Story and Photo by Abigail Mengistu, Co-op I was excited to participate in a global co-op as it would offer more independence to navigate a new city than a traditional study abroad. Rwanda is fittingly known as “the land of a thousand hills” with breathtaking views nearly anywhere you go. The capital, Kigali, is a…
Category: Africa
Common Threads
Story and Photo by Sydney Wise, Co-op As I write this, I’m sitting at Vintage Vibe, a cafe overlooking the Nile River. It’s part of The Platform, a stretch of Egyptian, Lebanese and “international” (i.e., Italian or American) restaurants situated on the Maadi neighborhood corniche, where expats and trendy Egyptians enjoy a meal while admiring…
The Teacher Becomes the Student
Story by Julia Moore, Dialogue of Civilizations⎜Photo by Julia Moore “Will you be our teacher?” A little girl had grabbed a book and handed it to me. I looked at her and my face lit up. There are a lot of opportunities to make connections with people from a completely different culture when you’re abroad,…
A Lasting Connection
Story by Kayla Mackay, Dialogue of Civilizations⎜Photo by Kayla Mackay This past summer I was fortunate enough to attend the Social Enterprise and Micro-Consulting Dialogue in Cape Town, South Africa. It was a trip that allowed us to work with and consult local entrepreneurs from the area and learn more about the social and economic…
Mt. Kilimanjaro Reflection
Story and Photo by Tova Lenchner, Personal Travel Every morning, 80-some odd people summit Mt. Kilimanjaro; on the morning of July 19, 2017 at about 7:08 A.M., I was one of them. When I tell people this, they are impressed, but to be honest, this was one of the easiest accomplishments of my life. Six…
A New Approach to Trust
Story by Erin Burba ⎜ Photo by Ashna Singh When I decided to move to Tanzania for my second co-op, I had very little foundation for and understanding of what was ahead. I knew next to nothing about the country. My new boss couldn’t tell me exactly what kind of projects I would be working…
Right to the City
Story and Photo by Noa Dalzell, Dialogue of Civilizations Last summer, I embarked on the “Right to the City” Dialogue of Civilization in South Africa, led by Professor Liza Weinstein. We visited the country’s three largest and most politically significant cities — Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town — and I hate to embrace the Northeastern…
Poverty and Education in Kisumu Slums
Story by Madeleine Hahn-Smith ⎜ Photo by Aneri Shah Karibu Kenya! “Karibu” – meaning welcome, is one of the first Kiswahili words I learned when I arrived in Kisumu and is a central theme of this community and its culture. Each new person I met welcomed me into their home— offering food, tea, and conversation. These…
Communicating without Words: Language Barriers in the Atlas Mountains
Story by Aspen Schneider, Dialogue of Civilizations⎜ Photo by Katherine Murrey Communication became the greatest comfort when traveling with a group of unknown classmates to a continent that I had never been and immersing in a culture and religion vastly different than my own. To be able to ask my professor questions, to discuss new ideas…
A Milestone of Personal Growth in Morocco
By Kathleen Brody Morocco is the place that is the most unlike home that I have ever visited and, for that reason, perhaps the most valuable travel experience I have had to date. Although astoundingly beautiful, it wasn’t just the vibrant colors or fragrant scents of Marrakech’s medina, mosaics, or mint tea that entranced me—it…
