Zambia 2018

My research was a rollercoaster in terms of my experience. Partly due to the nature of the topic and the nature of our program, my research partner and I encountered hurdles after hurdles in trying to deliver for our organization. One of the first hurdle we had was in terms of our topic. While our focus was determined very early on in our program, we had chosen an evidence-based, data-based approach to our research topic. However, as we slowly and frustratingly found out as our research continued, there was a severe lack of data and research on our topic and the area we were trying to focus on, thus limiting what we could feasibly do and the extent that our research could reach. Even the data that we were able to get our hands on were sometimes convoluted and unreliable, making for an unpleasant experience trying to synthesize anything. Another hurdle we encountered was the incongruity of our findings. In the beginning of our research, we were able to get various interviews with co...

Dear Future Participant, Get ready for an experience unlike one you have ever had before! Your summer in Zambia will be a one-of-a-kind hands-on learning experience, so you must make the most of it. To do this, I have written a list of things to keep in mind. 11.      Journal often. Even if journaling isn’t “your thing”, you should still do it. I often forced myself to journal because I was tired after a long work week and did not want to write any more words, but after the trip was over I was thankful that I did it. Your journal will help you to remember all of the critical moments of the summer as well as any lessons you learned or challenges you faced. 22.      Embrace the changes. This is not your typical summer in America. You will not have many of the luxuries you are used to at home including unlimited Wi-Fi, a hot shower, and some of your favorites foods. However, I encourage you not to see these as negat...

Dear Future Cohort,  I'm not sure if I just got lucky, or if a summer in Zambia will be the best summer you've ever had. If you are open to trying new things, eager to soak up new friendships, and willing to put yourself out there, I think you'll find it hard to leave once the end of July comes. That's not to say it will always be easy, but being able to adapt to your new community and take the hiccups as they come will greatly help things. Here's a list of things important to know:  1) Zambians really are the friendliest people you'll ever meet. Sometimes this will annoy you because you're not really interested in engaging with someone shouting at you down the street and other times you'll meet great people through these chance encounters. I know that by the time many of us left, we had become friends with the staff at the Deli (great cafe in Kabulonga mall), the guys who sold us our airtime, and with just random strangers we...

Dear future participant or Muzungus, You are about to embark on a unique journey both academically and personally. My time in Zambia not only helped me not only reveal my own strengths and weaknesses but help discover a different side of myself. As I reflect on the experience, my time in Zambia was a whirlwind of emotions from happiness, frustration, excitement, to satisfaction. From the generosity, love and affection of our homestay families to challenges during research have strongly impacted my experience in Zambia. When we were in Zambia my abilities to adapt to challenging situations were put to test. For example, navigating through our research was frustrating as even after 3-4 weeks we did not have a clear sense of direction for our paper. The lack of basic amenities at the post- homestay living arrangement tested our patience and flexibility time and time again. However, it was the process of navigating through such issues that were meaningful and worthwhile.     ...

Dear future participant, First, I want to clarify that my experience in Zambia was very complex and that the learning processes I started there are far from complete. The process of self-reflection and learning is life long and I would be cautious about the mentality that a summer abroad trip will “change” you or that you will “find yourself” in Zambia. That mentality often inadvertently leads you down a path of passive engagement. Zambia will not change you just because it is a foreign country and you will not find yourself just because you are traveling. Taken in an active light, Zambia is everything you make for yourself—the relationships that you form and maintain, the places and things you explore, and the way you interact with new situations. You will see a few themes in the advice my cohort gives: actively engaging with your host family and strangers you meet, learning to find support within your cohort, exploring new activities outside your comfort zone and discoverin...

Dear future “Mizungu,”          Before this program began, I didn’t know much about Zambia besides the typical stereotypes of Africa that pervade mainstream media and what I had learned about African politics in school. Even in the pre-departure seminar, hearing about Zambian culture did not prepare me at all for what I experienced over the summer. By the end of the summer, however, I believe I have a much better understanding of Zambian culture and life in the country. I was able to learn a great deal not only through my research but also in my interactions with people through everyday activites. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience this summer and despite not everything going right, I loved getting to know both my fellow Cornellians as well as native Zambians.      Some of the things I have taken away from my experience that I think are worth sharing: 1)     Be flexible. Zambians pride themselves on thei...