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This summer, 12 students embarked on a trip to Africa. Mostly consisting of juniors and seniors, this small group immersed themselves in the South African cultural while studying the problems that plague the region.
While many student choose to spend a semester or year abroad or not go at all, summer programs offer a chance to see a new country while spending less time and money.
The application deadline for summer programs next year is this November.
The students visited Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, South Africa and Mbabane, Swaziland as part of the International Studies Division’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP).
The purpose of the five-week trip, from June 5 through July 4, was to “examine themes of democratization, development, and conflict in sub-Saharan Africa.” The different locations provided diverse glimpses into the South African culture and economy.
Patricia Rabat, a senior and international studies major, observed contradictions between certain cities in the country.
“It was a mixture of first and third worlds,” Rabat said. “Cape Town is a port city and it had a lot of malls and buildings—you really felt safe. In Durban it was very scary just to walk down the street.”
The students attended Democratization and Development in Africa (POSC 592/INTS 592), a class that explored the history, religion, and culture of Africa. They also traveled throughout South Africa and Swaziland, integrating lectures and real life.
“We got to learn something in the classroom and see it played out in everyday life,” Rabat said.
Part of program included interviewing natives in the cities they visited about their feelings on the developments occurring in their country. This was a major part of the research conducted during the program. Rabat described the uneasiness of beginning the interviews.
“I felt very welcomed, but at first I was scared to approach people,” Rabat said.
Children broke the ice as they excitedly spoke to the students, curious about their presence.
Through their interviews classes and observations, the students were fascinated at the unique South African culture. Unlike the individualistic culture of America, the South African culture emphasized community, said Rabat. Other things like the practice of polygamy surprised the students, but their trips to the various cities impacted them like no interview could.
In Praetoria, they visited the U.S. Embassy and a hospital for HIV/AIDS victims. Some students, moved by the visit, went back to the hospital early the next day.
“It was an eye-opening experience,” Rabat explained. “We made personal attachments and put faces to the disease.”
In Swaziland, the students traveled to a high school were their learned about a girl who could not afford to attend. After hearing this, the students organized and provided money to pay for the girl’s tuition. They committed themselves to sponsor the girl for four years, paying about $200 a year for her education.
Besides viewing the country’s economic and social hardships firsthand, they also had the opportunity to sample a variety of churches in the cities they visited. The churches ranged in ethnic makeup and worship styles. One church in Cape Town actually held service in English for the students, an honor for their guests.
All in all, the African experience was special to the students. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity provided fresh perspectives for the group.
“We did a lot of things you never would have done,” Rabat said. “Culturally, we visited a lot of villages and got to know the African culture. Spiritually, we saw a different side of Christianity. It opened up many opportunities for you personally.”
Instructors said they also benefited from the trip. Dr. Robert Lloyd, International Studies and Languages Division chair and visiting faculty member, said watching the students and their enthusiasm reminded him of the first time he went to the continent.
“It warmed my heart as a professor to see that students wanted to have more class to learn about the issues,” Lloyd said. “It creates a reality and credibility in what I’m doing.”
Unfortunately, the program will not be continued for this upcoming summer. Tim Horton, International Programs Student Office director, said that due to increasing crime rates the program will be held off and re-examined. At the earliest, the program will go forward in the summer of 2008.
Submitted 10-05-2006
MALIBU, CA
