Tidbits about South Africa

I'm going to South Africa, which is in Southern Africa. "South Africa" is a country, and "Southern Africa" is a region of Africa that encompasses South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique as well as the kingdoms of Losotho and Swaziland (which are inside S.A.).
There are 9 provinces in South Africa, each with their own capitol- though the country itself has only (only) three capitols, each one serving a specific organizational function. My Province is the "Western Cape" and the capital is Cape Town- which is one of the three capitols (the legislative capitol). Although South Africa has 11 official languages, there are a lot more spoken in rural areas that are considered to be endangered. Afrikaans (rooted in 17th century Dutch) and English are the main spoken languages (in public) in my province, as well as in the Northern Province.

Stellenbosch (about 50 km east of Cape Town) is the city in which I'll live and study. Stellenbosch University "lies in the picturesque Jonkershoek Valley in the heart of the Western Cape Winelands." I didn’t know South Africa had a “Wineland” either, but apparently they do- and they're actually a major wine producer. I’ve been to a few liquor stores here in Plymouth and have had no trouble getting a few bottles (you know, for research).

The university was established in the 17th century (I know!) and has since grown to have 24,000 students, (UMn had about 28,000 last year) and 800 lecturers. Furthermore, it's recognized as one of the top 4 research universities in S.A. and it has one of the countries highest proportions of post-graduate students. The educational standards here rival that of many U.S. institutions, and the education I'm going to get is going to make me a very competitive graduate student. I'll be housed with other international students in my program in the Concordia housing, which appear to be apartments (right picture).

They have Southern Hemisphere Semesters so the first semester starts at the end of January and runs until June and the second semester is July to early December. Great thing is, the semesters are busted up into terms, with a week off in between. They also have two opportunities for taking a final exam, so if the first one doesn't go your way, you can try it again! On the flip side, in reviewing course information, most of the points are just one final at the end vs. in the U.S. where we have exams/quizzes/homeworks. Oh, and to be full-time, you have to take 15 credits. FIFTEEN credits. 1-5.

As Stellenbosch has a dedication to maintain Afrikaans culture, 51% of courses are taught in either all Afrikaans or partially in Afrikaans. Many of the courses I've been approved to take (which are in ecology & entomology) are offered in English, but some are taught partially in Afrikaans. They have a policy that exams and quizzes can be taken in the language of your choice though, so even if I don't follow lectures, I'll at least be able to read the questions.

roosterbrood.....dertien.....soetmieles......vliegtuig (this is virtually unpronounceable)

The climate is radically varied throughout the country, depending on where you are, due to distance from the equator as well as altitude. When I arrive in January it will be summer and the hottest of days will only be around 26 C. My winters (your summers) will apparently only reach 7 C. For you non-science geeks, you can do the C to F conversion on your own time.

Some common questions I've gotten:

1) What is the time difference? I'll be 7-8 hours ahead of you, depending on daylight savings time.
2) Will you call me? No, but for those that simply must see/talk to me, there's "Skype" and I should have regular online access.
3) Is it expensive? The African Rand/U.S. dollar has a very favorable exchange rate, so it's a cheaper study abroad placement than other destinations. It's about $18,000 dollars for one year there, which includes tuition, room and 3 meals a day. I think that's a pretty good deal. Yes, financial aid will help with these costs.
4) Will you ever come back? ......yes?
5) Where will Buffy go? Buffy will stay with her grand-parents to whom she is already bonded. The Hisser Roaches have been adopted by a friend who also appreciates insects (however cautiously). I'm still looking for a home for the Tail-less Whip Scorpion, if anyone's interested (it's harmless, just scary looking).