As I write this, I’m on a plane heading to Cape Town, South Africa. I’ve been looking forward to this study abroad trip for a long time. It will be my first time abroad without family. After a semester full of ups and downs, the trip will be an excellent opportunity to learn more about a different culture while getting out of my comfort zone. It’s going to be a month full of new experiences and adventures. Academically, the trip was also a perfect fit for me. Being able to take 6 hours of political science credit is a unique opportunity during the month of May. I am also very excited because of the region I will be learning in. African countries tend to be underrepresented in study-abroad trips. While Italy and the UK are very beautiful countries, the African continent has a lot to offer. I have already begun to connect with some of the other students on the trip and I am eager to become closer friends with them. Packing was relatively easy, as I had plenty of time to strategize what was needed and what wasn’t. My greatest fear was that I would accidentally leave something that I needed after putting somewhere it wasn’t supposed to be. Truth be told, I almost left my wallet in the shuttle to Atlanta when it fell out of my pocket. Now that I’m here though, I’m confident that the worst is past and the best is yet to come. It’s going to be an amazing trip! Roll Tide!
