The South African way of saying hello is as diverse as its people. With a lingo of their own the South Africans really know how to say welcome! I wanted an experience I would remember for a lifetime. I wanted to see the nature I’ve seen in movies, magazines and on Animal Planet, where the mountains are so big, the flowers so colorful and where zebras and giraffes live free. I wanted to meet different people from all over the world, learn about the South African culture and improve my English. I wanted to challenge myself, travel alone, and be forced to do everything on my own. That’s why I chose Port Elizabeth, South Africa, for student exchange. 96
This is Africa From the first day you arrive, the international staff at the university look after you like they are your second mother. You get all the information you need, and they help you with whatever you need to know the rest of the semester. Like your mother, there are certain rules they want you to follow, like «don’t walk outside when it’s dark», and «don’t bring home strangers». In general, South Africans are very friendly, but the people I’ve met in Port Elizabeth stand out. If you visit a South African family, you can be sure that they will offer
STUDENT EXCHANGE
STUDENT EXCHANGE
Hello – Sawubona – Hoe gaan dit – Howzit!
«I wanted an experience I would remember for a lifetime» you coffee and food, and won’t take no for an answer. Sometimes it feels like we’re not doing anything else but eating. Port Elizabeth PE is a great city to be a student for many reasons. What I like the most is all the different people living here. Not only are there international students from «overseas», but people from all over Africa too. In PE you have all kinds of races that interact together, which adds to the diversity that the city offers. Everyone is so helpful, and the South African people will always welcome you with open arms, especially the guys here. They are almost too polite. When I’m walking around with my classmates on campus, they insist on letting me through EVERY door first. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University The University, which is named after the great Nelson Mandela, is
built on a nature conservation site. A normal day at NMMU will consist of lectures and meeting up with friends, but also dealing with monkeys trying to steal your food and watching zebras just outside campus. And if you need a break from your books, the beach is a relaxing alternative only a 15 minute walk away. As an engineering student I study on the North campus which is where all the nerds are gathered. It is not as nice as the South campus, but the cupcakes in the cafeteria almost make up for it. Most people wonder if the modules here are harder than what we are used to in Norway. Of course it depends on what you study, but from what I have experienced it’s only the English that makes it more difficult. And don’t worry. Even though your English is really bad in the beginning (like mine was), I can ensure you that it will improve. Janne Nilsen, civil engineering 97