School (for lack of a better word)

After another busy day of meetings and cricket (not Jiminy but the sport) on Monday, Tuesday in Cape Town was an opportunity to settle into a far more familiar routine:

School.

Yes, at some point between time zones, amidst all my anticipation and excitement about the upcoming semester, a profound realization surfaced somewhere in my consciousness.
I might actually have to do a little bit of work.
Yes ladies and gentlemen. Unfortunately, the $30K worth of IOUs I pay APU every year isn’t enough to get you the kind of units that come pre-completed.
But in South Africa, where the dollar goes a little further, it comes pretty damn close.

So far, my classes this semester in Cape Town have been far different from anything that I have experienced in the States. Courses are very interactive, with professors preferring discussion format to lectures. Emphasis is placed on practical learning rather than mindless production—a very foreign concept to us American students.

It is quite an amusing process to see us operate in such an environment.
Quinton—our History of South Africa professor—will inevitably be assaulted with questions at the end of each class session:
Should the paper be single or double-spaced?
What font size?
Does it have to be Times New Roman?
How many pages?
How many sources do we need?
It seems to perplex him a bit.
To see us so obsessed with every little detail of every little assignment.
To see us displace learning and application because we are entirely consumed with our performance.
With our production.
With our grades.

Thank you America.

Anyways.
Another great thing about my coursework thus far is how much time we get to spend out of the classroom. All day Tuesday and Thursday every week is spent on excursions into the surrounding Cape Town area, seeing the sights and taking in the beautiful scenery.
This last Thursday, our group took the train into the city for guided tours of historical Cape Town. By then, the storms had cleared and the air had warmed, making for an absolutely gorgeous day in town.

Beautiful architecture.
Beautiful landscape.
Beautiful skies.
And although I usually prefer to explore on my own, the tour was actually highly informative and very helpful in gaining a more comprehensive view of South African history and culture.

The following day in the classroom, we had an opportunity to unpack our experiences in the city.
We discussed our observations on the culture, problems with poverty and inequality, and the role of race in South Africa, both past and present.
Gradually, it occurred to me just how much I had learned on our excursion.
That is, once we took the time to slow down and really talk it all over.

It was perhaps the most satisfying and inspiring class session I have ever attended.

While I certainly have a few minor qualms about the trip so far, all things considered, I am incredibly encouraged by the program they have running down here. There is a handful of really great people working very hard to organize something that has so much potential to be an amazing, one-of-a-kind experience.

That is, if we put forth the effort.

I think I just might.