During my sophomore year, I remember thinking about where I wanted to study abroad. I love traveling and exploring new places so studying abroad was a must. Europe seemed like the default answer because so many students go there, but why be basic and go to Europe when I could go to Africa?
This semester I will be studying abroad in South Africa at Stellenbosch University. I am so excited for this new chapter and opportunity in my life. There was so much anticipation surrounding going abroad: receiving my acceptance letter to go abroad from Notre Dame, applying to be an exchange student at SU, completing ND’s required modules to prepare for my trip abroad, receiving my acceptance letter from Stellenbosch University, checking my inbox and the university website to see if there were updates, finalizing my housing, going to the South African Embassy in Washington DC to apply for my visa, buying my plane ticket, reaching out to ND students who were in South Africa last year, receiving emails about orientation, watching tik toks posted by SU students about student life, and packing. Now… I leave in 6 days... It almost feels unreal.
I am so excited to decorate my new room, study new classes at a new university, immerse myself in a new culture, see new places, meet new people, try new things, and eat new delicious foods!
