Laura de Lange's newspaper article

Goucher College

Laura de Lange went on exchange to Goucher College in Baltimore, USA in the second semester of 2011. This is the article she wrote for the Goucher College student newspaper.

Please read Laura's exchange story.

South Africa is not overly fond of America. America is seen as a personification of all that is bad in global politics and economics. We don’t like it that the IMF and World Bank can boss us around for not being ‘capitalistic’ or ‘developed’ enough and we don’t like it that we get marginalised in world politics until some scandal hits, or we host a FIFA World Cup. I was pitied for going to the land of fat people, ignorance and homophobic, conservative Rednecks. Surprise, this is not like the other international student opinion pieces.

Not that their sunny perspective on Goucher, and America as an extension thereof, is wrong. I love it here, I’ve made awesome friends, been exposed to things I don’t encounter back home, learnt a lot and have had so many opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. I have found Americans who are open minded, knowledgeable, interested in the world, fit and health conscious. I have found that many of the positive stereotypes of Americans are true: I’ve been overwhelmed by the hospitality and friendliness and warmth that has been extended to me. And it is scary going on exchange and you need to know that other people have survived and even enjoyed it. But if you end up coming back as the exact same person you were before you left (plus some cutsie souvenirs), you’re doing something wrong. So this is just me trying to figure out (in a very public forum) what is going on around me in this foreign world that we call Goucher.

I suppose the thing that has struck me most in my transition from South Africa to Goucher is a general First World thing. The thing that just keeps on blowing my mind is how much money, how many resources, how many opportunities, float around Goucher. This is not the Third World. Let me illustrate my point by talking about one of my favourite topics: food.

So, every college student rejoices when they get home because they can eat “real food”. Let me just tell you, at Goucher you get real food. It’s like eating at a choice of restaurants with all your favourites always on the menu but something new every time. And it’s healthy! The amount of money and resources it must take to make this possible boggles my mind. At my university it’s different. You get your three meals a day, held at very specific times (7am-8am breakfast slot, just saying) so that we don’t always have kitchen staff on duty because that costs more. The meals are okay, but they are chosen specifically because they can be easily and cheaply made for 8000 students. Our favourite treat is toasting bread and putting peanut butter and jelly on it. Highlight of the day. The menu rotates on a two week schedule, so every second week you get the same meals. I’m not trying to scare you off, this is not terrible. This is some of the best university food in the country. It is just on a totally different scale. There is no way in which we can compete against Goucher. We just literally don’t have the money or the resources.

Which brings me to my other food point. Free food. Where do you get the resources to host events and provide free food?!?! Back home it’s a huge deal if there is a cake bought (for R70, about $10) so that everyone can get a slice after volunteering at a shelter. That cake was 30% of my yearly budget for Community Engagement in my residence hall.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is, you have a good thing going. I’m not going to raise the point of who has to have a less-good thing going for your good thing to take place, but I am going to urge you to make use of the opportunities money buys you! Do things! Engage! This is the easiest it’s ever going to be to do things in your life! Take advantage of the Fencing Club, the Capoeira Club, the Brewing Club and learn a new skill. Take a Peace Studies, Woman’s Studies, Religion, Foreign Language class and learn to see the world from a different perspective. Go to events that educate you about what you can do with your degree after you graduate, go listen to speakers, go for a walk in the woods, volunteer and do Service Learning. Pay attention when you go abroad.

And most of all: ENJOY THE FOOD!