By Sara Larson ’27
One of the things I’ve loved most, and will miss the most, about being in South Africa is how genuinely kind people are. South Africans are known for their warm, open nature, and I can honestly say they cultivate a deeply caring culture. I’ve been lucky to become close with a few local students, mostly from Durban and Johannesburg, and it’s been so much fun spending time together, cooking meals, and especially having braais, South Africa’s version of grilling a mix of delicious meats. My local friends have also been incredible study buddies on campus and have really helped me navigate UCT’s grading system, which is quite different from Wesleyan’s. By doing the CIEE Arts and Sciences program, I was directly enrolled at the University of Cape Town. This has been one of my favorite parts of studying abroad because I’ve been able to fully experience campus life, meet my local South African friends and join several UCT clubs. I have become a member of the Mountain & Ski Club, the Underwater Club, and the Ultimate Frisbee team and I wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything.
This past weekend, the Mountain & Ski Club took a camping trip to the Cederberg Mountains. I went on an amazing day hike, did some outdoor climbing, cliff-jumped into a lagoon, and even squeezed in a trail run! Ultimate Frisbee has also been such a fun way to meet people and stay active, especially since UCT’s frisbee field sits right in front of a stunning view of Table Mountain. And through the Underwater Club, I got PADI SCUBA certified by club members after doing a series of shore dives. Even though the Cape Town waters were freezing (it was about 50 degrees fahrenheit at about 8 meters under the surface), it was absolutely worth itto see octopi, stonefish, and sea turtles up close. So so so cool!
Volunteering at Starting Chance
To step outside the city center and gain a deeper understanding of local communities, a few CIEE students and I began volunteering with Starting Chance, a nonprofit that introduces technology to underresourcedschools in Cape Town’s townships. Their goal is to help close skill gaps that emerge from limited educational resources. The organization is run by local and retired teachers, and every Thursday we went in and worked as extra hands in the classroom. Honestly, volunteering quickly became one of the most meaningful parts of my semester. It pushed me to communicate across language barriers with young kids using the little Xhosa I knew, plus a lot of gestures, pictures, and patience.
Safari
On a CIEE excursion, we had the chance to go on a safari, and it was incredible, we saw hippos, lions, elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, ostriches, and zebras. One of the most memorable moments, though, was when my friend accidentally dropped her phone right next to a pack of wildebeest. Our guide immediately jumped out of the vehicle, grabbed it, and came back shaking his head, saying, “Good thing this didn’t happen near the lions’ den.” We all laugh about it now, but none of us really breathed until he was safely back in the jeep.
Traveling to Johannesburg
My friend and I also took a weekend trip to Johannesburg, where we visited the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, and toured Soweto, the township where both Nelson Mandela and Trevor Noah grew up. Joburg was fascinating in a very different way from Cape Town. It’s a major mining city with a much more visible economic divide between affluent neighborhoods and impoverished townships gaps shaped by long-standing systemic inequalities. Seeing Johannesburg firsthand allowed me to compare it to Cape Town, and it highlighted contrasts I wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. My friend and I noticed that Johannesburg’s economic divide felt sharper due to its pronounced spatial segregation, deteriorating infrastructure, and the scale of concentrated poverty and wealth inherited from apartheid. Cape Town is also unequal, but faster growth, stronger governance, and a more integrated, service-based economy make the divide less immediately visible. Even though Joburg remains Africa’s wealth capital, I found that persistent service-delivery challenges made its inequalities far more apparent.
Saying Goodbye
As I get closer to the end of my program, I know that saying goodbye to the friends I’ve made in my program, in my classes, and through the UCT clubs will be incredibly hard. Even with the seven-hour time difference separating me from home, my friends, and my family, I’ve genuinely enjoyed every second of my time abroad. I feel like I’ve grown so much, both as a traveler and as a student. I’m deeply grateful for this experience, and I really feel like I found a true work–life balance here. I’m excited to bring that balance back with me to Wesleyan and keep striving for it once I’m home.