Enjoying Independence Abroad

I was worried that it might be too hard to be taking classes in different departments outside of my major while living abroad. In high school, I had about 20 people in my classes. In college at Macalester, I've only had about 25 people per class. And now, all of a sudden, at the University of Cape Town I have had classes with over 100 students! I couldn't believe how many students were in just one class. After the first week, I realized it wasn't so bad, and that my professors were still happy to help, even with more students in the classroom. Not only that, being around more students gave me the opportunity to make more friends in my classes!

While at college in Minnesota, I did not find myself homesick very often, so I thought I would feel the same way in South Africa. However, while Minnesota and South Dakota have a lot in common, South Dakota and South Africa are without question much more different places from one another! Very few things, here, remind me of home. In order to combat the feeling of missing home, I've made sure to utilize technology to keep in touch with my friends and family back in the United States. I have also learned that I can lean on my new friends here for support because they are going through the same challenges and emotions as I am. 

After being here for a few weeks, I realized that, while it would have been easier to stay in Minnesota, taking on a challenge like studying abroad has given me so many opportunities for growth. Leaving my American comfort zone has pushed me to become a better version of myself.

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