The Who, What, When, Where, and Why?

I thought I'd start this blog to keep in touch with all my friends and family while I spend 5 weeks traveling in South Africa over the summer studying education and history.  This will definitely be my longest entry, but I thought everyone might want to know what exactly it is that I am doing.


When?
I am leaving in 10 short days (May 13th)!!! I'm leaving from Detroit, then transferring planes in Amsterdam before continuing on to Johannesburg.
I am leaving South Africa 36 days later (June 18th) and flying from Cape Town to Amsterdam and finally back to Detroit.


It's an 18 hour flight, but with the layovers, it will take over a day to get from one place to another :(


Where?

I will be in 8 different cities in South Africa over a 5 week period.  From 1 to 8, the cities I'll be staying in are 
1.Pretoria and Johannesburg 
2.Durban
3.The Hluhluwe Game Park 
4.Transkei in the Eastern Cape 
5.Umtata, 
6.King Williamston and Fort Hare 
7.Port Elizabeth
8.Cape Town
We stay in different kinds of housing in all the cities we are visiting.  Everything from dorms, apartments, hostels, and home stays with families.



What?
So, what am I doing during this study abroad? 
I am taking two independent studies, one in teacher's education and one in history (both are my majors).  A study abroad isn't a vacation, I have a list of assignments, papers to write, and exams to take while I am in South Africa.  However, the learning is a lot more hands on than it is in a regular class.


What will I be doing in the different cities?
Every city will have a focus on something different.
1. Pretoria and Johannesburg

• Introduction/setting the context of how schooling and education in South Africa works.  Which means A LOT of lectures and discussions about history, culture, and politics in South Africa. And A LOT of visits to museums.

2. Durban

• Here, we will be focusing on HIV-AIDS in South Africa.  Over 5 million people in South Africa are currently HIV positive or living with HIV-AIDS.  This is the most in the WORLD.
• We'll have lectures about AIDS education in South Africa.
• Visit schools, educational institutions, and NGOs (non-govt organizations)w working to educate people and stop the spread of aids.

3. Hluhluwe Game Park

• A small get away weekend and a game park.  I will see lots of animals and sleep in a tent/hut in the middle of the park (don't worry, the animals won't be able to get to us.)

4. Transkei in the Eastern Cape

• This is the first rural place I will be staying in.  The focus here is on rural development issues. Here I will be visiting schools, NGOs working on community development, and doing a service project.

5. Umtata

• I am especially excited for this, I will be visiting Nelson Mandela's birth place, youth-center, and museum.  Also, I'll be staying with a local family in their home. 

6. King Williamston, Fort Hare

• This is the first African University I will be visiting, we will again be focusing on rural development issues with education.

7. Port Elizabeth

• This is called the "Detroit of South Africa" it's a huge port and city in South Africa.  In Port Elizabeth we will be focusing on the school to work transition and industry.  We'll also be learning about resistance in the Eastern Cape.
• I'll spend one night in the Tsitsikamma Park before leaving for Cape Town.

8. Cape Town

• In Cape Town the focus is on townships.  There will be a lot of community service projects and tours of different places.
• In Cape Town we will be visiting Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters were imprisoned), District Six (urban displacement area), Cape Point (Boulder/Penguin Park), the South African Parliament, and taking a tour of the Wine Country (drinking age is only 18, yay!!)

Who?

Obviously I'm not doing this by myself.  There's 11(?) students going on the trip, all girls.  We have a professor leading the program who will be with us the whole time and a grad student coming along as his assistant.

Why?

Why did I choose South Africa?  Well, I am part of the Global Educators Cohort Program at Michigan State University.  It's a section of the College of Education that focuses on education with a more global perspective.  Everyone in the cohort has to complete a study abroad before their junior year of college.  I first heard about the program when Dr. Metzler (the prof traveling with us) gave a presentation to my TE150 class.  Before I had heard about this particular program, South Africa was a place I was interesting in going to for my study abroad.  This program was so perfect, I'll be doing exactly what I love while I am in schools and learning about the history and cultures that define South Africa and their education system.