2014 Cape Town Co-educators

2014 Cape Town Co-educators

Chapman's Peak

At Chapman's Peak
Back row: Manuela, Johnny, Morgan, Jenna, Lauren, Drew, Allie, David, Ken, Sarah, Emily K, Ava
Middle row: Jen, Savannah, Val, Emily B, Cassie, Katrina, Emily W
Front row: Snigdha,Tina, Jessica, Melanie, Courtney, Ryan
Very front: Kiya

Welcome to our blog

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

As anyone who has participated in UConn's Study Abroad in Cape Town Program can attest, there are no words to adequately explain the depth of the experiences, no illustrations to sufficiently describe the hospitality of the people, and no pictures to begin to capture the exquisiteness of the scenery. Therefore this blog is merely intended to provide an unfolding story of the twenty-six 2014 co-educators who are traveling together as companions on this amazing journey.

As Resident Director and Faculty Advisor of this program since 2008 it is once again my privilege and honor to accompany yet another group of exceptional students to this place I have come to know and love.

In peace, with hope,
Marita McComiskey, PhD
(marita4peace@gmail.com)



Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Drew is excited, dumbfounded . . . and ready!

My name is Drew Brathwaite. I'm a Political Science Major in the second half of my junior year. I left college over a decade ago and recently decided to come back and finally finish what I started. 

My adviser and I spoke about the possibility of studying abroad last Spring and, initially, I was a bit hesitant. It took some convincing to get me to agree that, perhaps, I should try something that's outside of my comfort zone but, after a bit of talking, I agreed. When I learned about the chance to study in South Africa, I figured it couldn't get much more different and challenging than that, and jumped at the chance. I figured that the worst that could happen was I would hear "No."

But I heard "Yes". I was accepted! I was selected?! I was accepted/selected!

I'm excited! And dumbfounded! And lousy with many other varied emotions that deserve consecutive exclamation points!!! I am ready to be baffled and challenged and uplifted and struck dumb with wonder. I am looking forward to the newness and the strangeness and the "I HAVE to try that"-ness. I'm also eager to learn a bit more about the sameness and the "that's just like home"-ness and the "Hey maybe we aren't so very different"-ness. 

Also I've heard good things about the food. And the jazz. And penguins.
Most of all, I am open to the unexpected and unknown. I am excited about being a part of something that will change me in ways I cannot imagine. And I'm ready.

Cape Town, here we come!

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