Leaving South Africa
- Joe Galaske, Grinnell College '17
- May 17, 2016
- 2 min read
Some moments in life are so profound that they have an impact on us for the rest of our lives. As I reflect on my semester abroad as a part of the African Ecology and Conservation program, I realize that this semester was one of those moments. Our travels took us everywhere—from the animals of the Kruger National Park to the remote villages of Hamakuya and the mountains of Cape Town.
Take the image above as an example. This photo, taken at Bainskloof (a research camp located high in the Cape mountains), was one of many spectacular displays of beauty characteristic of South Africa. This view, and many others, always awaited us every morning and evening.
I can still remember the moment I took this photo, surrounded by my new friends, and all I could think to myself was that I couldn’t be happier!
Over the course of three and a half months, I was pushed to my limits, both academically and socially, and I have emerged a better person for it! Not only have I developed a stronger background in ecology and conservation biology, but I have also made life long friends and a deeper cultural awareness.
Now if you had asked me if this was what I anticipated before I embarked on this semester, I would have been very skeptical! When I first landed in South Africa, I had never been outside the United States before. As you can imagine, I was quite nervous!
But fast forward to May, and as I board the plane to head back to the United States I realize one thing: being apart of OTS was one of the best decisions of my life.
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