Pre-departure:
The pre-departure preparation is essential in order to ensure that your time abroad is well organised, and that you feel comfortable with your new adventure away from home. Personally, I did not have to go through the visa application, as I am on a European passport which could be used for my travels. However, in talking to other exchange students that were embarking on an abroad programme, I would suggest that you start the visa process soon after your acceptance, as it usually requires admin and time.
Within the pre-departure process, there are various aspects that worked well and were really helpful. Firstly, I started researching the partner institutions (and their modules) in the previous year prior to my exchange, as I found it to be time consuming and often required many emails to the partner departments to obtain more detailed module outlines. I kept all my information in one place (e.g.: a flip-file) as it tends to become quite a lot with all the different institutions. There is a lot of organisation that needs to be done before your departure, so I would advise that one kept a ‘to do’ list and systematically worked through it. The international office is really good at helping out and giving advice to outgoing students, so just pop in and talk to them. Make sure that your modules are all confirmed with the host institution, in terms of you being allowed to partake in them, before presenting these to your Stellenbosch lecturers. This will allow for a smooth process in ensuring that your modules are correctly signed off and will serve to be less stressful for you. One of my modules had to be changed at Kent, after I had left Stellenbosch, and it was a great challenge in terms of communicating with both my abroad and home department. So, perhaps my advice would be to have one or two back-up modules (that you could show your home lecturers) in case you need to change to something else whilst abroad. This may allow for easier communication, should something need to be changed regarding your academic curriculum.
Before your departure, it is really nice to do some research on where you are going and what is in the surrounding area. It’s good to orientate yourself on a map so that you know where you are in the country, as it may all be very different to home. Do research about the university as it will be an easier transition process if you understand what the campus will look like, and the general ‘in’s and out’s’ of student life abroad. On the abroad institutions website, you should be able to see what their societies are, and what they each offer. I would recommend you to go abroad with an attitude of wanting to get involved in all aspects of their student life. This will really allow you to make new friends and optimise your semester there – as it goes by so quickly.
You must attend the pre-departure session in Stellenbosch as it will provide you with valuable information about what you can expect and useful tips. Moreover, you should find out when your orientation sessions at your abroad institution will be, and make every effort to attend those, as they are very useful.
Experience at the host:
The academic programme at Kent was very different to Stellenbosch. The students usually belong to one school, and only study one specific subject (e.g.: only English). It is not an option for them to study multiple subjects, like I do in the BA faculty at Stellenbosch. Moreover, there are not as many physical lectures as the students receive more of their work online. Therefore, the students spend less time in lectures and more time in the library working independently. During my stay abroad, I joined the Psychology society. This was very interesting as a wide range of British Psychologists came in once a week and explained their specific profession. This was a great way to meet other students with the same passion for Psychology as I have. I also joined the gym, where I participated in many classes. This was a great way to stay active and once again, to meet new people.
The University also offered a wide range of activities specifically for the International students. I loved participating in these, as I was given the chance to make friends with people from all over the world. Some of these events included a typical ‘British tea-party’ where we got the chance to eat British cuisine and learn about Canterbury. The International Office organised an event to Leeds Castle which is deemed ‘the loveliest castle in the world’. I really enjoyed exploring the rich British history that the castles had to offer in the country side. The University also organised a day trip to Bruges in Belgium. This was one of my highlights, whilst I was abroad, as I got to experience a different country (at Christmas time – which made it all the more special) with my friends. I was so lucky as my cousin stays in central London. At Kent, they have a week of no classes, that is merely dedicated to reading and essay writing. So, for this week I went to stay with my cousin and manged to work and explore London – which was amazing. I was very lucky to be in the UK during the festive season, and it was beautiful to see their little towns and villages decorated with the Christmas lights.
I stayed in the International housing on campus and really enjoyed learning about my house-mate’s customs, and even getting to celebrate certain traditional events with them. We celebrated the ‘Chinese New Year’ and ‘American Thanks-Giving’ together. I really tried to explore as much as possible whilst abroad, and loved our little adventures on the weekends. It was so special to live with International students, as we all had an adventurous spirit, knowing that we were only there for a semester.
My academic programme was very interesting as I got to experience many different faculties at Kent. I really loved all my subjects at Kent and learnt a lot whilst being guided by enthusiastic lecturers and seminar leaders from all over the world (one was even a South African). Some of my lecturers are leading experts in their given field of study – so it was inspiring listening to them teach about their own work.
Kent was different to Stellenbosch in that the campus is very international and thus more diverse. There are lectures and students form all over the world – which makes lectures and seminars very interesting as various perspectives can be shared. My class mates loved hearing about South Africa (and especially our diversity). My class mates would be ‘shocked’ when I told them about how many languages are spoken in South Africa. The campus is much bigger at Kent, and many students live off campus, as it is very easy to catch the ‘Uni Buses’ onto main campus. This was very different for me, as most students at home live on the campus due to there being limited transport and parking.
Return to Stellenbosch:
My time abroad was really special and I fell in love with England. South Africa is very different to England and is thus quite hard to compare. In the UK, I loved how independent students can be, as it is safe to walk around freely. Moreover, the public transport system was really helpful and I loved being able to jump onto a bus or train to get to the next village or town. In the UK the students really receive many perks that we do not have in South Africa – such as discounts at most shops, reduced public transport costs, and events organised by the university targeted at the ‘student budget’ – such as the day trip to Bruges. I really came to appreciate the living space that we have in South Africa, as the British people live in very cramped surroundings. As South African’s, we often complain about the political climate in our country. As a young person, I often found myself becoming bogged down by this. However, I learnt that the clichéd saying ‘the grass is not always greener on the other side’ to be very true. In the UK their political system is heated with all the ‘Brexit’ debates and uncertainty. I also came to appreciate the diversity that South Africa boasts in terms of our range of cultures, languages, and landscapes. This is not as apparent in the UK, and I found that it was something unique to South Africa that we often take for granted.
I would absolutely love to study abroad again, should the opportunity arise. I think that it was such a valuable experience for me as I learnt so much. I loved immersing myself in a culture that was different from my own. The friendships that I made, will be treasured forever as I really enjoyed networking with people from all over the world. Hopefully, we can all meet up again one day… Due to such a happy experience, my plan is to try do my postgraduate studies overseas. I was exposed to so many opportunities that the students receive abroad, and I would love to be apart of these one day.
I would really like to encourage all students that may be ‘sitting on the fence’ about an exchange programme, to really use the opportunity that the International Office provides us with. I promise you, it will really be one of the best things you can do in terms of exposing yourself to a different culture, and new ways of thinking in a different country.
I found this quote that I feel perfectly summed up my time abroad: “Fill your life with adventures, not things. Have stories to tell not stuff to show.”