Study Abroad for the Soul

I am a lover of travel, and now consider myself a global citizen. During the second semester of my junior year at Howard University, I had the pleasure of studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa for approximately 6 months. This was one of the best decisions I could have made in life, and easily the best decision I made during my matriculation through Howard! This was such a transformational experience, and it exposed me to a world much larger than the borders surrounding America. I truly think every student while in college should prioritize studying abroad, and if not, at least travel to enhance your intellectual consciousness as it relates to the global world and your place in it.

My time in South Africa was transformational from the time I first landed, until the day I sadly had to leave. One of the first trips we experienced as a study abroad cohort was a tour of Langa, which is the oldest township in Cape Town, South Africa. Essentially, this trip was poverty tourism, which is an issue worth examining individually, but the experience really touched me! Prior to this tour, I was passionate about social justice, fighting against injustices, and addressing issues of poverty and capitalism. Therefore, this visit had confirmed for me things I had already planned to accomplish in both my personal and professional life related to education, storytelling, and social justice. Additionally, this experience was touching for me because having exposure to such issues in real time truly stimulated my questioning of the world around me. My thoughts were intensified, and I began to think in a global perspective. Lastly, this experience influenced me to establish new goals of expanding my efforts and goals in life to an international reach beyond American soil. I remember vividly how sad I was thinking about the damage that poverty has on people, and its effect on the world. I am a true believer in creating a world where everyone can live healthy, purposeful, and sustainable lives!

Moving forward, my academic and educational experience in South Africa was quite complex. My journey transitioned from confusion to appreciation, and I loved that! Upon my enrollment in classes at The University of Cape Town, I recall being perplexed regarding the University’s grading system, and grading methodology. The range for receiving an A was between 75 and 100, 60-74 for a B, and 50-59 for a C. Initially, I thought how easy it would be to receive an A based on my experience in the American education system. However, I was in for a rude awakening because I failed to realize how strict their grading was. Also, many professors graded based on what students knew. Therefore, additional points were deducted if a student circled or wrote the wrong answer to a question. This method essentially awarded students points based on what they knew, and not how many questions they got correct. It was hard to receive an A in any class, and these policies align well with how serious South Africans take their education. Though I was initially annoyed by these adjustments and new ideologies, I grew to appreciate them tremendously. This made me question the true value of education: What does education actually mean? Does the American education system set its students up for success? How can I take more autonomy over my individual learning? I am thankful for such an insightful academic experience that truly made me a better student of life outside of a traditional classroom.

Something that also contributed to life outside of a traditional classroom was my service-learning experience in South Africa. If possible, I highly encourage everyone to participate in a form of service- learning at some point during your future travel. It is such an informative experience and it was the icing on the cake for my study abroad experience. I took a class called “Community Development”, and one of the requirements was to participate in a service-learning assignment and write a research paper to be presented at the end of the program. I volunteered with three NGOs; The Sozo Foundation, Wordworks, and SHAWCO Education. Working with these three organizations was truly excellent. I was able to work with community leaders and support their efforts in enhancing their communities and lives of their citizens. Through my service-learning initiative, I was able to immerse myself into South African culture more easily and it gave me great talking points with students at the University of Cape Town, who were already very familiar with the experiences I encountered.

My study abroad experience was truly transformational and I encourage everyone to study abroad, travel outside the United States, or do anything globally related because it will truly impact your perspective about the world, your existence as a black person living in America, and even your purpose in life. It is such an experience to expose yourself to the greater world that exists and connect with people from so many different walks of life. I think, it is quite beautiful and a great soul booster! If there’s anything I can leave you with, it would be to take initiative and travel. You won’t regret it. Bet on yourself and live your best life!