Liberal Arts Voices

Read the perspectives of our current students

There’s a Reason It’s Called the Wild Coast

by

463784_10151380623850858_554845857_23453100_692818946_o.jpg

I first set foot on South African soil on January 30th, 2012. I’d slept a surprising amount on the flight from New York, and arrived feeling rested but mostly high on the excitement of being there. Africa! In the weeks leading up to the trip, I continuously felt like some unforeseen force would come bursting into my life and prevent me from going, but no such thing happened. I am not one to be overly cautious or expect the worst, but I felt like I was simply too lucky for it to be possible. I was selected as an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) student by Dr. Erica Smithwick, a professor in the Geography Department to work with her research team in three coastal nature reserves in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. Although I certainly didn’t have much experience with any of the above (my majors are International Politics and Spanish), I was interested in all things environmental and had some knowledge thanks to my father, a biologist and horticulturist. The description I was given said that the trip would present “significant cultural and physical challenges” and I didn’t know what that meant, but it smelled like adventure and that’s what I was after.

I got exactly what I wanted. I had a number of close encounters with venomous snakes, bats, impossibly large bugs, etc. I cannot imagine a better opportunity for someone with a passion for traveling and environmental science, as you can see from my previous blogs from Barcelona, Spain, where I studied language and culture, and Los Angeles, CA, where I interned with the Reef Check Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to marine and reef conservation).  Sound awesome? It was.

The two subjects we were investigating were: 

  • At what scale(s) dues nutrient availability limit vegetation production in post-fire ecosystems?
  • How much carbon is stored in coastal, subtropical African forests? 

The fact that we were working on two different projects afforded me the opportunity to experience very diverse environments. The grasslands and forests are found in close proximity to one another in the Dwesa, Cwebe and Mkambati reserves, but present incredibly diverse landscapes. Perhaps the landscape I enjoyed the most, however, was that of the ocean. Feel free to check out my video post to hear more about the research and get a view of the Indian Ocean in Mkambati, or follow me on Twitter @ariannasimpson!

How Will Your Journey Proceed in Liberal Arts?

by

“To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela
The quote captures the essence of South Africa’s Ubuntu culture, “I am because you are.”

As you begin to embark on your college journey of discovery, what you will become at the end of the venture is the ultimate riddle. You may ask why such lofty thoughts during the summer. What better time to discuss the quality of humanness than during the World Cup which is centered in South Africa. South Africa, as a nation, was under the rule of apartheid policies until 1994. However the ethical and spiritual teachings of Ubuntu are reflected in its continual recovery.

Your experiences at Penn State will be based on the nature of relationships you develop. Relationships are processes that must be reciprocal. To be fully human you must develop the core values of mutual respect, mutual caring, mutual sharing, harmonious living together and a shared commitment to the ongoing work of peace through justice. The notion of sharing is a key concept in the world and our ethics define how we will operate.

Dr. Maulana Karenga (2010), the founder of Kwanzaa, posits the following as key elements for building a good world we want and deserve:
 

  • shared status
  • shared knowledge
  • shared space
  • shared wealth
  • shared power
  • shared interests
  • shared responsibility

The competencies that you acquire cannot evolve in a vacuum. This Penn State journey will expose you to an array of opportunities to start or continue making a difference in the lives of others. Hopefully you will capture the spirit of the Odu Ifa and fulfill the obligation of bringing good into the world. Build a better world!

Back from the University of Cape Town! Perfect Study Abroad Site!

by

Hello Travelers–or hopeful travelers! If you’re looking for a wonderful place to go that’s not on the beaten track, Cape Town should be at the top of your list of possibilities! After a good week there, checking out the university and the city, I can guarantee you that it’s a place you would never regret going to. It’s a beautiful, amazing city – with a top-flight research university that’s perched half way up a mountain. Spectacular views from the campus, over the city, to the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and toward False Bay and the Indian Ocean on the other. Check out some of the photos I took on my trip:

Through the CIEE program there, which is Penn State approved, you can enroll in just about anything in the Liberal Arts disciplines, and all classes are in English. CIEE can put you up in either residential houses with other American students; or in the dorms–a little more basic but you are much more likely to feel integrated with South Africans themselves.

I talked to four Penn State students there, who were loving every minute of their time – and I filmed them! So don’t believe me, believe them:

Make sure to visit our LAUSatPSU You Tube page to check out more interviews with students currently studying abroad in Cape Town.

I’m happy to hear from anyone who’s interested in studying in Cape Town! I didn’t want to come home … (especially because it was summer–blue sky, 85 degrees!)

Day 2 in Cape Town begins…

by

… after a great day 1.  Despite lost luggage (still not here this morning) I got a little oriented, walking ’round the University of Cape Town campus and enjoying its wonderful panoramas!  Weather’s in the low 80s (enjoying that snow??), really beautiful.  It sort of feels like California!

Skip to toolbar