As a fourth-year international affairs major, I have had so many memorable experiences with SPIA. One that stands out above the rest was studying abroad in South Africa two summers ago. I did a month-long maymester in Stellenbosch, a small town about an hour from Cape Town. I got to take classes at Stellenbosch University in the mornings, then spend afternoons exploring the campus and the rest of the town! We spent each weekend together, touring around Cape Town and other monumental spots in the Western Cape of South Africa.

The course I took was called African Politics. Taking a SPIA class on study abroad was so special because we were learning about political phenomena in class and then seeing them play out in real life. Our African Politics class helped explain things we saw when walking around Stellenbosch. Because of this, our class had energetic discussions every day. The course gave us the tools to understand the world around us as we experienced it.

I feel so lucky to experience this study abroad and recommend this program to anyone! South Africa might seem far away, but I made many connections with the people and place. Being with SPIA professors and peers makes it even easier, and anyone would be lucky to experience the beauty of Stellenbosch!

Ellie Loventhal – International Affairs and Sociology Double  Major