Introduction from Kristin

Hello, my name is Kristin! I am a junior at UConn majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology.

The UConn in Cape Town program only came to my attention this past fall when I went to the Study Abroad Fair. I was actually planning on going to South Africa with a different program that I had become familiar with during the Spring semester of 2011.  It might have been luck that I stumbled upon the information table for UConn in Cape Town, but once I did there was no turning back.  Over the past few semesters, I have become more and more interested in politics and human rights, trying to somehow integrate these with what I am currently focusing on in my studies at UConn.  This program is not only a study abroad but it is an internship abroad!  It is a great opportunity for me to be working at Maitland Cottage Hospital, I am so excited to be working with children and I suspect it will be a life changing experience. What I also love about this program was seeing how much it really moved the past participants.  I remember sitting in the audience at the symposium, listening to some of their stories and seeing the raw emotion radiate from them. It hooked me even more.  

I am nervous but I think it's more of an excited nervous, and writing about it makes me even more excited. It is still very surreal to me, I can't believe I will be in South Africa in less than 3 days! I am pretty much all packed and ready to go, I bought my SPF 50 sunscreen so hopefully I wont burn to a crisp when I step off the plane.

I will miss my family and friends back here but I know we will Skype and talk throughout my adventures.  I also plan on making a lot of new relationships in Cape Town and getting closer to everyone from UConn as we will be living and experiencing this together for the next few months.  I'm not exactly sure of what to expect but I am open to new people and new experiences. I want to do as much as possible and I know I share this same desire with my other co-educators! I have only heard great things about Cape Town and this program, I hope it doesn't go by too fast and to never take a second for granted!!