Daily Life

Time Zone

Normally South Africa is seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. South Africa does not observe daylight savings time. Thus, during U.S. daylight savings time (early April through late October) South Africa is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

Weather

South Africa is in the southern hemisphere and seasons are the opposite of North America. The following are average temperatures, not the extremes. As in the U.S., weather patterns can vary frequently.

• Johannesburg: The average high temperature is 75-77°F, while the average low is 53- 56°F. The nights may be quite cool year-round, but most of the rainfall occurs in November, with an average of 4 inches.

• Cape Town: The average high temperature is 64-72°F, while the average low is 50°F. Weather is usually similar to Johannesburg, with the exception of more rain and a strong sea breeze.

Money

Most participants find that USD $200 to $300 is sufficient spending money for a one-to-two week seminar. Of course, how much you bring will depend on your personal spending habits. You will want to discuss with your program leader how many meals are included in your program cost and budget accordingly. We recommend an average of $12/meal (lunches will often be less expensive than this, whereas dinners can be a bit more).

ATM cards are the most convenient way to obtain cash in the local currency. Traveler’s checks and U.S. cash can at times be difficult to exchange into the local currency, except at airports and tourist centers. It is helpful to have some cash in small currency (ones and fives). Try to bring new bills, as some past participants have encountered difficulty in changing bills that are worn, written upon, or torn. CGEE strongly encourages you to bring a money belt.

Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are accepted in many stores. Important: It is a good idea to call your credit card company to let them know that you will be using your card outside of the country for a set time. Some people encounter trouble using a credit card abroad because the credit card company assumes the card is stolen. We strongly encourage you to bring a money belt.

For current information concerning exchange rates, visit http://www.xe.com, as exchange rates for South Africa can fluctuate.