Contemporary South Africa:
Culture, Identity and Liberation

Nov. 7–22, 2009

Itinerary Register


Download and print program description.

Program leaders: Pat Quade, professor emeritus of theater,
and Kathy Quade, retired St. Olaf disability services coordinator

South Africa is alive with exceptional natural beauty and wildlife. The country’s 20,000 plant species make it one of 17 countries in the world to be considered “megadiverse.” Wild game, whales, exotic birds and rare foliage offer the visitor unparalleled opportunities to experience some of these unique natural wonders. In this program we will view some of these gifts of nature and observe how they are being protected.

South Africa also has a human story to tell. We will venture beyond the flora and fauna and begin to examine its culture and history. More than 15 years after the end of apartheid, South Africa continues to define its cultural identity while dealing with the myriad issues stemming from transitions in the economy, politics and social justice. We will examine these contemporary realities through observations of and interactions with people and institutions directly engaged in the process.

We will begin our program at Kruger National Park. Three days of activities include game drive safaris, when we hope to glimpse some of the Big 5 — lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard — and other of the 147 mammal species in the park. Kruger is the largest game reserve in South Africa and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques.

An overnight stay near Victoria Falls precedes our travel to Cape Town and environs for the last 8 days of the program. Recognized as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town is set between Table Mountain and sandy Atlantic beaches. The oldest city in southern Africa, its history is reflected in the varied architecture including Cape Dutch, neo-Gothic, Muslim, Victorian and Georgian. We will learn of this history and examine this culture through lectures, discussions, site visits and excursions to nearby towns, vineyards and historical monuments.

Cape Town Highlights:

  • South African National Gallery, considered by many to be the country’s premier art museum, with many artworks reflecting South Africa’s turbulent and painful history
  • Tour a township, an area designated for black Africans during Apartheid
  • Table Mountain, Cape Town’s most recognizable feature, which we will visit by cable car
  • Robben Island: known for its prison, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment
  • Cape of Good Hope, 12 Apostles, Cape Point and Boulders Beach: all of these features inhabit the thin finger of land known as the Cape Peninsula, and offer spectacular scenery

Kruger National Park
Proclaimed by South African president Paul Kruger in 1898, this jewel in the South African National Parks crown stretches from the banks of the Crocodile River in the south to the Limpopo River in the north and covers over 6 million acres. Even more impressive than its size, however, is the diversity of life the Kruger sustains: sixteen eco-zones (each with its own geology, rainfall, altitude and landscape) are home to more than 500 bird species and 147 mammal species, including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs and antelope. The rich plant life varies from tropical to subtropical. The opportunity to see wildlife is superb — many people report seeing four of the Big 5 (the most elusive being leopard) in one day. (Adapted from frommers.com)

Victoria Falls
Described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800s as “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” the Smoke that Thunders, Victoria Falls may be the “greatest known curtain of falling water.” Over a mile wide at the falls, the Zambezi River drops over 300 feet into the Zambezi Gorge. The falls and the surrounding area have been declared a National Park and a World Heritage Site, helping to preserve its natural state.

Program Leaders
Pat and Kathy Quade are veteran travelers and program leaders. Pat led his first Study Travel program in October 1995. He and Kathy led St. Olaf students on Term in the Middle East and Global Semester. They have also led Study Travel programs in at least 11 different countries, and have current plans for two future programs. Pat graduated from St. Olaf in 1965 and taught in the theater department from 1968 to 1996. In addition to teaching and directing plays, he served from 1996 to 2004 as director of International and Off-Campus Studies, which sends over 800 students abroad each year on more than 35 Interim courses and 60 semester- or year-long programs. Kathy served as student disability services coordinator at St. Olaf before her retirement. Countless Study Travelers can attest to Kathy’s generous and compassionate nature.

What to Expect
South Africa’s cities and game parks are fully developed. Food and water are generally safe, and a wide variety of consumer goods and pharmaceuticals are readily available. While no visa is required for our visit, your passport must contain at least two blank (unstamped) visa pages (these pages are in addition to the endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport). Otherwise you may be refused entry into South Africa.

Most of our transfers will be by private coach. You should be capable of walking a minimum of one mile at a time over possibly uneven terrain, of climbing stairs that may not have handrails, of climbing in and out of a variety of transportation vehicles, of keeping pace with an active group of travelers on long days of traveling, of dealing with the emotional highs and lows that can occur when experiencing a different culture, and of being capable of traveling with a group for several hours each day.

November is the beginning of South Africa’s summer and the weather in Cape Town should be pleasant, with lows in the mid-50s Fahrenheit and highs around 70. The city averages less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall during this month. In Kruger National Park afternoon thunderstorms are likely and the temperature could be much warmer, in the 80s or low 90s Fahrenheit. Though Victoria Falls will not be thundering at its highest volume, it is an awesome sight to behold any time of year, and the lighter flow in summer provides a unique look at the beauty behind the falls.

Emergency medical evacuation coverage (and, by chance, baggage delay and baggage loss coverage) is included in your program fee. We strongly recommend you consider further travel insurance, such as trip cancellation coverage.

You should plan on seeing your family physician or a travel doctor at least four to six weeks prior to departure, preferably earlier, to talk about routine vaccinations and an anti-malarial prescription for the visit in Kruger National Park.

Program Fee
The program fee is $7,100 per person through July 1, 2009. Based on double occupancy, it includes:

  • Seminars by Pat Quade and guest speakers
  • Assistance by Kathy Quade and local guides
  • Roundtrip airfare from Minneapolis
  • Internal airfare
  • Accommodations
  • Breakfast daily and several other group meals
  • Admissions for group activities
  • Ground transportation
  • Gratuities

For single occupancy, add $525. To travel “land only” (making your own arrangements to and from Cape Town), subtract $2,400.

After July 1, 2009, the program fee is $7,250 per person and could be subject to additional airfare. Payment schedule

Continuing Education Units
Approximately 36 hours of continuing education are available.

Register
Register online, call toll-free 866-255-6523 or fax 507-786-8232. A deposit of $500 per person guarantees your space.

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