My name is Melanie Kremmel and I am a 24-year-old elementary education major at the University of Missouri. This summer I'm very fortunate to be able to teach abroad in Cape Town, South Africa for a whole month. The purpose of this blog is to document my experiences preparing to study abroad and my actual experiences in South Africa.
Two days ago I actually purchased my plane tickets, which was the first experience that really drove home how imminent this trip is. Purchasing the tickets was both a hugely exciting experience, but also one which was quite stressful for me. I'm still waiting to hear about one of the primary scholarships I applied for, so financing is a legitimate concern. However I really can't express the gratitude I have to the College of Education and the associated donors for bestowing the Personal Transformational Pathways award on me for this trip. Honestly, that award has made my travel possible and I can only imagine the impact it will have on me as an educator.
This semester I've gotten to observe in Mrs. White's second grade classroom which has been an amazing treat. Today I get to present to the class a short presentation about my plans for the summer and my upcoming time in South Africa. I'm very excited about this since I imagine this incredible group of students will be full of curiosity and questions about this different culture.
I'm also looking forward to meeting with some South African college students tomorrow at our weekly meeting. I'm sure these students will provide some valuable insight and perspective on the cultural and educational climate present in South Africa today.
