Blog assignment

Cape Town International Airport
11 Jan 2013:  the long awaited day finally arrived
University of Connecticut Study Abroad Student/Interns

Students arrived on Friday, have begun settling in and are about to embark on day 5 of orientation. Each of the 29 students will submit 15 blog entries during their 15 week stay here.  The posts will likely become more consistent once we all have our internet challenges sorted out.  Until then posts will be added as often as we can all coordinate getting on-line during those infrequent breaks in our busy schedule.

Below is the assignment students received to which they will be responding:

Blog Assignment

I realize orientation is an exciting and hectic time but taking a few minutes to jot down your initial impressions will provide you with a valuable opportunity to process the new information you are gathering during these first few weeks. Developing the habit of noting things as they occur will be personally beneficial as well as helpful in completing the following assignment:

• Your first blog entry of this semester should include a brief personal introduction comprised of your major(s) and minor(s), your expected year of graduation, your potential career aspirations, your internship placement, your initial response to being in Cape Town and your first impressions.
  
• At least 15 times during the semester (once each week) you will be responsible for submitting a short entry that will be posted on the Cape Town
  Study Abroad Blog (cptadventures2013.blogspot.com). These entries are to include insightful comments that serve to make connections among your various experiences in Cape Town: your orientation, internship, course work (readings, classroom discussions, videos, guest speakers, etc.), activist projects, outdoor explorations, social interactions, excursions, homestays, human rights training weekend and current events.
  
• Although not every entry will include all of these elements, your 15 entries taken together will demonstrate a broad range of integration of theory and practice, insight and awareness, challenges and achievements. Whenever possible entries should include pictures (in jpg format), links to related online articles and/or other creative material you consider helpful and appropriate.
  
• Blog entries are to be submitted in essay format and written for an audience that has not been to South Africa or taken a course on race and gender. On the next page is a schedule with 10 dates for which you will be responsible for submitting an entry. During orientation and on excursion I will be flexible with the dates for submission but please try to write your entries as close to the assigned date as possible to keep the blog current.
  
• After the first two weeks (when I will be a bit more flexible), your blog entries are to be submitted to me no earlier than one week prior to the due date and no later than noon of the day they are due. In addition to your 10 assigned blog entries you may also submit additional posts as often as you like --- pictures, comments, insights, reflections, or links to material you believe would be a valuable addition or supplement to other posts are always welcomed and appreciated.
  
  
• This is your class blog to document your collective and individual experiences. I trust it will be reflective of the amazing journey that is certain to unfold throughout your 31⁄2 month adventures in South Africa. 
  

University of Cape Town