Gap Year Experiences

How to Destroy Yourself Mentally, Physically and Financially - Tales of an Englishman in South Africa

Monday 6 October 2008

At the beginning of 2004, a good friend of ours, known to all as the Mule, embarked on a year studying at the University of Cape Town and generally working his way around South Africa. During his time there he kept a short diary and over the next few months he will be sharing a few experiences with us all...........so enjoy!



"It was actually the T-Bone with whom I travelled for a year that first gave me the idea of making Cape Town the next destination on my list of places to see. Images of surfing, incredible beaches and unbelievably beautiful women made my attempt to persuade Nottingham University into letting me exchange my third year for one at the University of Cape Town a very determined one.

My first port of call was my director of studies who grilled me with quick fire questions regarding my motives for such a move. "I really think that it would enhance my economic perspectives.....etc." With a bit of added charm it worked like an absolute peach. The head of Economics was the next hurdle and a little harder to overcome. He carefully analysed the courses that I had suggested taking and wrote them off immediately as being far inferior to those that I would otherwise be taking in Nottingham. He permitted my exchange on the slightly worrying condition that I took three "post-graduate" Economics classes in the second semester. These looked beyond horrific but nothing was going to obstruct a potentially incredible year in South Africa, especially not the opinion of an interestingly bearded professor!

The final barrier was the passing of my second year exams having completely underestimated the level of the courses and failed to attend more than a handful of lectures throughout the entire year. Two weeks before the exam time I transformed from a partying moron into a working machine, spending no less than ten hours a day in the library desperately trying to teach himself an extremely painful subject.

Being accepted into the University of Cape Town via the Internet when I had missed the deadline by a month and the acquisition of a study visa from the most disorganised embassy in London three days prior to the start of my course in Cape Town were also extremely stressful but entirely due to my appalling disorganisation!"

To be continued next week...............