To Future Participants

If I learned anything while in Zambia it was that learning to work through unexpected issues is a necessary skill of life. Although my experience in Zambia was one that I am grateful for and truly enjoyed, there were numerous roadblocks that my cohort and I faced while in country. We all had to learn how to balance the stress of being in a new environment with producing a research outcome and project we could all be proud of. Personally, I struggled the most in handling issues that were out of my control. For instance, I was very upset and frustrated when my research partner and I discovered that we did not have enough time or materials to complete an aspect of our project that we were excited to look into. Even though adding this aspect to our project would have been amazing for our organization as they stressed its significance in the first two weeks of the program, I had to come to terms with reality and make due with the little time we had to complete our research. Nonetheless, I was very impressed with what we were able to achieve in our project. In hindsight, I am actually glad that I did not stress myself in trying to include other topics into our research as it would have been very overwhelming for us. More importantly, excluding this part of our project allowed me to spend more time enjoying all that Zambia had to offer and I was able to feel more relaxed in my last few weeks in country. From experiences like this and many others, my time in Zambia taught me how to better cope with stressful situations and overcome barriers.

My advice to future participants would be to not stress or doubt their abilities when things do not go as planned. This is a skill that has not only proven to be necessary in research programs like this, but also in everyday life. With such little time to complete these research projects, it can be difficult to pull yourself away from your project. However, it is important to take time for yourself and do something that you genuinely enjoy. I realized that the times when I let my project consume all of my thoughts were also the times I was the most unproductive. I wish I had taken more breaks and took time for myself instead of worrying everyday about how I would finish my paper by the deadline. I would advise future participants to continue or pick up new hobbies such as reading, journaling, or even playing soccer with other cohort members to relieve stress and clear their minds.

Lastly, I would advise future participants to be open to change and this new culture. When I opened my mind to understanding the long-standing traditions and customs of the Zambian way of life, I found myself feeling more at home and building genuine friendships with many of the locals. This program has given me a better understanding of the different ways people view life and it has given me better insight into what I want my future career to look like. Although at times I struggled in navigating this new way of life, Zambia allowed me to step far out of my comfort zone and make memories while doing it.