Tanzania: An Experience Beyond Words Past Review
By Ellen G (English and Religion, Wartburg College) for
Wartburg College Diers Program: Tanzania - Community Service based at SEKOMU University
I have so many stories now--and Tanzanians have taught me how to tell them. I learned so much about myself and my true values thanks to my time in Tanzania. I realized the role and importance of relationships in my life, and how easily I pushed them away before. I realized how locked in I am by the American/Western mindset of progress and productivity. I learned how to make friends with people who were drastically different from myself. I acquired enough of the Swahili language to get by (and I didn't know any on the day I arrived!). I'm a lot more aware of what globalization means for the rest of the globe. I have become aware of what my actions mean for the earth and other people around the world. I don't take a shower, open the fridge, or drink clean water out of the tap without thinking about how fortunate I am. My time in Tanzania made me open to the possibility of teaching as my vocation, and I'm excited to graduate from college, get on with my life, and get out into the world.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Most of my academic coursework was conducted via independent study through my college in the United States. The only specific class that I took through a Tanzanian institution was my Swahili language course. This course, however, was an overall good experience and I feel that I learned Swahili relatively well and quickly. The rest of my academic courses enabled me to observe, engage with, journal about, and reflect on the experiences I was having. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
While in Tanzania, I studied and traveled with a missionary pastor. He proved to be an amazing resource both for providing opportunities to engage with the local culture and also for offering personal care and support. He was phenomenal in helping me obtain things like my student visa, as well as checking in regarding my language learning and other experiences. Apart from this pastor, I didn't have much for program administration, as the Diers program is very small. I liked this, however, because it made me realize that my experience was truly unique to me. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I stayed in a dorm at the language school. I lived with another student from my college and in proximity with international students who were at the language school receiving instruction before entering a mission field or service placement. The housing situation was perfectly satisfactory, although certainly not necessarily typical of the "local" way of living. At times, it was difficult to live, travel, and go to class with the same roommate/friend without any reprieve, but overall my housing situation was perfectly satisfying. |
| * Food: |
If you aren't fussy or particular, the food is excellent. I had to be very flexible about what I ate, but everything was plentiful and usually tasty. There's not a lot of variety (rice and beans and cooked meat), but the quality and quantity of the food was always satisfactory. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I hiked a couple of mountains, visited Mikumi National Reserve (the African "safari"), visited Udzungwa Falls, and took a trip to Zanzibar. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I didn't feel unsafe living in Tanzania for three months. I didn't get sick or injured while I was there, so I don't know what that would be like. But overall, I found that simply living in the country--having had the vaccinations and medications recommended--did not cause me to feel at risk. Malaria is always a concern, but preventative measures (medication and mosquito nets) are available. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | It varied by week. During the three months that I was there, I spent about $350. Averaging that out, I spent around $30 per week. But more accurately, I had a couple of weeks where I spent $80 or $100 and others where I didn't spend any money at all. The dollar goes a lot farther in Tanzania than it does in the U.S. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Money can be tricky to navigate in social situations in Tanzania. I learned that it's always important to understand who is paying so as to avoid any hurt feelings. Overall, I didn't have any unanticipated expenses. I took $450 to Tanzania and didn't need it all for myself. One important thing to note about exchanging money in Tanzania is that the Tanzanian banks don't like to exchange $20 bills or older bills of any kind. I took all my American money in new $50 and $100 bills and didn't have any problems at all. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced the language in classes (obviously), with teachers and workers at the school, and on village visits. Knowing the language--even a little bit--was extremely helpful. Some people spoke English, but it was not common outside of the school where I stayed. If I went to town or to villages, knowing Swahili was very important--not required, but important. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | This study abroad program in Tanzania is probably not for everyone. You can't go into it wanting to live the way you do in the U.S.--food, hygiene, relationships, time management, everything is different there. You have to be very comfortable spending time with yourself in order to flourish during a semester in Tanzania, but I think that it was very transformational as a result. I learned to go slowly, to build relationships, to simply Be. If you're looking to stay the same person with the same ideas and the same lifestyle, then Tanzania is not for you. But if you're looking for a chance to step outside of your current worldview, to break away from the schedule and grind of the Western mindset, and to cultivate true relationships, then maybe this study abroad program is the right one for you. |
