Asante Sana Tanzania

It’s hard to summarize four months into just a few lines. In fact, I would say it’s almost impossible to encapsulate the CIEE Iringa program in only words, and believe me I’ve tried. My family and friends are probably tired of hearing story after story about my time in Tanzania, but these are stories that I think I’ll be telling for years to come. I gained so much through this experience: new perspectives, knowledge, relationships, and families. Living in a developing country has its own sets of challenges but every step of the way Justin and Paulo, our fabulous program directors, were there to help. They were receptive and really wanted the most positive experience for us. They truly welcomed us as if we were family. But, they manage to hit the perfective balance of guidance without being overbearing. I got to build relationships with Tanzanians: the nuns in the cafeteria, my roommates, my host family, and research assistant, who helped make my experience unique and culturally authentic. Learning Swahili, living with a host-family, and just soaking up the culture of the Iringa region made the program so powerful. Hands-on learning works best for me and so this program was the perfect fit. Time in the classroom was important but the excursions, research project, and daily adventures of navigating a new place were really the highlights for me. The support and friendships of my fellow US students were irreplaceable. I fell in love with Tanzania and couldn’t be more grateful for this program.