Well there are officially 22 days until UCONN Nursing Students return onto American land! I think I speak for the majority of us when I say how we are anxious to get home, see all of our family and friends and get back to the swing of our American lives. But it without a doubt going to be bittersweet and I know I have developed a comfort level and sense of attachment to Cape Town. It does feel like home in it’s own way, and I will be just as sad to leave to go back to America as I was when I left Storrs Hall for South Africa three months ago.

If I were to point out a few of the many highlights of my Cape Town experience thus far, they would be:

1. Rhodes Memorial, which sits to the right adjacent to the University of Cape Town, is a close-by scenic spot that is within walking distance. The memorial itself is beautiful, but the view fit overlooks is spectacular. It overlooks the entire side of the mountain that Rondebosch lies in. The café is a nice place to grab lunch with friends after a long day of class learning about the stages of labor and so forth. Lol.
2. Cable car to the top of Table Mountain. Amazing view, and a great time to go is 3-4p so you can grab a snack in the sky café and catch the sunset around 7 (at least at the beginning of the semester when the sun was setting earlier)
3. Chapman’s Peak for a sunset. I have been here once and the view is out of this world. This particular spot is high enough and central enough where you can see the sun setting, reflecting off the water like nothing you ever seen before. The colors change minute to minute from orange, to red, light purple, deep purple….a breathtaking and humbling experience. There is grass to have a picnic which I hope to do before returning home.
4. Nightlife is very big in Cape Town and is a great way to meet people; tourists, exchange students, locals, etc. Long Street is a good place to start out, then as we met locals we worked our way to Camps Bay, a more up-scale part of the city, and endless other venues around the city and in the suburbs. Night life can be whatever you want it to be; a night of dancing, parties, a relaxing dinner overlooking Table Mountain, or the beach, watching live bands perform, early nights (sundowner events), late night etc. etc. Just make sure you use a reputable, taxi service to have a safe ride home: Excite Taxis and Elite taxis and Cabs on Call have been out main drivers.
5. Half of the most memorable times I have had here in Cape Town were results of friendships formed with local Cape Townians. They not only inform you of the absolutely must-see tourist spots, but help integrate you into the culture and make you feel especially at home,. It’s these friendships we’ve made that really make Cape Town a part of your heart. Don’t be afraid to chat, smile and be open to meeting all different types of people! They are as interested to hear about your life as an American as you are to hear about their culture!
6. Being a nursing student in Cape Town is such unique experience. To be a part of the health care system, at both private hospitals and public clinics, is such a privilege! The nurses and healthcare workers are so friendly and enthusiastic about taking the “American nursing students” under their wings. They are so grateful for our help, which is a win-win deal because it is great to come home from every clinical feeling like you’ve learned a lot AND helped lighten the nurses’ workload significantly. Not much time for “busy work:” here, which adds to the list of reasons why it’s great to be a nursing student in Cape Town!
7. ATVing (4 wheeling) in the Drakensberg Mountains on Excursion!!!! We went at 6 in the morning and it was awesome seeing the mountains at dawn. Totally worth sacrificing a morning to sleep in. 