What interested me the most about this MILA course was the topics and location that it focused on. I have friends who’ve studied, visited, and even lived in South Africa. They have told me wonderful things about the country and culture and I am thankful to have the opportunity to visit it. Although this course doesn’t distinctly align with my intended field of studies, sustainability studies, communications, and entrepreneurship, I feel the experiences I will gain and the perspectives I will be exposed to will help me grow both professionally and personally. Additionally, the opportunity to deeply study a region that I am unfamiliar with and then visit it is extremely rewarding. I have spoken to upperclassmen who have noted that MILA courses have transformed their college experience and I am excited to experience a MILA for myself.
One of my favorite aspects of class so far is hearing stories firsthand and speaking about current issues South Africa has been experiencing. I’ve found it interesting to hear about current struggles, such as the power crisis in South Africa. It is great to see how they manage the issues and innovate. Some more topics I am looking forward to learning about are South Africa’s rich culture and landscape. In learning baseline geography, seeing images, and hearing descriptions of the trip I am extremely interested in the areas of conservation, geologic structures, and climates. We have mentioned these areas in class, however learning more about these topics is something I look forward to (whether we cover it in the classroom or during our trip). Overall, I am excited to learn an immense amount of information that I can apply to my life in numerous ways.
