Kelsey's Introduction

Hey everyone! My name is Kelsey Halvorson and I am leaving for Cape Town tomorrow! It hasn't even hit me yet that this time tomorrow I will be on a plane on my way there! I've been told it will all hit me once i'm on the plane which is a bit nerve-racking. I cannot put to words my feelings on being given the opportunity to live out my life long dream in hours. I have been dreaming of experiencing Africa since I can remember. What makes it even better is that I will be making a difference in the community and myself. I am unbelievably excited for what's ahead of me! 

I am a junior at UCONN with a major in history and eventually secondary education. I'm considering minoring in women studies but that is still up in the air. My internship in South Africa is going to be working in Thandokhulu Secondary School in Mowbray which just puts the icing on the cake so to speak. It'll give me the perfect chance to practice my teaching skills and get some real first hand experience which will both help me throughout my future as a teacher. I mean it really doesn't get much better than that. As amazing as the next three and a half months are going to be, leaving behind all my friends and family isn't going to be easy. As soon as I get there I know it'll become so much easier though. As independent as I like to think I can be, I am so happy that there is Skype.  Keeping in contact with everyone back home is going to be really nice. I have a bunch more packing to do so i'll be writing more soon. 

Less than twelve hours until take off and counting AHHHHH :)   

Michael's Introduction

Hello all, I am about to live, study, volunteer, and work alongside twenty fellow University of Connecticut students in Cape Town, South Africa. We will be there for approximately four months. I will be posting entries to this blog throughout my time there.

I am jittery with anticipation for what I am about to start, there will be countless memories and fun to be had. Which is all well and good but honesty I am most excited for the potential personal growth that can spawn from what I am about to see and do. 

As an American I am privileged, and I am well aware of this, however I know I am not realistic or thankful enough for all that is afforded to me. The potential for growth in this area came to my attention when I was waiting for anti-malaria medication this past week. I had to wait in my doctors office for an hour and half and as time went by I became progressively more annoyed at the situation. Looking back I am embarrassed at how absurd my anger was. I was about to receive preventative care for a disease that kills millions. Unfortunately this is only one example of the ungrateful American condition manifesting itself in my everyday attitude, hopefully this will be curbed while I am abroad. 

I imagine the trip will be memorable, but I hope I leave with more than just memories. I hope that I come away with a more realistic and appreciative view of the world.

Ryan's intro

Hi my name is Ryan King and I am a junior majoring in allied health sciences at Uconn. 

In a few days from now we will be departing to Cape Town, South Africa to begin our four month journey into a unique study abroad experience that I am sure will be a life changing experience for all of us. Initially I had no intentions of studying abroad when first coming to Uconn, but over this past summer I had decided to ponder the idea of learning and living in a foreign country and thus began my quest for the perfect program.

 I first heard of this program through a friend of mine who participated last spring and had nothing but exciting stories to tell. After the study abroad fair and talking with other past participants, I knew that I had found the program for me and that I was ready to apply right away. What caught my eye the most however wasn’t that we will be staying in one of the most beautiful places in the world or the fact that my parents grew up in South Africa, but the internship opportunity that we are offered to help out others and the continuing campaign for human rights around the world. I was extremely excited when I found out that I was accepted into this program in October and even more when I found out that I will be interning at Tafelsig Community Clinic allowing me to help others get the care they need while gaining an invaluable insight and experience into health care field that I hope to become a part of one day.

As the 12^th approaches, the day when we will all be reunited at JFK international, the wide range of emotions that I have been feeling becomes stronger and stronger. Emotions of excitement stem from the adventures that lie ahead, becoming a more independent person, meeting new people and family, visiting a new country, and working at the clinic. The nervous feelings that accompany this journey for me will be from the large distance from home, missing friends and family, adjusting to a new culture, and living with new people.

With the trip planned and all set for us to arrive on the 13th, I am far from ready in terms of packing and saying goodbyes, but well prepared to make the best of this opportunity and experience of a lifetime!

Maria's Introducion

My name is Maria Bartolotta, and I am a junior majoring in English and minoring in Spanish.

I am writing this a little less than 24 hours before take off, and I still can't believe I'm really going. Even though it still seems so unreal, I am so incredibly excited to spend a semester in Cape Town. I went into college pretty sure that I didn't want to study abroad at all, but had a total change of heart once I learned more about this specific program from friends who had done it before. Once I realized that I definitely wanted to spend a semester abroad, I looked at other programs that might have more to do with my Spanish minor, or programs that were offered in the fall instead (which works better with my swim schedule), but I wasn't as excited or invested in the idea of studying abroad when I thought of doing any other program. UConn in Cape Town is what got me excited about studying abroad in the first place, and I soon knew that if I was going to study abroad at all, it would be in South Africa. I feel like this program has exactly what I was looking for in a semester away from my home at UConn and I am just as excited to learn and grow as I am to teach and give.

I really don't know what to expect yet, but I'm ready to dive in head-first and step way out of my comfort zone, or at least brace myself for this! I'm going to miss my family, friends, swim team, school, and the basketball games so much that I'm almost nervous, but I know that pure excitement is going to kick in and outweigh everything else. My friends from last year's trip and the year before have been such a big help to me... from telling me that the program is out there, to emotional support, to how to fit everything in my suitcase... I have been very lucky to have them in this process so far. Getting to know the people on our trip is also something that I'm looking forward to. Tomorrow!! Wow!

Nicole's Introduction

Hello! My name is Nicole Hellthaler and I am a sophomore. 

I have always dreamed of working with children, particularly those that are disabled. As a communication disorders major, I am on my way to becoming a speech pathologist. This is the only time while at the University of Connecticut that I can study abroad, so I jumped on the opportunity to go to a place I have never been before. I have never left the country, and was the child crying at my preschool graduation because I hated change. 

Now, I want nothing more than to go to Cape Town. After the study abroad fair, I knew this was the only place I wanted to go. Besides Cape Town being absolutely beautiful, the fact that we would have an internship as well as an activist project stood out to me. I loved that we would be working with and giving back to people in South Africa. Giving to others is extremely important to me, and I could not believe that my dream of leaving the country and my love of helping others were mixed into one opportunity.

While in Cape Town, I am looking forward to my internship working with autistic children. I also cannot wait to go into the townships and talk to people who have been through more than I can imagine. At times I know it is going to be hard, but I think it will also be very inspiring. Although we are going to help, I think those in South Africa are going to teach me more than I could ever imagine. Although I am nervous to leave the people I care about, I am so excited for this amazing adventure that I get to share with my best friend and my soon-to-be great friends.

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!!

Rina's Intro

Rina Patel; Junior (third year); Biology major

Hello everyone! I thought I’d list out the top three important pieces of information so I can get to the good stuff! I am super excited about going to South Africa, especially so because of the study abroad program that I’m participating in; Uconn in Cape Town.  This specific program offers more than just living and studying in a different country, but also valuable experiences and opportunities. 

 I wanted to study abroad with this program because it combined many of my interests.  Learning about other cultures is something I enjoy, and a better way to learn is to immerse yourself into it! I love traveling as well and I place importance on helping others- because we are so lucky/blessed/fortunate, I think we should “share the wealth.”

I hope to learn more about myself, and refine my ideas about my life goals and the steps I need to take in order to achieve them. This program is the best fit for me because it will help me to better myself.

I’m nervous but excited about my internship.  My placement is with the Children’s Resource Center, teaching students about environmental conservation.  This is another connection with my interests and future, because I hope to be involved with these types of efforts. 

I’m the most excited about the activist project.  I hope to do something artistic with the South African children, maybe with poetry.  I also want to help out at a clinic or with the Red Cross. 

            

I can’t wait! Let’s go already!