Study Abroad

Pitt in South Africa

Where did I go?

This study abroad trip was a 5 week experience. For the first 4 weeks, we stayed in Cape Town, a beautiful city on the coast with lots of opportunities to learn about culture and history. Still in recovery from the horrific events of the Apartheid, spending time in Cape Town gave me a look into the dichotomy between the modern, touristy beaches, and the poverty-ridden townships. During this time in Cape Town, we took a number of interesting trips including Robben Island, the District Six Museum, and the Cape of Good Hope. For the last week, we flew to a city more inland called Johannesburg. This historic city is home to gold and diamond mines as well as one of South Africa’s largest townships – Soweto.

 

This study abroad program still runs every June. Follow the link below to find out more:

https://www.abroad.pitt.edu/southafrica

What did I do?

During this study abroad trip, I took a course about U.S. Foreign Policy in Africa. My professor and Pitt staff, Dr. John Stoner, was an awesome wealth of knowledge both on the subjects in his course and the areas we traveled to. This course gave me an interesting look into how our politics in the United States have affected so many of the African countries. We specifically addressed ways that U.S. policy has impacted various social problems throughout these countries. Our impact is bigger than we realize.

 

The second half of my studies revolved around a service learning course with the Amy Beihl Foundation. We were able to spend our afternoons in after school programs in the Cape Town Flats. I volunteered in a discussion group with high school students. They talked about current and relevant stressors, some of which were very similar to American teenagers, like navigating romantic relationships or disliking school, while others were so different, such as community prostitution or education about AIDS/HIV. Spending time with this group of kids really allowed me to see into a more collectivist culture and gave me the understanding that stress and other factors that can lead to mental health struggles are all relative to your environment.