South Africa: Lincoln Miller

Program: University of Cape Town Exchange, Semester

Lincoln’s Major: Agricultural & Appl Econ

What is your most memorable experience from your program?

By far, the most memorable experience from my study abroad program is the community I developed during my time in Cape Town. I was able to build a supportive community of both South African and international students in just 5 months that will hopefully last for many years to come. Cape Town provided a beautiful backdrop of pristine beaches and scenic mountains to make these connections all the more vivid.

How did your identities impact your experience? What advice would you give to students with similar identities who are considering a similar experience?

If you are an LGBTQ+ student looking to study abroad, especially in what may be considered a non-traditional location, I cannot recommend Cape Town highly enough. I found my identity and seeing how I shared it with those abroad to be one of the most enriching parts in my experience, and seeing the unity of our experiences as a global queer community. If you are queer and considering the University of Cape Town exchange, there are special safety concerns that you will need to consider as you would anywhere in the world, but I would not let it hinder you from pursuing this experience whatsoever.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

The most challenging part in preparing to study abroad in Cape Town was my visa application. The process can be quite bureaucratic with many meticulous documentation required without clear expectations from the South African embassy on exactly what you need. Additionally, traveling to Washington, D.C. for a simple 15-minute appointment to submit documents felt excessive. Despite the struggle that the visa process was, I would still endure it all over again if it meant another five months in Cape Town.