Participants are met by the Director in Durban, South Africa. They begin with a weekend of orientation and then travel one hour to the inland Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of Natal. There they live on campus and receive intensive instruction in the Zulu language and culture from faculty in the Zulu department. Their courses are led by Mary Gordon.

The group leaves the campus for two separate weeks of home stays with Zulu families. One stay is in Imbali, an urban setting, and the other is in Maqonqo, a village setting.

During these stays participants undertake mini-research projects. They also go on weekend excursions to places of significance to Zulu history and contemporary life in KwaZulu-Natal. They also have the opportunity to attend ceremonies and cultural events.

They return to the University of Natal campus for a final week of presentations and assessment. Then they leave for a weekend of relaxation in the Drakensberg mountains before departure to the U.S.