On February 1, a group of Houghton students boarded their plane for a semester-long adventure in Tanzania. This off campus opportunity offers “the unique opportunity to experience life as most Africans themselves experience it, to be exposed to Africa on a broad front including history, anthropology, environment, languages-Swahili, politics and religion.” The program’s classes include East African Culture, Human Ecology, Wildlife Behavior, Missions in Africa, and Introductory and Conversational Swahili.
Every semester, students embark on this journey abroad, and every semester, emotions run high and mixed in the anticipation of it. Miranda Hayes ’19, an education major with a concentration in intercultural studies, found herself both excited and nervous for the upcoming semester. She is most looking forward to disengaging with technology. “I think probably one of the things I’m most excited about is not having that access to social media and my cellphone 24/7, because I know for a lot of people and especially for myself, it’s so easy to get addicted,” she said. “I’m hoping God will help me to be present in Tanzania.”
The semester will surely come with plenty of growth as Houghton students engage with a completely different culture for an extended period of time. Kyla Nies ’20 is hoping to take advantage of being a student of culture. “I think it’s just an amazing opportunity to be exposed to things that most people in their lifetime won’t get to experience, so even though it’s far away, it’s worth it to grow and learn about a culture we don’t know much about.”
In a similar fashion, Carolyn Duttweiler ’19 is “looking forward to the opportunity that Tanzania provides as a respite from the usual and the routine of the Houghton bubble. A change of setting can sometimes be the best instigator for learning and growth and I’m hopeful that Tanzania will be that for me,” she said.
Gabi Sheeley ’19 was first drawn to the program because of her interest in human ecology, which is the main focus of many of the courses taught by Linda and Eli Knapp. Sheeley is excited to gain experiences in “someplace completely unfamiliar, with unfamiliar people.” Sheeley explained that, when we encounter these unfamiliar experiences, “you end up feeling a little empty because all of those things that you’re comforted by aren’t there anymore,” but also highlighted how we can use fresh experiences “to build ourselves back up with new things or with God and just be comfortable with those confused empty spaces. I’m really excited for that experience.”
These moments and memories will last long after the semester ends. Like all of the Houghton students embarking on this journey abroad, Sheeley is hoping that its impact will leave a deep imprint on her heart and mind in the years to come. “I hope to become more comfortable in a new culture, and hopefully I’ll be able to take those experiences with me and transfer them to more new cultures that I’m going to be visiting in the future,” she explained. “I’m hoping to have an overall increased cultural competency and an appreciation for new people, as well as having some new stories to bring home and carry with me.”