Skip to content

Month: September 2018

Published on

By Julia McNally

14 July, 2018

Kia Ora! Welcome to the written record of my semester abroad at the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand. Although I arrived only a week ago, it feels like it could have been months.

As classes don’t start until tomorrow, this week has been full of exploration and bonding. I am here as an international exchange student directly between GW and the University of Auckland, rather than through a study abroad provider program. There are benefits and drawbacks to not being in a program. Benefits such as the independence to arrive when I wanted to, the responsibility of dealing directly with the university as I would at GW, and being free to take the trips I want to take when I want to take them. However, as the American friends I've made are primarily students through the IFSA program, it is clear that they are much more guided, with an advisor to ask questions to and pre-arrival activities that educated and bonded them. Fortunately for me, I get their information second-hand so I’m covered on things I would otherwise have a difficult time figuring out.

My first couple of days were spent figuring out how this city runs. First difference: mostly everything is closed on Sundays. Grocery stores are open, as well as some other large shops, but restaurants, campus buildings, and smaller shops take Sunday, or both Saturday and Sunday off. This posed some challenges, as my first day here was a Sunday. I wandered around the city for about an hour as it drizzled in search of food with no luck, and ultimately ended up buying pb&j ingredients as the gas station near my apartment complex. Lessons learned: take care of shopping during the week and mind the rain. Waking around for that time did, however, give me a good lay of the land of downtown Auckland.

Queens street is the main street of downtown, just up and over the hill upon which the university sits. Queens is lined with restaurants, shops, and large corporate buildings alike, all surrounding the iconic Sky Tower. We ventured there to find places for a delicious bite, see movies, and pick up necessities at the shops. The waterfront sits on the edge of downtown and features the large port that cruise ships and ferry boats arrive to and depart from as well as a collection of pubs and eateries with views of the crystal clear water.

As the weekend approached, we moved from exploring campus and downtown to exploring outside of Auckland Central. After acquiring AT Hop cards, a few of us took the bus to Karangahape road in the Newtown neighborhood where some of Auckland’s best thrift stores are located. We walked back from K street, as it’s referred to, by way of downtown, passing scenic views and beautiful pink bike path. At sunset, we took a bus to Mount Eden, a neighborhood in Auckland that features a dormant volcano who's summit is a popular lookout from which you can see the entire city.

So far, Auckland has done nothing but amaze me. The people I’ve met share more in common with me than I could have imagined and I’m excited to see where the rest of these 5 months take me!

Published on

By Stefania Tutra

My first week in Barcelona has felt more like a vacation rather than a school orientation. Every morning I wake up and see La Sagrada Familia from my window, I forget I am not in a dream and that I actually am living here for four months. Since the moment my plane landed in El Prat airport last Monday, I have felt constantly overwhelmed with excitement. I moved into my residence hall where I am living with 9 other students from the IES program on my floor. Three of them also happen to go to GW, which definitely made it easier to make friends and feel more at home in such a new environment. I had orientation the following day, and then my daily intensive Spanish class began.

Outside of class, I have found myself wandering around Barcelona’s streets, trying to immerse myself in the local culture, and eating a lot of new food (mainly tapas). One of my favorite neighborhoods I have explored so far is the Gothic Quarter. The narrow streets lined with cafes, restaurants, and boutiques have a unique charm to them that makes you want to walk around for hours.

     

On Tuesday, it was National Day of Catalonia which is considered a national holiday here, therefore we did not have class. Millions of people came out to show support for Catalonia’s independence. Protestors wore red shirts and red-and-yellow Catalan flags, and marched while banging drums, blowing whistles, and chanting slogans of support such as “Libertat!” It felt unreal to have attended an event that is going to go down in Spanish history forever.

To me, the biggest challenge so far in Barcelona has been adjusting to how late the locals eat and go out. For example, dinner only begins to be served at 8pm, while in the States I have usually finished dinner by then. Dinner is eaten late and goes on for hours, as restaurant-goers do not get up and leave as soon as they have finished their food (like in the States) but instead sit and chat over “café con leche” until 11pm. Then, it is common to go out for drinks and festivities, and often return home around four or five o’clock in the morning.

Above all, I am confident that choosing Barcelona for my study abroad location was the best decision I have ever made. I am so in love with this city, its culture, and its warm-hearted people. Other than improving my Spanish (and picking up on some Catalan), I am looking forward to really getting to know the heart of Barcelona, as well as exploring other cities throughout Europe. Until next time, ¡hasta luego!

     

Published on

By Beatrice Mount

Homesickness isn’t something I’m used to—after all, I spent my first years on my own 5,000 miles away from my home. But It’s something relatively common for any study-abroad traveler. While a common language and spirit may unite California and Washington, D.C., when you jump over an ocean and onto a new continent, you get a whole new culture. Feelings of Isolation and innate difference become everyday hurdles, and these feelings are especially prevalent in your first week on your own.

My first week in Maastricht proved to me that I wasn’t immune to feeling homesickness. I felt out of place—I remember calling my parents and complaining that I had made the biggest mistake of my life by, me, the 158 cm, lactose-intolerant American girl who couldn’t ride a bike, moving myself for five months to a country full of tall people obsessed with cheese, and who text on their bicycle like it’s second nature. My Dad, who spent a majority of his younger years in Italy told me everything would be ok, while I shoved chocolate spread spoonfuls in between sobs, in disbelief.

Granted, it was. About two weeks into classes now, Maastricht and my exchange program are starting to feel more like home. I’m still short, still lactose intolerant, and still can’t ride a bike, but I am feeling more situated, to say the least. Once I got over the culture shock, I realized how easy it is to feel comfortable here. The Southern city of Maastricht is a relaxed and small city—quite the opposite of DC. People take their time to enjoy life, whether by picking up fresh Limburg tarts and spelt bread from the Bisschopsmollen or through a nice beer and meal on a restaurant overlooking the river Maas. People are friendly and direct, as all Dutch are, and eager to know you. Though initially quite reserved, once you get them talking, especially about US politics, sometimes you’ll even wish they’ll be quiet.

The program itself is conducive to this—UCM is a small—around 300 or so people—honours program, housed in an old nunnery. Most people spend all their day in this building, in the reading room, prepping for their tutorials, or in the common room or courtyard in-between breaks. Everyone knows each other and is eager to get you into the family, as you’ll be suffering with them soon in this intense, problem-based learning environment.

The motto of UCM is everything will be ok, plastered on the side of the courtyard wall in neon purple cursive. A motto perfect to drag the intensive motivated academic 20 year old back to earth. Calm down, take a break: everything will be ok, you’ll get through your classes. But, on another level, it’s a reminder that, for every other odd, chaotic event in life that seems to slap you across the face (see, moving across an ocean), everything will be ok.

Published on

By Savita Potarazu

Zürich, Switzerland
26 Aug 2018

I have been in Switzerland for two weeks and I still cannot believe I am here. After landing in Zürich, meeting up with extended family, going on my first breathtaking hike in Switzerland, and beginning to acclimate to a new life here, orientation snuck up on me!

Nyon, Switzerland
28 Aug 2018

The program I am pursuing in Switzerland is the Global Health and Development Policy program through the School for International Training (SIT). There are about 30 students, myself included, who have left their families, friends, and universities behind to experience historically renowned diplomacy, study global governance in public health, hike in the Swiss Alps, and embrace Swiss culture through the homestay experience. What better way to break the ice with new classmates than to randomly room with 5 students for a few days. At the Nyon Hostel, I began to navigate whatever expectations I had about meeting new people, knowing with certainty that we had at least one similar interest: global health.

Although I have many, many years of Spanish in my back pocket, my proficiency in French is quite limited (but growing quickly!). And because our program is actually based in Nyon with many excursions to Geneva (a very international town), my new friends and I have been thrown into rather homogeneous French culture. I learned very quickly here that Switzerland is both land-locked and incredibly culturally diverse. With Austria, Germany, Italy, and France bordering this tiny country of around 8.4 million, the geopolitical boundaries crisply define language prevalence. The good news is that before arriving, this program provided access to and highly encouraged students to utilize the online self-learning language platform (Màngo Languages) for French to at least be able to engage minimally. With two weeks of Màngo at the tip of my tongue I was pleasantly surprised to be able to converse with the waiter at our first dinner as a group in Switzerland. With French as a required course here, I have no doubt the language barrier will be reduced (and so will my many faux pas…)

The first Saturday after our orientation each student received her/his homestay family. We all nervously awaited our host parent(s) arrival to the hostel to retrieve us. Little by little, the students went off to join new families and begin to settle in. The days leading up to this moment were filled with butterflies and excitement. Now, I’m two weeks in, quite settled into my new home. My current host mom has been with SIT for many years and has warmly welcomed yet another student. Isabelle is a loving, caring, inquisitive host mom and impeccable chef. As a vegan, I can safely say that being surrounded by some of the world’s finest cheese and chocolate gets quite tempting but Isabelle has graciously compensated for this. So far she has cooked me lovely meals with fresh bread, pasta, lentils, homemade crepes, and vegetables/fruits grown in her garden. In her two-bedroom flat, my room overlooks the sunsets over a vineyard and the Swiss Alps. It sounds like a fairytale and it looks like one too. I am very grateful for having been placed here! After settling in over the weekend, I gradually prepared for upcoming classes.

(View from my homestay bedroom)
The academic component of this program probably excites me most (next to living in the mountains, of course). The Independent Study Project (ISP), common to most if not all SIT study abroad programs, is a culmination of our work during the semester and will be serving as my senior thesis this school year as well. It is also in this capacity that students are able to develop a topic of interest, conduct primary qualitative research, and devise a significant paper that is entirely our own creation. With Geneva right in our backyard, we have been given access to the United Nations Library, Graduate Institute of Geneva, and a lengthy list of resources to explore what makes Switzerland the diplomatic, direct-democracy that it has been known to be for many centuries. The first two weeks of class have really been dedicated to (1) jumping right into our coursework and (2) the preliminary stages of research for our ISP. Given all the adjustments that come with studying abroad, getting a grip on the coursework has required more focused attention from me (many students here would agree on this too). I believe it is a natural process given how new our surroundings are and I have been ever-willing to embrace the thrill of being exposed to the great unknown here in Switzerland.
(Me at the UN Library in Geneva; the mural behind me is entitled “Dream of Peace”)

Of course there are challenges that come with studying abroad, particularly as a senior! With most of my college years behind me, so too is all that tuition. Switzerland is not exactly the most affordable country to live in, but we students have been navigating this financial challenge with increasing mastery. With a bit of budgeting and exploring the most economical means of spreading out costs for food and travel, my friends and I hope to maximize the Swiss experience and minimize our spending as much as possible. Beyond the necessary costs of a residency permit, visa paperwork, and other required payments, being pennywise has actually been a fun challenge to take on here because it has really pushed us to explore as many options as possible before deciding on one activity, restaurant, means of transportation and/or accommodation. In my humble opinion, he Swiss transit system is quite foolproof and so incredibly accessible. One of the biggest perks of this program is that we each receive a SwissPass that takes us on virtually all buses, trains, and boats within Switzerland (and even to our neighbor, France!). Recently introduced to the program, the SwissPass has definitely made my commute and Swiss explorations a breeze. In fact, the first two weekends of this semester you could find me hiking in the Alps without having to pay extra to get there from our homes. It really is a special treat.

Looking ahead, I have midterms this week and our excursion to Morocco for 8 days at the end of this month. There, we will be conducting field studies at rural health clinics and learning more about their infrastructure and development model. The directors of this program really have planned an incredible few months for us and I look forward to learning more about humanitarian aid, health as a human right, the role of global governance, and plenty more in the weeks/months to come. After a relaxing weekend trip to Interlaken and a spectacular hike I am ready to take on week 3!

(Some friends and I hiking in Gimmelwald, Switzerland this past weekend)

Published on

By Fatima Zahra Kassidi

Growing up, my identity had always been an aspect of my person and character that was continuously challenged. However as of now, I am a strongly affirmed, 20 years old, muslim female and international Moroccan student, that worked hard to secure a position at a prestigious US university. I was born and raised in a Arab country that has a strong post-colonial culture, as French is still a commonly spoken language and an important portion of the Moroccan youth is still attending a French pedagogical system and are sent out to study in France after High School. In this way, when I am asked what my native language is, I seem to find myself struggle finding the adequate answer—I consider both French and Arabic to be my native languages but people usually expect you to only identify with one. Furthermore, Morocco is composed of a great amount of Berbers in addition of Arabs, my father being a Berber and my mother an Arab. Thus, the simple fact of being my parents’ daughter is already a great source of rich ancestral history to identify with.


Throughout my childhood, I never identified myself with any particular aspect of my culture. Indeed, I wasn’t much of a Moroccan traditional food, music or even clothing lover, I didn’t realize how beautiful and unique they all were until I moved to the US for my undergraduate studies. I would say leaving your country is the most relevant trigger to awaken your love for it. Although I enjoy being fully immersed here, in the US, it is still natural to feel homesick and start looking for places that remind you of your home identity. Moroccan restaurants were my go to in case of identity crisis but also calling my best friends or parents, just to be able to speak and hear some Arabic and/or French. The beauty of leaving the place you grew up in, dreaming of finally becoming the independent self you always wanted to be, is the realization of what you are leaving behind.


All of this is true, an important part of my identity is based on my Moroccan identity, but it is not limited to that. The other part of my identity, is being a global citizen, always looking for new experiences to further understand who I am and who I want to be. Coming to study in the US is the first thing I did towards that direction and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My American experience is also a part of my identity and I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. Moreover, to fulfill my aim at integrating my global citizenship to my identity, I try to have as much international experiences as I possibly can, which is why I was extremely excited to intern in Geneva, Switzerland, last summer. This internship gave me the opportunity to travel and let myself flourish in all kinds of environments and cultures, I was able to visit Switzerland, France, Belgium, Monaco, Croatia and the Netherlands, all in only 2 amazing months. I’m extremely grateful for all the learning opportunities life threw at me during that summer and it encouraged me even more to continue on expanding my horizons but this time I flew East. Asia is such a mysterious and grand continent that I am just starting to discover. I’m hoping this study abroad opportunity in Singapore will help me incorporate a whole new dimension to my identity. Indeed it has been a little over a month that I first step foot in this part of the world and I already feel all the different array of cultures and the incredible environment impacting me in a way that makes me so much more grateful about where life has led me this far and how it has shaped me as a person.

Published on

By Chizuru Uko

I have a really interesting story with identity. On campus and almost everywhere in the world, small talk starts with “Where are you from?” and I always reply, Nigeria, because I was born in the states but spent the first 18 years of my life in Nigeria. However, 10 out of 10 times its followed with a string of questions about my American dual citizenship, how I currently live both in the US & Nigeria, sometimes it even wonders to my accent. This is conversation I have become familiar with, it’s almost a script that never goes wrong.

A couple years ago I watched a TED Talk by Taiye Selasi called “Don’t ask me where I am from, ask where I am a local” and she goes on to talk about how she is a local where she has her three R’s- Relationships, Rituals and Restrictions. Being Nigerian has always come with a source of pride, most times people are interested in the other side of the story- the beautiful local languages, history, food and nitty bitty details that makes my culture- and not the single story often portrayed in the media. Understanding this has greatly impacted me as I travel, I have an open mind about places I visit, I don’t expect any one thing from a new country, I simply try to soak in as much as possible and have conversations with locals about what life is like for them. It’s always important for me to read books about a place and watch movies set in a country to give me a better idea but I always keep in mind that it’s just one person’s version of the story.

Being abroad has also impacted my sense of self greatly, I am a lot more aware of my limits as well as my sense of curiosity. This past weekend I was in Lagos, Portugal and I paddle boarded along the coast of the Algarve’s with two friends. Looking back, it was probably one of the craziest things I’ve ever done mainly because it was me and the ocean for the first time. It was so liberating and calming stopping at private beaches. I see myself doing things I am proud of and pushing myself and this is everything I hope for. I probably don’t know as much about myself and its great being able to risk it all in a new place.

Published on

By Megan Gardner

Before exploring a new country, its natural to have a general understanding or view of the culture and society; however, these preconceptions are often proven wrong. For example, many may continue to associate Tunisia with the oppression its people faced during the past authoritarian regimes of Bourguiba and Ben Ali. While this suppression of freedoms certainly existed prior to the so-called Arab Spring, everyone today enjoys these rights.

The political landscape in Tunisia since its independence from France in 1956 is unfortunately marked with authoritarianism. Habib Bourguiba took immediate control of the country until Zine El Abidine Ben Ali staged a bloodless coup in 1987. Ben Ali led the country in a manner that showed no respect or compassion for those he was supposed to be the ultimate protector of. Any rebellious activity was immediately quelled until Mohamed Bouazizi committed a striking act of self-immolation in protest of the government’s power in December 2010. This event is retroactively cited as the “spark” that lit the fire of the revolution in Tunisia. People all across Tunisia could sympathize with the extraordinary desperation that Bouazizi must have felt to take his own life in such an extreme manner. The Tunisian uprising was the first of the widespread protests throughout the North African and Arab world referred to today as the “Arab Spring.”

The protests continued until the pressure was too high for Ben Ali to stay. He fled Tunisia for Saudi Arabia on January 14, 2011, at that very moment, everybody across the country suddenly stood on an equal platform to speak. All of their stifled whispers under the Ben Ali regime turned to revolutionary shouts for all of the fundamental rights they were previously denied. Civil society rapidly swelled as hundreds of organizations and political parties were formed to protect and advocate for causes that never would have been tolerated under Ben Ali. These organizations brought many issues to light that were previously unknown or blatantly ignored by the old government.

Freedom to express opinion without fear of official retaliation is easily taken for granted in countries where the citizens have always enjoyed that right. In such a post-revolutionary context, many people love to speak up and have their voice heard. One group that is very vocal on the national stage is women. Last week, a local group organized a feminist and LGBTQ rights arts festival in downtown Tunis called Chouftouhounna. This festival brought speakers from across the country and the world to talk about women’s rights. It also showcased art, films, and dances celebrating the cause. There is certainly still progress to be made, but this festival, hosted in the middle of the old médina, shows that any remaining embers of oppression will be quickly extinguished.

Published on

By Taylor Williams

In many ways, London is exactly what I’ve expected it to be. Perhaps, that's due to me being a little overzealous this summer having spent my days, watching an abundance of vlogs and obsessively updating my Pinterest board on things to do in London it almost feels as though I’ve been here before. To describe London as beautiful feels like an understatement. In short, it’s a grand and varied City with a rich and colorful history, and I can’t wait to further explore that it has to offer me.

My favorite place I’ve visited thus far has been Brixton Village Market. Brixton was one of the places I’d been most excited to see as I’d heard it was the “black” section of London, with a large Carribean and West African population. While London is indeed very much a diverse city and there’s hasn't been a shortage of black people near my hotel and while I’ve been walking around the District of Brixton had a palpable energy exuding from it from from the minute I stepped out of the Tube Station. The main strip had an abundance of shops, street vendors, people passing out flyers, a man with a microphone preaching his religion, I was immediately reminded of 52nd street in Philadelphia. I was very much interested in how my dad and I would be received when we arrived in Brixton because although we are indeed black,  we are African American with little knowledge of where our “roots” lie. The waitress at a Nigerian restaurant was all too excited to encounter us as she told us she’d only seen African Americans on tv, and as we know, that's not always the best or most accurate representation!

Although, Brixton was for sure a majority black area, all too familiar were the first stages of Gentrification. The gap between the old and new stores was very evident and it's interesting to note that the issue of gentrification and the displacement of black and brown communities much be talked about from a global perspective. Just a thought! xx

Published on

By Joy Kayode

مرحبا، السلام عليكم، اهلاً وسهلاً!

Hello, peace be upon you and welcome! These are three widespread and standard greetings in the Arabic language. These, along with “my name is…”, were the first Arabic phrases I learned when I began studying the language over two years ago. I am currently enrolled in a study abroad program with the School for International Learning (SIT). The name of my program is called SIT Jordan: Geopolitics, International Relations, and the Future of the Middle East. The primary focus of this program is for those enrolled to learn about the Middle East’s politics, shifting power configurations, and efforts to promote peace and global security from Jordan, a peace broker in the region. The program-led extracurricular activities are tailored to accompany the efforts within the classroom. This semester, the program accepted 30 students from universities across the United States.

There are four core components that make this program unique to SIT and particularly appealing to students of all academic backgrounds. It was these very components that constituted my decision to study abroad in Amman. The courses in the program couldn’t be a better fit for my specific course of study. I am currently a junior studying International Affairs with a concentration in Security Policy and a minor in Arabic Studies. The following classes are being offered in the Fall 2018 curriculum: Geopolitics, International Relations, and the Future of the Middle East, The Psychology of Peace, Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced Modern Standard Arabic or Colloquial Jordanian Dialect (3 or 6 credits), and Research Methods and Ethics. The number of Arabic credits that a student elects to take determines whether the student takes the Psychology of Peace course. This brings me to the most important reason why I decided to pick SIT. Transfer credits. I can transfer Geopolitics, Research Methods, and (potentially) Arabic. Because Arabic at GW is 4 credits, I have opted to take the 6 credit Arabic course so that I don’t run into any complications when transferring credit back. The courses encourage interaction with local Jordanian citizens to some degree. I can tell that these interactions will be an invaluable portion of the program from what I have already experienced.

My program will be traveling throughout the United Arab Emirates in order to learn more about the history of the Emirates, the expat work force, and geo-economics and international business in the Gulf. Additionally, we will visit upwards of 10 historically/culturally significant sites throughout Central and Southern Jordan. Both of these visits are a part of SIT’s efforts to provide diversified immersive experiences for participants.

The homestay is believed to be the most integral part of the SIT experience. Within the first two weeks of being in Amman I have become a member of a local Jordanian family of Palestinian descent. I have shared meals with them, joined them for special occasions/gatherings, spoken with them in completely in Arabic (emphasis on completely), and experiencing Amman as they do daily.

Students have the opportunity to either create and conduct their own research projects or participate in an internship with a local community organization, research organization, business, or international NGO for a four-week period. I have decided to do an internship, but the location is still undetermined. Once I finalize my internship site, you all will be the first to know!

While in Amman, I plan to engage in a series of volunteer/research efforts that involve economic development (economic stimulation efforts) that will uncover or contribute to strategies aimed at bolstering Jordan’s economy. Although I don’t know the exact organization that I will be interning at, I know that the research I plan partake in will be a part of my internship. If I choose to further my research or volunteer work outside of my internship, I am more than able to explore these avenues. With my specified yet broad area of research, I believe that I will be able to comply an equal amount of qualitative and quantitative results.

All in all, I am excited for what the future holds for me and my research in Amman! I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and I look forward to writing next month! Until then, please enjoy these photos of the Queen Alia International Airport, the Roman Theater, the Amman Citadel, me on a camel, and me attending a traditional Jordanian/Greek/Syrian wedding (on my birthday – September 12th) which by far has been the highlight of my trip!

مع السلامة ولك حقا، (Good-bye and yours truly)
جوي كيودي (Joy Kayode)

Published on

By Brielle Powers

Deciding where to study abroad was HARD. I knew this was my chance to finally to go overseas and leave the U.S. for the first time so I had high expectations. The thought of living in a foreign country for over four months was so exciting. A part of me got caught up in the possibilities of just earning stamps on my passport by going somewhere in Europe where I could travel every weekend. Having taken Spanish for seven years, the GW Madrid program was a logical choice. The opportunity to become comfortable in the language and experience the different cultures of various countries throughout Europe was appealing.

But another part of me, the part that always tells me to not do what everyone else is doing, said ‘Brielle, this is your chance to do something different.’ I thought of a seventh grade project where my teacher had us act as the heads of state of different countries. I represented South Africa and since then had read whole library sections of books on South Africa, wanting to learn everything I possibly could about its environment, culture, and politics. As a tribute to my younger self, I felt that moving to Cape Town would be a way of coming full circle.

However, my indecisiveness kicked in and I went back and forth between Spain and South Africa for months. It wasn’t until my mom surprisingly advocated that I go to South Africa that I was able to make a decision. Despite her concern over safety and distance from home, she knew it had always been a dream of mine to travel to Africa. Afterall, when else in my life would I have the opportunity to live there for four months?

So I applied to CIEE’s Arts and Sciences program in Cape Town, South Africa where I would be able study alongside South African students at the University of Cape Town (UCT). When searching for programs I knew I also wanted to be able to continue to do service. As a member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, GW’s community service and leadership sorority, my weekends back in DC are usually spent serving at soup kitchens and elderly homes or picking up trash on the National Mall. I knew I wanted to make service and integral part of my abroad experience so I made sure CIEE had community engagement opportunities that I could participate in to better learn about the community I would be living in.

However, during orientation, a UCT student group presented a few opportunities for semester study abroad students to join community engagement projects. It was through them that I discovered Teach Out, a UCT student organization that travels to different schools in local townships almost every day of the week to tutor students.

Entirely student run, Teach Out operates as a non-profit and provides transportation for UCT students to the schools. Additionally, UCT students on the executive board of Teach Out create math and English worksheets and answer sheets for the tutors to provide for the students.

While Teach Out operates in different schools in different townships in Cape Town for all ages of students, every Saturday morning, I tutor Grade 8 and Grade 9 students in English at Usasazo High School in Khayelitsha. While I have already participated in a few tutoring sessions, I am excited to continue to build relationships with the students and fellow tutors throughout the semester.

Unless otherwise indicated, the content and opinions expressed on this web site are those of the author(s). They are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of the George Washington University.
Privacy Notice
Viewing Message: 1 of 1.
 Notice

This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. Visit GW’s Website Privacy Notice to learn more about how GW uses cookies.