IES Abroad Cape Town

When I left for my summer in Cape Town, I was unsure of what to expect. The program through IES exceeded all of my expectations. The program consisted of service learning and a class taught by a local professor on public health. I learned an incredible amount through service learning as we were able to shadow doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, etc. I really gained an appreciation for all of the different fields of healthcare and learned a lot about the healthcare system of South Africa. Apart from academics, IES arranged many field trips which allowed us to explore the country. They left nothing out, and it was awesome because I would not have known what to do on my own. In terms of safety, IES made sure we all stayed safe and arranged housing in a safe neighborhood. All in all, I had a fantastic summer in South Africa, and I can't wait to return one day!

My journey in Cape Town, South Africa was an adventure I will never forget. I began my journey with no expectations, predispositions, or an idea of what I had signed myself up for. I learned more than I could ever have imagined about this beautiful country, the intricacy of their health care system, and, most importantly, myself. Through IES Abroad I was given the opportunity to conduct a research project of my choice relating to health care in South Africa and given the background and resources to do so. I loved that I could follow my own passions throughout the class work and focus on the aspects of healthcare that were most interesting to me, personally. The shadowing, done in hospitals throughout South Africa, was by far the most beneficial experience. It allowed me to observe and interact with the healthcare system first hand and gave me the opportunity to encounter some amazing individuals. IES Abroad planned a wide variety of optional activities for me, which was greatly appreciated due to the busy schedule I had throughout my six weeks there. I felt like I experienced the true culture of South Africa throughout these activities and they helped to push me outside of my comfort zone. Most importantly, IES Abroad introduced me to the most amazing friends that I will hold close to me for the rest of my life. Thank you IES Abroad and thank you South Africa for an experience I will never forget.

I loved that this program really gave me the full experience. It includes so many field trips that they organize for you and you really get to see all the amazing views and locations that are essential to getting to know South Africa. It taught me a lot about the disparity between communities, the effects of the Apartheid, the beauty of the country's landscapes, the history of their culture, and so much more. This program focuses especially on the health care and development of South Africa's system and you get to experience it first hand. Shadowing at the hospitals and clinics showed me a lot about everyday patient-doctor interactions they face and how they may approach a problem. This can really open your eyes to a lot if you compare it to the health care system of the US.

If I had the opportunity to go to Cape Town with IES Abroad all over again, I would go in a heartbeat. Being in Cape Town was amazing! The IES Abroad staff was helpful and super friendly. Our housing was nice and close to campus. Our RA's were knowledgable about Cape Town and easy to get along with. IES even puts together optional trips, such as our mid semester break trip to Kruger National Park. In Cape Town there are a million things to do and see. The hardest part about being in Cape Town was probably trying to get everything done!!

I had the most amazing time in Cape Town. I honestly cannot think of one thing I would change. IES did an amazing job of planning activities for us while also giving us enough free time to explore on our own. The academics in Cape Town are pretty different from in the states, but the program did a really good job of helping us prepare for that. We lived in an awesome location, right at the bottom of campus. Because it was a small program this year, we all lived on the same property which allowed all the IES students to get really close. Our RAs were amazing too. They were really supportive when needed, and were really helpful with respect to helping us get acclimated to the city. I am obsessed with Cape Town, as it had everything I wanted in an abroad experience. I was the only person from my home university going, which allowed me to really branch out. It's a large city, but I was still able to do a lot of things outdoors. I spent a lot of time hiking, which is one of my favorite activities. The people in Cape Town are amazing, and I met so many amazing South Africans that I am still in contact with. While there are challenging aspects of going abroad anywhere, I think the challenges I faced in Cape Town (like being faced with the realization of how much privilege I have) really stretched me in positive ways. Going to Cape Town was the best decision I have ever made.

To say that my experience in Cape Town was life changing would be an understatement. My time in South Africa will be forever imprinted in my memory. There is not a single moment that I did not love, waking up in the morning and seeing Table Mountain, looking out at the view from the University of Cape Town, seeing the amazing IES staff almost every day, exploring this beautiful city, and meeting the amazing people in South Africa.

IES ensures that you have a support system while you are abroad. They keep you in the loop with what is going on, they make sure you are safe and healthy, and they always welcome you into the office. They truly become your abroad family.

Cape Town is not just a place I visited or studied. It is a place that changed my life and became a home... and I cannot wait to go back home again soon.

The IES Abroad summer program in Cape Town, South Africa was so amazing, it was almost impossible to leave. It helps that Cape Town is a wonderful city, full of things to do and places to explore, and that the program helped you to explore every bit of it. The program had just enough planned activities to keep us constantly moving, while still allowing us enough free time to squeeze in a huge bucket-list of things to do. Planned activities included touring the Garden Route, the Winelands, whale watching, gardens, and much more. This is all outside of the course and service-learning portion of the trip.
I am a public health major, and global health minor, so the course was not only fit to my interests but counted as course credit for my minor at my home university. For those who had other majors, which there were many, the summer is a great way to get extra credit in between the regular school year. The course was an excellent way to study South African history and culture, in the context of health. The service-learning portion allowed you to experience what you were learning in class in the context of the health system. The research project was the best way to interact with the community, and potentially give back with recommendations based on the new research.
The housing was nice and felt safe. There were multiple doors with locks before getting into the room, and a security guard outside 24/7. There were no times where I did not feel safe, and if you took good care of your stuff, you wouldn’t lose anything or get anything stolen.
The housing was within walking distance of the IES center, grocery stores, and restaurants. We could easily take a cab or Uber into other areas of Cape Town. Cape Town as a whole had the most amazing food, all extremely affordable. You could get so many different types of food, all excellent. The people I met, both in the program and locals, were all great. I learned so much just from conversations with people around the city and in our placements.
I hope others will be inspired by this experience as I have been.

Enjoy the perfect mix of education and fun in this magical city in one of the culturally richest countries in the world. To start you get to live in comfortable apartments in a gated community so on top of the luxury of the living arrangement you also get security. In my case we had roommates who inevitably became my best friends on the trip.
Being so close to University of Cape Town you also get to be around college students from the area and surrounding regions of South Africa. With this close proximity it was easy to befriend and learn from locals about the real issues facing the people of South Africa.
Half of the educational side of the abroad program is class and the other half is volunteer hours in the public healthcare system. Classes are focused on learning about the history and public healthcare system of South Africa and how South Africans are trying to change the system for the better of all people. Learning from people who currently are involved in reforming healthcare in South Africa made the course more engaging and meaningful to me and all my classmates. The volunteer work took place in a primary health clinic in Cape Town and allowed for hands-on experience with patients and engagement with fellow medical staff from doctors to nurses.
Going in the summer for American students however means being in South Africa for their winter, but have no fear, the highs are around the 70s and lows around the 50s with occasional rain. Good news is the beautiful days outnumbered the rainy days and with each beautiful day comes a breathtaking sunset which can viewed from any number of beaches and mountain tops.
Bottom line if you have any interest in healthcare like pre-med, pre-pharm, pre-PA, and nursing students or in public health you will not only get hands on experience in the field with your volunteer hours but also gain great insight into the issues facing the public healthcare system in South Africa and the rest of the world.