Take advantage of the unique flavor Port Elizabeth has to offer. CEA offers a variety of local immersion activities to match your interests. Whether you enjoy music concerts, clubs, sports, cooking classes, language exchanges or something entirely different, our resident staff can help you get involved in the local culture.
Township Tour
Townships are where the majority of South African's live. On the inside, they are vibrant exciting places despite the fact that there is a lot of poverty and unemployment and some terrible living conditions. Through a guided tour you will gain an understanding of the Apartheid system and its lasting effects, experience the lives of the Xhosa people who are the main inhabitants of the Port Elizabeth townships, and discover how Port Elizabeth was at the center of the struggle for Freedom.
Day on the Beach and Evening Braai
Spend a day on the beach enjoying one of the many watersport activities accessible in Port Elizabeth or having fun at the Boardwalk. Following a day of fun in the sun, join fellow CEA and international students over a traditional Braai and South African music.
2010 FIFA World Cup
Every four years, approximately 11 billion people across the globe follow the World Cup soccer tournament, bringing its host cities to life like never before. From June 11 to July 11, 2010 Port Elizabeth’s beautiful seaside backdrop will be teeming with soccer fever, fostered by its notoriously friendly people and the awe-inspiring Nelson Mandela Bay Multi-purpose Stadium. Overlooking beautiful North End Lake, the “iconic” new stadium will feature eight World Cup games, starring teams from the world’s top 32 soccer-playing nations. An official “Fan Park” will be located at St. George’s Park, providing a centrally located, safe and free venue for fans to watch all 64 games live on state-of-the-art big screens, as well as celebrations throughout the month - food, drinks, live music and more! Renowned for its hospitality, Port Elizabeth is diligently preparing for an influx of guests -- famous soccer players, celebrities, tourists and fans from all over the world. Join them by selecting the “Full Curriculum Plus World Cup Extension” program at NMMU, which allows you to extend your time in Port Elizabeth/Nelson Mandela Bay for two weeks beyond the normal semester so that you can participate in the activities surrounding the World Cup.
NMMU SRC Events
Be a real part of the amazing student body at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and attend one (or more) of the numerous fun activities run by the Student Representative Council (SRC). Events range from a welcome bash for First Year students where the entire student body unites and spends the night listening to live bands, dancing and making friends to team competitions such as "Everything that Floats" challenging teams to spend one night building a boat or vehicle that will be able to float on water (to be demonstrated and judged the following day at Hobie Beach).
Volkswagen Motor Factory
What would a stay in one of the most important locations of the motor vehicle industry be without a visit to a factory? At the Volkswagen Motor Factory in Uitenhage, observe first-hand how production of various Volkswagen vehicles takes place from start to finish. Following the factory tour, you will visit the Auto Pavilion Museum which showcases VW vehicles through the years.
Bay World Oceanarium
Be transferred into the wonderworld of the ocean through a visit to Bay World Oceanarium. Exhibits within the Oceanarium include an underwater observation area in the aquarium, a dolphin research centre, various smaller tanks for 40 different species of bony fish, as well as two larger tanks housing sharks and stingrays. The Oceanarium also stages exciting dolphin and seal presentations. In addition to the Oceanarium, Bay World also houses a Snake Park, the Port Elizabeth Museum and No. 7 Castle Hill Historical House Museum.
