When I first left, I knew that this program would completely change the way I think, my actions, and ultimately my life. But I could have never anticipated the extent that just 3 short weeks in South Africa would transform my understanding of the world, expose me to new diverse cultures, and add fuel to the burning passion that I have for wildlife conservation.

I vividly remember boarding my flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, with my mind racing with thoughts. I was so excited to finally be able to immerse myself in a place that I only dreamed of seeing and experiencing a completely new life halfway across the world. In fact, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep for the whole 16-hour plane ride, and 7-hour bus ride to the South African Wildlife College, where we would be staying for the next 3 weeks.

We arrived at the college around 3 am, so we immediately found our dorms and went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I looked out of the window in the dorm, and I saw the landscape that I had only seen through photos for my whole life. I spotted many of the native grasses and trees, and it was during this moment that the reality of this program really occurred to me. Here I was, immersed in the South African bush, on a private campus with people who share the same interest as me, in a land teeming with wildlife (I don't know if it can get better than this!).

As we began to settle in a bit more, I started to meet many of the students and employees at the college. Without fail, every single person that I met was kind, welcoming, and immediately made me feel at home. I played soccer with a team from the local community (I thought I was decent, but boy did they prove me wrong!), ate dinner and sang with local cultural dancers, and became friends with many of the full-time students at the college.These connections and unforgettable people are part of the reason why this experience was so special, as I was able to immerse myself in the local culture and learn so much along the way.

However, my favorite learning experience was all of the different conservation techniques we learned, and the experiences we had along the way. I learned so many useful techniques for my future career, made many long-term connections, and truly feel more qualified and prepared in pursuing my career.

With all of this useful information that I learned in the best 3 weeks ever, I can now inform my friends and family about the realities of South Africa and use this knowledge to pursue my degree in conservation biology.

Name: Adam Stearns
Status: Junior
Majors: Fisheries and Wildlife and Conservation Biology
Hometown: Caledonia, Michigan
Program: Exploring Wildlife Conservation in South Africa