Sydney's a bit nervous but mostly excited

As I get ready to leave for Cape Town I am nervous, but mostly excited for what this semester has to offer. Participating in the pre-departure class was a refresher course on some videos I have seen and articles I have read. However it was just as valuable because I was able to learn even more about the people I will be going on the trip with and I was able to hear different perspectives. I also was reminded of the privileges I have and how to properly apologize when I make a mistake or say something wrong. This is very important because I will be interacting with people from a different culture from me on a daily basis and mistakes will happen. I now feel more prepared to handle those situations and how to turn them into a learning opportunity. Some of the most valuable assignments I completed in this course were the Units, in which I reflected on what it means to be an American and learned more about South Africa and its history. After researching holidays, cuisine, capitals, political parties and more I was able to get a better sense of the place I will be living in for the next four months. This made me even more excited to leave and get to know people my age who I can connect with and get to share some of my culture with them.