·      I don’t want to go to Europe.

Call me crazy, but I didn’t have a strong desire to go to Europe for four months. This isn’t to say I never want to go to Europe. Of course, I hope to one day visit all of the thriving countries and learn about their rich history. Yet, a study abroad program is not the outlet I wish to do so in. Instead, I want to use this semester to travel somewhere that would be less accessible after graduation.

·      Why not?

If not now, when? Cape Town is an eclectic city filled with exotic animals, friendly people, and some of the most breathtaking views in the world. A recent article by The Huffington Post agrees that Cape Town should be at the top of everyone’s travel agenda.

This colorful infographic map depicts some of the beautiful sites I plan to explore!

Studying abroad is said to be one of the most transformative experiences for college students. I have no doubt this will be true for South Africa, a country that is still learning from a troubling history of apartheid. Philanthropic efforts are very close to my heart and I will use my time in Cape Town as a chance to further my community service endeavors.

As an avid blog-enthusiast, my goal is to post regularly to this site. Though the Wi-Fi access may be limited, I want to use this as an outlet to document the experience for family, friends, and myself. I am filled with gratitude to have the opportunity to study at the University of Cape Town… now it’s time to start my African adventures!