EXCHANGE PARTNERSHIP

Ask locals about when it is safe to walk places and places to avoid. Avoid the city center of Pretoria. Wallets should always be carried in front pockets and never in back pockets. Avoid backpacks. Avoid open purses. Expect to have a bit of what is referred to in West Africa as "runny tummy." Can usually be controlled with Kaopectate or Peto Bismol (bring from the States). Carry extra toilet paper. Drink lots of water. Remember Pretoria is about 6,000 feet above sea level. Even when the temperature is cool, the sun can burn quickly. Men are advised to bring a cap or hat. Because of the altitude, you may feel out of breath or become exhausted more quickly than in Spokane. Tours can be arranged to game parks, townships, Cape Town, Durban, and other African Countries. ATM machines can be used for Rand from your U.S. dollar account. ATM machines have the best exchange rates. Never carry a lot of cash. You may be approached by well-dressed and very polite con artists who have sad stories of needing only a small amount of money to get back home where a job or an opportunity for school awaits. Often they will provide a phone number for you to call to confirm their story. Do not fall for their stories. In restaurants, the term for a paper napkin is a serviette, the term for tomato ketchup is tomato sauce, and French fries are chips. Tips are generally 10 percent. Around the office, faculty members are staff, master level students write dissertations while doctoral level students write thesis, and 3 1/2 computer disks are "stiffies" or disks. On the street, traffic lights are robots. Drivers do not stop for pedestrians. Think metric and memorize a few conversions.

Last update May 23, 2002

These activities are assisted financially by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State under the authority of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1961, as amended, through the College and University Affiliations Program/Fulbright Educational Partnerships Program