A Blog about Education Abroad

Category: Study Abroad Advice

  • Danielle Ceronio at Clemson University, USA

    Danielle Ceronio at Clemson University, USA

    I would like to mention how stressful preparing for my semester abroad was. I really would like to put it into words, but I can’t. Mostly because I can’t remember how stressful it was. I know for certain that I was stressed, but the whole experience overshadowed that part of my exchange. Which, to me, is just an indication of how worthwhile all the effort and stress was.

    If I could’ve done anything differently I would have done everything two weeks earlier than I thought I needed to. Start VISA applications, go for the necessary vaccinations, and apply for your courses as soon as you possibly can. Don’t stress too much about which modules to choose though, because chances are they will change another four times before you start classes. It’s just the way things are, so there’s no use worrying about it. I ended up only doing two of the courses I initially wanted to do. I also ended up accidentally doing a public speaking course… So probably check what a course is about before selecting it.  It helps to be a bit persistent when applying for modules though, because sometimes the lecturers forget they already rejected you for a particular course.

    What I definitely did right, pre-departure, was to make a comprehensive to-do list that I worked from for four months preceding my trip. My list was comprised of sixteen A4 pages that I taped together and stuck on my wall and frantically highlighted and scribbled on at least once a day like a mad woman. Those pre-departure months really tune up your admin skills. And you for sure need to be at the top of your admin game to prepare you for all of the inevitable issues with getting a phone plan, organizing medical insurance, and all sorts of other painful business. But those things, like with the problems registering for courses, will all work out.

    Something else to prepare for is to be overwhelmed by orange. From the first day I arrived in Clemson I was assaulted by a wave of orange. I walked around looking at students, parents, grandparents, and infants all in the trademark orange Clemson merch. I remember thinking to myself, “I’ll die before I’m caught wearing that.” And now half the stuff in my cupboard is orange.

    The orange merch turned out to be useful, especially on game days. When I went to Clemson the football team had just won the ACC Championships the year before, so everyone on campus lived and breathed football. The athletes themselves are treated like Gods. I had a couple players in my class which is the only place I saw them on campus because the rest of the time they are driven between classes in cars with tinted windows. They also have their own private gym and training centre and dining hall. Personally, I didn’t see what the big deal was. But maybe that’s because my favourite part of the football was the tailgating beforehand.

    Tailgating and game days are a full-day thing. Our tradition was to meet up at 10h00 in someone’s apartment to crack open the first Bud Light and have breakfast. An hour or so after that, things would escalate dramatically when we would meet up with everyone else in the exchange community and start a round of beer pong. Once everyone started to look sufficiently blurry we would head onto campus where every couple of feet someone had set their pick-up trucks and cooler boxes. Everyone is very welcoming and it’s easy enough to find tailgates that are happy to have a couple international students hanging around. They love you and they feed you and they give you more beer until everyone packs up and heads for the game.

    Tailgating is not the only American tradition you can participate in. You should also give a couple others a try too: play cornhole, go to home-coming, carve pumpkins on Halloween, have a thanksgiving feast, go to the mall on Black Friday. And the whole semester long you can just go absolutely mental about fall (drink pumpkin spice lattés until you throw up, wear scarves when it’s still 30 degrees out, snort some cinnamon, go wild).

    There are a lot of traditions specific to Clemson too. Take part in some Leisure Skills classes – that way you can do things like Yoga or Riflery or Stand-Up Paddle Boarding for credits. Another Clemson tradition I highly recommend is going to Tiger Town Tavern (locally known as Triple T’s) to get a free T-shirt on your 21st. And if you are already 21 then tell them you’re an international student looking for a souvenir. Never be afraid to play the international card. All you have to do is sound foreign and confused.

    The international card can be used when you’re lost on campus, when you don’t know how the self-checkout tills at Walmart work, or when you can’t figure out the stupid Imperial Measurement system. The international card came in handy when I needed to excuse myself from classes so I could go traveling with fellow exchange students. There are plenty of places close by which make for a perfect weekend trip. A few of the places I visited during the semester included Nashville, Charleston, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Atlanta. If you can get five people together and rent a car then travelling to nearby states is really affordable.

    If you are invited for a weekend trip and have the resources to go, but aren’t sure whether you want to go, take the opportunity anyway. One of the best trips I took was staying in an RV for four days with six other people so we could go watch the NASCAR in Alabama. Neither NASCAR nor RVs seemed like my kind of thing, but it was a true American experience and I’m so glad that I did it.

    Speaking of things which aren’t my kind of thing, it can’t go unmentioned that the Southern States are predominantly red states. The stereotypes of these conservative states are all true. Every second person is in camouflage, their patriotism is almost tangible (and they whack you with it regularly), you can buy guns at Walmart, and almost every local I met was an avid supporter of Trump. I discovered that when I looked at things from a more anthropological perspective, it was a lot easier to not want to argue about politics and religion and social issues and all the other tricky topics 24/7. And although this may all sound a little scary and frustrating, the other stereotypes about the Southern States are true too. The locals are exceptionally hospitable, everyone calls each other “ma’am” and “sir,” the accents may be the most charming thing I’ve ever heard, and there’s fried chicken as far as the eye can see. There’s so much fried food everywhere that by a month in you’ll be craving anything with real nutritional value. It’s all part of the experience. And you’ll have plenty of time to remember what health tastes like when you get back home. And that time will come before you know it.

    Time on the exchange moves very strangely. For most of the time it felt like I’d been in Clemson for years and like I’d known the friends I made there my whole life. At some points it also feels like it won’t end – like you’re just going to go home for the holidays and then come back and see everyone again next semester. But despite all those feelings of permanence, I now have to think about really small, obscure details to remind myself that it all actually happened because a semester goes by so quickly. And it’s odd to think that my goal for the past four years has now been achieved.

    That being said, it’s good to be home and around the people I love. You gain a real appreciation for your home country when you’ve lived somewhere else for a couple of months. I appreciate the South African humour so much more now. And I appreciate the way we do things. I know we have our issues, but I think we’re better for it. For example, loadshedding is a nightmare, but the excitement everyone has each time the lights come back on never dissipates. It also always gives people something to relate on. So even the bad things are not all bad.

    When I first got back I felt like everything had changed. But mostly it’s me who has changed. I hope that some of the ways I’ve changed will become a fundamental part of my character, and other changes I hope will fade fast – like my new-found love of country music.

    Most people ask me if my time in South Carolina was how it is in the movies. The truth is that the movies don’t do the whole American college experience justice. It’s so much more than you can ever capture in words or on camera.

     

  • Courtney Mocke at Maastricht University, The Netherlands

    Courtney Mocke at Maastricht University, The Netherlands

    Pre-departure:

    The exchange semester included in BCom International Business is one of the most attractive features of the degree. So when exchange finally approached, to say I was a tangled mess, feeling both excited and overwhelmed, is an understatement! After careful consideration and many late nights doing research into each available institution, I had eventually felt lead to Maastricht University in the Netherlands. This was largely due to their renowned international orientation and progressive Problem Based Learning (PBL) education system and, if I’m being honest, its prime location for traveling in Europe.

    I was pleasantly surprised (and relieved) by the level of organization and communication from Maastricht University. Once our nominations went through from Stellenbosch, I was contacted by Maastricht almost immediately with a detailed PDF on how next to proceed. They essentially held my hand and guided me through the entire process – applying for housing, applying for my residential visa, setting up my university profile and registering for my courses – and were both quick and happy to respond to any queries that I emailed to them.

    Approximately 50% of Maastricht University’s student body is comprised of international students and they offer an extensive exchange program, and it truly shows. The university organized housing for me and provided me with a housing scholarship; they prompted me regarding the necessary documents for my residential visa as they did the application through their in-house visa office; and my email inbox was filled to the brim with relevant PDF documents that pre-empted all my many questions and also made sure I knew the ins and outs of all the academic (and social) life at Maastricht… I was never at a loss for information and assistance.

    And while it was relatively smooth sailing because of Maastricht’s hands-on approach, that’s not to say there weren’t a couple of hiccups on my side. I received an email to say that my long-stay visa was ready for collection, but when I arrived to collect it from the embassy in Pretoria, they had no record of my application! Long (and stressful) story short, the university does the application for you on their side, however you still need to book an appointment to apply for the document collection in South Africa too. At this appointment, you are required to hand in your passport, so while the turnover time is relatively quick, allow some time for that. Apparently the wording of the email is misleading and the embassy is in the process of adjusting it, so I took some small comfort in the fact that I was amongst many other people who had made the same mistake!

    Nevertheless, the level of professionalism, efficiency and clear communication from the university put my (and both my parents’) minds at ease. I am so grateful for the impressive organization of their international department, since it truly allowed me to enjoy the excitement (and bypass a lot of the pre-departure admin stress) in the time leading up to my departure.

    Experience at Host University:

    Maastricht’s Problem Based Learning system is a major drawcard to the university. So I approached the academic aspect of my exchange semester with a mixture of apprehension and intrigue. Having grown accustomed to the Stellenbosch education system, in which it is easy to disengage from the work when you sit in a lecture hall of hundreds of students, the interactive PBL system required some adjustment.

    I quickly learnt that the system is one that demands a lot of time and effort from the students. I attended weekly classes that took the form of interactive tutorials with 10 to 15 people, had extensive lists of articles to get through and self-prepare ahead of each tutorial, had to facilitate and lead the discussion on several occasions, and was required to participate in numerous group projects. Simply put: it was a lot of hard work and the responsibility for your learning falls squarely on your shoulders.

    However, it was the most captivated and engaged I’ve ever been with university content (and, therefore, the most prepared I’ve felt when it came to exams). I took a range of subjects including Comparative Management, Globalization Debate, Brand Management and Management of Organizations, and finally ended my semester with a practical term on Presentation Skills (which was a leap out of my comfort zone that ended up being so rewarding). The tutorials are monitored by tutors (usually Masters students) who do not participate in the discussions, unless they intervene to clarify a concept. Therefore, we learnt through discussing and debating amongst ourselves, so I quickly learnt to find my voice, formulate informed opinions and open my mind to the many different perspectives of students from all over the world. This system of engaging with one another also meant I was no longer an anonymous exchange student engulfed in a large lecture hall. It gave me so many opportunities to meet people and get to know one another and I made some of my best friends on exchange through tutorials together.

    Another attractive feature of Maastricht University is its strong international inclination. With a diverse student body, many exchange programs and internationally-oriented academic and research content, I was never the “outsider” as an exchange student. Meeting people from different countries was the norm and varying perspectives and experiences from all different parts of the world were embraced. I honestly appreciated this component of my exchange. It was enlightening to make internationally-diverse friends, comforting that the university makes all provisions for exchange students, and it also meant that there was no real language barrier since English was the common language of communication.

    This demography extends into the city itself. Maastricht, being on the border of Belgium and Germany, is internationally-diverse and is truly student-oriented with the campus extending all across the city (much like Stellenbosch). My attachment to the city happened very slowly at first, and then seemingly all at once it began to feel like home when I would return from traveling in Europe.

    When I wasn’t preparing for tutorials or working in groups on projects, I would take every opportunity to travel. This was the dream of so many of us: embracing the academic opportunity that exchange provides, but also taking full advantage of the privilege that it is to travel and have diverse cultural experiences. I spent most weekends traveling in the Netherlands, to Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Spain, either meeting up with fellow Stellenbosch students on exchange or with newfound international friends. As many of us agreed upon our return: the lows were low, but the highs were really high. And these opportunities and memories were the experiences that made all the physical, emotional and admin challenges of exchange worth it.

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    As I mentioned before, the adjustment to exchange happened very slowly at first, and then suddenly all at once. Honestly, the first couple of months were lonely.

    And they were filled with so many embarrassing stumbles as I navigated public transport (even more so when attempting this with luggage!), staring at prices trying to convert euros to Rands (pro-tip: don’t do it to yourself), initiating conversations with total strangers, and navigating icy, rainy weather conditions.

    But upon my return to South Africa, I realized that those “lonely” moments became moments of introspection, re-evaluating myself and my aspirations (plus, those lonely moments didn’t last forever and the friends I made were worth the wait).

    And those “embarrassing” moments just broke down some of my defense mechanisms, and I slowly learnt that it was okay not to have everything figured out and that sometimes all I needed to do was be patient with myself (and, more often than not, just to laugh at myself). These lessons were so empowering and I’m holding on tightly to the person that I grew into upon my return.

    The return home was an unexpected adjustment. I expected a sense of relief that comes with the familiarity of home, and comfort in knowing how things work and the norms of South Africans in general. And that was present to some extent, but I struggled to reconcile that while seemingly nothing had changed in my external home environment, so much had changed within me. Almost everything felt conflicted. I felt frustrated with the apathy that characterizes so much of South African infrastructure, because I was so impressed by the self-discipline, efficiency and integrity that made up so much of the Dutch culture. And yet, for all the productivity and straight-forward communication of the Dutch, the beauty of our country and the open warmth and friendliness of South Africans is unparalleled. When I landed at OR Tambo International upon my return, the man at passport control told me “welcome home”. I may have shed a tear or two. And I could write an entire blog post dedicated to the natural beauty of our country, and my renewed appreciation for it.

    While I learnt that traveling is the most enriching experience and prompts so much personal growth, I also learnt that South Africa is home. And a beautiful one. My future plans definitely include traveling. In what capacity, I’m not sure yet, but I do know that I will grab any chance that enables me to travel, pushing back my personal barriers and experiencing diverse cultures. And then I will return home to South Africa at the end of every venture.

    Ultimately, exchange is an opportunity I would recommend to everyone. It puts everything into perspective when your world is expanded in that way, both externally and internally. Exchange prompted much introspection, invaluable lessons on independence and self-reliance, re-evaluating my plans for the future and also opened me up to a network of people all across the world. I will always be grateful for these invaluable outcomes and, most of all, grateful that exchange was the catalyst for my pursuit of the person I am growing into.

  • Collin Andrew Sheriff at University of Bristol, England

    Collin Andrew Sheriff at University of Bristol, England

    Before departure – South Africa

    Planning for a semester exchange abroad is vital and almost just as daunting as actually departing. One Thursday morning in September of 2019 I was packed (excited and anxious), and ready to depart to Bristol, England for my four-month exchange at the prestigious University of Bristol. However, my pre-departure preparations started many months earlier. In order to enter the United Kingdom with a South African passport I required a visa – either a Tier 4, or Short-Term student visa valid for 180 days. I applied for the latter as it was more affordable and is generally processed and approved quicker. You can only apply within three months of departing, which is not an issue considering UK visas generally get approved two weeks after applying. The entire operation is rather straightforward as I only needed to make an embassy appointment and provide all the needed paperwork – such as proof of course acceptance letters, flight information and host university accommodation documents, all of which gets provided to you (be sure to print these out before you visit the embassy).

    Before arriving in Bristol exchange students need to choose their accommodation in advance out of a list of nearly 30 different university halls – these halls are located in three difference villages; North (Stoke Bishop), West (Clifton Village) and East (City Centre). Choose wisely as each accommodation has its pros and cons. For instance, the North village accommodation is roughly a 40-minute walk from the university, although the university does provide all students with a year-long bus pass. Furthermore, accommodation cost is calculated per week (ranging from £100 to £300+) and is split up between villages as well as catered and non-catered. I chose the picturesque grounds of Goldney Hall in the West village as it was nearest to both Bristol City Centre and the university campus, at a reasonable price. The accommodation costs are covered by a housing bursary receivable from the host university (the difference in accommodation cost and bursary is entirely receivable/payable by you); and all accommodation information is also on the University of Bristol webpage. Prior to my arrival I needed to apply for housing on Bristol university’s accommodation portal which also shows your application status and other important information.

    I also needed to select the modules and classes I would like to take before arriving, however, I got to amend this in the first week of classes. Registering from classes is fairly easy when using the host university’s online portals (MyBristol.co.uk) and as an exchange student, the university’s exchange officials are in constant contact via email to answer any questions you might have. Word of advice, register for more units than what your credit requirements are – this will give you options for choosing your favorite modules later on. Stick to registering for first (C/4) and second (I/5) year modules as the work is generally more advance than Stellenbosch (I took a second-year economics module that covered work done at master’s level at Stellenbosch). All unit information will be available in the Programme Catalogue on Bristol.ac.uk.

    When it comes to booking flights be sure to buy your ticket well in advance to ensure the best deals. I opted to book my ticket from Cape Town to London and then took a train to Bristol (about a two-hour journey) since public transport is very reliable – I also suggest keeping luggage at a minimum (I had two 20-kilogram suitcases).

    University of Bristol – England

    The day I arrived I was unaware of the immensely busy week that laid ahead. All international students move into accommodation a day before English students arrive (usually the 19th or 20th of September), thereafter you will start to meet all your flat mates (unfortunately you will not be able to find out who you live with until you move in – however, don’t be anxious, I ended up making friends for life with everyone in my flat and we’re planning our England-South Africa visits).

    First things first, in order to receive your bursary from the university you will need to open a UK bank account – you can only do this once you have fully registered and received a physical copy of your proof of registration. All registrations happen in the first two days so be sure to keep an eye out for emails stating when, where and in which building registrations take place (usually in the magnificently grand Wills Memorial Building) – this is also where you will receive your U-card (student ID). Once you have received your proof of registration you’ll need to book an appointment with a bank of your choice (the university provides a PDF document stating all the possible banks and their perks – I opted for HSBC since I could freely transfer money internationally). Opening a bank account is fairly easy and about two or three weeks after you have submitted your UK banking details to the university (on MyBristol) you will receive your scholarship.

    After you have moved in you will need to sort out bedding, kitchen utensils and general living equipment – I suggest taking the local bus to Ikea for all your needs (invite your flat-mates and make it a fun outing). Now it’s time for Freshers! Freshers in the first week (o-week) where students mingle and meet course mates while attending university-, and society-planned activities. Take advantage of these as you will meet loads of new people and get free meals since most events offer food. Freshers is concluded with the Freshers Fair where every new student can go to sign up for societies, meet new people and receive freebies. I decided to sign up to numerous societies and I was definitely not disappointed. I ended up becoming part of the Clifton Crusaders Rugby Team and played numerous matches, I joined badminton and lacrosse teams, I joined the Bristol United Nations society, the Economics and Finance society, the Jive Dance society and of course the Wine & Gin society. I also ran in the JCR (Junior Common Room) elections (much like Stellenbosch HK) and stood as JCR International Representative for my hall of residence where we had a budget of £40,000 (nearly R1m) to organize residence events such as formals. I strongly suggest taking part as much as you can as this is going to make your exchange so much more enriched. Furthermore, do not feel pressured to buy the Freshers Wristband, although I would strongly recommend it, regardless of what your flat mates do, since you will save a lot of money and meet a lot of new people all while learning about Bristol and British live in general.

    After Freshers you will have your first lectures. Much like Stellenbosch you will need to construct your own lecture timetable and cross-check any timetable restrictions and clashes – this can easily be rectified by seeing your course coordinator (usually at Priory Road Complex for business modules). Be sure to attend classes more religiously than in Stellenbosch, as the pace of work is much faster – lectures also tend to be two hours as opposed to 50 minutes in Stellenbosch so prepare accordingly. Lectures tend to be longer since contact-hours (lectures) per week is low; students are expected to do more individual revision than in Stellenbosch.

    Furthermore, most modules only have one opportunity to gain marks (most exams count 100% of the unit) or a substantial assignment that requires work throughout the semester. The grading system in England is also very different from Stellenbosch University. Beware, do not expect to achieve the same mark at Bristol as you would at Stellenbosch – for instance, any work that receives a mark of 85-90% or above is likely to be published in newspapers (kind off). Generally anything above 60% is considered good, also known as a 2:1 (‘two-one’). Anything between 50 and 59 is a 2:2 (‘two-two’) and anything above 70% is a distinction (or ‘First’) – the pass rate is 40%. Lastly, don’t worry about buying textbooks as all prescribes textbooks are available at one of the university’s six libraries.

    Some extra added advice: stay informed and be involved in as much as you can! After signing up to the university’s mailing list and going to a ‘Careers in Consultancy’ event, I ended up meeting a large London-based consultancy firm’s recruitment officer. Long story short, I got invited to attend an all-paid graduate case-study training weekend at the firm’s London offices, after which I went to their flagship event and secured an interview for their Operations Consultant vacancy. At the flagship event I also had the opportunity to speak to numerous experienced consultants, associates, MD’s and even the CEO.

    The Return- South Africa

    Before I knew it my British exchange was all finished (sadly I didn’t even end up meeting Her Majesty the Queen), and it was time for me to pack my bags and embark on the 20+ hour journey back home. Notably, although I knew about so-called ‘post-exchange depression’ I thought little of it coming home to sunny South Africa. However, although it was not very severe, it is definitely something I would suggest preparing for. To a certain extent I had to re-adjust to normal ‘pre-exchange’ routines; nonetheless, after classes started I quickly found my feet again. During the first few weeks back one of the greatest challenges (funnily enough) was adjusting to the scolding Stellenbosch heat; something I completely forgot about in my daily 3 degrees Celsius Bristol commute. Furthermore, however insignificant, I felt that the pace of work in lectures at Stellenbosch is abnormally slow, but I got used to this as well.

    Ultimately, my experiences abroad definitely had a substantial impact on me and where I see myself in years to come. Being fully submerged in a foreign culture truly lays the foundations for a more open-minded perspective on the world, devoid of any and all bigotry and prejudices. This, amongst other things, is one of my greatest realizations, which could only be brought about by an academic exchange. I would definitely consider future career opportunities in England and I am in the process of applying for postgraduate studies in Bristol and London. Lastly, I also returned home with a revitalized appreciation for our beautiful country and all its problems. All countries (including England) have their own socio-economic challenges and, more often than not, the grass is not greener on the other side. Nevertheless, in this case England’s grass is a tad greener (possibly just from all the rain!). Altogether, my exchange ended up being the best few months of my entire degree and possibly my life. I would definitely recommend all students to embark on this adventurous and challenging journey as it broadens your scope of thought and expands your horizons in terms of academics and future prospects, all while meeting wonderful people. So, if anyone wants some pointers for exchanging to Bristol University, or England in general, (as per quintessential British etiquette) let’s have a pint and talk about it.