Pre-departure:
I remember receiving an email in September to tell me that I have been accepted to participate in an academic exchange at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). I was so excited to embark on this new adventure. Of course, before I could go I had a lot of admin to sort out.
In the months preceeding my take-off I had to do a lot of paperwork – learning agreements, course selections, bank statements, flight tickets, and a visa application. Being a master’s degree student with no course work at Stellenbosch University, I did not have to worry about credits being tranferred back home. I sat with my superviser and we decided on courses that would benefit my research. The IPC at UNCG was a great help – they register all your courses for you. Do not hesitate to contact the IPC or PGIO if you have any queries/questions. Also, make sure you keep all your documents filed, and make sure you have all the orignal copies as well as certified copies – you can never be too safe.
Applying for your visa is fairly straight-forward. Make sure you complete this process as soon as possible. The application is completed online and then you book an in-person appointment at the US Embassy. Remember to bring all required documents along to your interview – they will not allow you inside with all the required documentation. Also, make sure you pay the SEVIS fee before your interview. This happened to me. For some reason I missed the section on the SEVIS fee payment – I thought the application fee and SEVIS fee were the same thing (awkward). So when I arrived for my interview I was met with a R2700 surprise. Without this fee your application cannot be processed. So make sure you cover everything.
When all the paperwork is done, you can relax and start packing. Give yourself at least a few days to pack. Pack only what you need. During the orientation week all the international students will get a chance to go to Walmart where you can buy everything you need – toiletries, bedding, school stuff, etc. If you are going to the South then you need to keep in mind that the weather can be as crazy as Cape Town’s weather. You can easily experience all four seasons in the semester (my exchange was from Jan – May). For example, in March when Spring is about to start you can go to your morning class and it could be -3 degrees Celsius outside, and when you come back in the afternoon it could be 21 degrees Celsius, and then later in the afternoon there could be rain and thunderstorms. Never a dull moment. Do note that in January most clothing stores will have their winter sales, so you can easily find winter stuff for cheap.
Experience at UNCG:
We were only allowed to move into our dorm on the 5th of January, so I decided to book my flight for the 29th of December. This way I could hopefully beat jetlag before I go to UNCG and I could spend some time with my friend, Elaina, in Virginia. I was fortunate enough to become friends with Elaina when she was doing her exchange at Stellenbosch University in 2015 and so the Casares family invited me into their home for a week before I had to go to North Carolina. After an 18-hour flight, I arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. The Casares family lives about 30 minutes from Washington DC, so it was easy for me to do some sightseeing in DC. It was also good to experience what it would be like to live with an American family.
After an 8-hour bus ride from DC, I arrived in Greensboro. When I arrived I immediately recognised a UNCG student, Maggie, who also did an exchange at Stellenbosch with Elaina – small world. Seeing a familiar face made me relax and I was ready for orientation week. I was placed in a room with a student from England – Charles and I clicked right away. I soon realised that not only was I the only exchange student from South Africa, but I was also the only exchange student from Africa. Talk about pressure. At first, I thought it would be a heavy burden because I had to be an ambassador for the entire continent. However, it forced me to get out of my comfort zone and I made sure that I introduced myself to as many people as I could from the get-go. This turned out to work in my favour, because I noticed that throughout the semester some students from the same country tended to stick together and I feel that they might have missed out on a lot of valuale friendships and experiences, in my opinion. So make sure you step out of your comfort zone and make the most of your exchange experience.
As a graduate student I had to take at least 3 courses. So I took 2 graduate courses and 1 undergraduate course. The 2 graduate courses were both 3 hours long – it not unusual to have class until 19:00 or even 21:00. I also decided to take an extra course just for fun. So I joined the UNCG Men’s Glee Club – it was a ton of fun and a great way to meet local students. Classes are different to ours. In my graduate classes we were about 15 students and about 30 students in my undergraduate class. American classes are also much more interactive which I really liked. They were set up in such a way that resembles a roundtable discussion which allowed for peer-to-peer learning. Also, be prepared to have assignments every single week (depending on what you study, of course). Most courses are continuous assessment, so you will have assignments and tests throughout the semester. Your international status does help a lot in class. What I mean by this is that your insights carries a lot of weight. For example, in my Transnational Feminist Politics class I was the only male, only person of colour, and only international student. As such, I felt it was my responsibility to be a good ambassador for my country and to show American students that Africa/South Africa is not just what you see on TV.
The great thing about UNCG is not just that they cover your tuition and housing, but they cover your food as well. This meant that I had an unlimited meal plan – I could eat at the cafeteria as much as I want and as many times as I wanted. When I first walked into the cafeteria it was like I was in food heaven. Anything you can imagine, they had it. They had a stir fry section, sandwich bar, pizza bar, salad bar, grilled section, pasta section, dessert section, you name it. I was so grateful that the gym was free to all UNCG students.
On your exchange you will meet people from all over the world. These people will become your friends, your family. Make the most of your experience abroad. Join an organisation. Join a team sport. Attend an event on campus. Have no regrets.
Return to Stellenbosch:
I arrived back in South Africa on the 18th of May. This was quite a fun surprise because no one knew I was coming back on that day, except for my parents. It was great to see my family and friends again after 5 months. It was also great to eat a proper home-cooked meal. Of course, when I came back all my friends at Stellenbosch were still busy with class and preparing for exams. So the first few weeks were quite lonely, because I was so accustomed to doing something every single day with my friends abroad. Luckily, I had my research to keep me occupied before returning to campus for the second semester.
I have to admit I did not find America to be that much different to South Africa. Yes, America is much bigger and more advanced but it knows how to hide its insecurities very well. Yes, southern hospitality is a thing but there is nothing like coming home to a warm South African smile. But I will say that going on an American roadtrip was definitely a highlight; walking through Diagon Alley in The Wizzarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida was out of this world; walking through Central Park was amazing; and seeing Carrie Underwood and Beyoncé live are experiences I will never forget. But it was the people – internationals and locals – who touched my heart. I saw a side to humanity that I rarely see and they opened my eyes to a different world. For that I am forever grateful.
Going on an exchange is definitely one the best decisions I have made. Shout out to the PGIO as well as Denise Bellamy and Dee Stafford at IPC. Without you none of this would have been possible! Thank you!