I really haven't talked about the details of the program yet. Here is the link to the website from last year (same info just different dates)
http://www.cradie.soe.vt.edu/studyabroad/
The Study Abroad Program to Malawi ( 3rd poorest country in Africa) will be from July 21 to July 19. We will leave Dulles on the evening on July 21, fly with a stopover in Rome to Addis Ababa for an overnight stay on July 22. On July 23, we'll fly to Lilongwe, Malawi. We'll spend two nights in Lilongwe and on July 25 travel to Zomba. At the end of our trip, we will leave Lilongwe on July 18 and arrive at Dulles on July 19.
Thankfully, Santa brought me a map of Africa so I can actually learn where I'll be staying. He also brought me a travel guide book to Malawi. And one of those nice comfy Brookstone airplane pillows. It will be over 24 hours of travel time, so I know that will be very useful! My parents and I have looked everywhere for books on Malawi. AAA didn't have anything, and neither did Borders, Barnes and Noble. Finally, my dad found books and maps on Amazon.
We will be teaching in the mornings (between grades 1-8) and doing some type of service type project in the afternoon. There can be anywhere from 60-100 students in a classroom. The government thinks 65 is the ideal class size, but most classrooms have many more. We will also be taking classes to earn our 3-6 credits. We are allowed to come up with our own curriculum to teach. The idea is to bring topics/lessons to the classroom that their African teachers can't bring. We will also be able to develop projects that will help the classroom teachers in the future. Depending what we are getting our credits in, we will write a paper at the end of our trip about what we observed and researched while there. We will focus on how culture impacts teaching and learning. I think this is the 4th or 5th year this program has gone to Africa. In years past, they have developed a library for the school system and taught the students how to set it up and use it. Each year there is a different themed project we all work on to complete during our trip. I don't know what this years project will be yet.
5 VT students , 5 Radford students, 5 NC students and 3 advisors will be going on the trip. In the past years, its been around 50 degrees at night and 75 degrees during the day. When we are in the schools, girls are required to wear skirts that cover your knees and shirts that cover your shoulders.
We also go on lots of fun adventures! Overnight safaris, hiking, local markets, mission hospitals, and many more attractions! We are staying at Annie's Lodge (its a guarded resort) in Zomba Town. The town we are close to will have an internet cafe.
That's the basic info so far. Be sure and check out the website. It has more specific information.
Friday, February 1, 2008
My application
Below, I copied my application. It was part of the process, so I thought I should include it!
Malawi Study Abroad Application 2008
Briefly describe any international or cross-cultural experiences in the past 8 years?
My international experiences have expanded my knowledge of other countries and customs. Through vacations with my family, we have visited Jamaica, Cancun, Haiti and St. Martin. My parents made sure that we experienced the local culture (and food) in each. While our 1st visit to a Caribbean market in Cancun was enlightening, and somewhat frightening, we quickly learned that this was their culture. After this initial experience, subsequent market trips in Haiti and Jamaica, were very enjoyable, both the shopping and talking to the locals (love that Jamaican accent!).
My cross-cultural experiences include meeting girls from Germany,Argentina, Puerto Rico,St. Lucia Mexico, Greece, Japan and New Zealand. A close family friend of ours had multiple au pairs live with them, and I often learned many things about their country and their culture. In addition, in 2002, I was fortunate enough to be selected to attend an international Girl Scout program focusing on women in the medical field. While many girls were from the US, there were quite a few from other countries and I enjoyed meeting them and showing them America and learning about their respective countries.
I feel like I have had quite a few experiences with meeting people from all over the world. I am also from Northern Virginia and my high school was very diverse. We had students from all different nationalities, religions, and ethnic backgrounds. I have been exposed to different cultures all my life and I am excited to have an opportunity to learn more about the culture of Africa, and to find out what makes Malawi the “warm heart of Africa”!
Briefly describe your participation in student, civic, cultural, and religious activities:
As a Girl Scout for over 10 years, I was apart of an annual program, called the International Bazaar. Each troop had one country that they were responsible for learning about the cultural, values and beliefs of that country. The troops would then dress up in their country's native dress, make food and crafts from their country and display things that were significant to their country. It was a great way to expose me to the different countries and cultural traditions from all around the world. Another program that I was able to get involved in through Girl Scouts was being a camp aide at Ashgrove Adventure summer camp for 3 years. This was a wonderful leadership opportunity for me and I truly enjoyed working with younger girls and helping them succeed.
One of my accomplishments that I am most proud of is volunteering at my local hospital for over 500 hours. My parents set an example for me by giving blood and reaching out to those less fortunate, and this instilled the value of community service in me. Helping in the hospital was a rewarding experience, and I felt I made a difference. Because of my experience, I became a valuable resource for other volunteers and was always a smiling positive face for patients and visitors.
While high school was a great experience, I have truly found my place in Blacksburg, especially in my sorority Zeta Tau Alpha. It helped make the campus smaller, and I felt like I had my own family here, full of sisters. I wanted to do my part in the sorority, so I became service co-chair because I want to encourage my passion for community service to my other sisters. It has been a wonderful opportunity for me to get involved in the local community and learn about all that Blacksburg has to offer.
My resume is attached and it includes more of my activities, service and awards. (sorry, I didn't attach it in the blog)
Please write a brief essay on how study abroad will (1) complement your education and (2) how you can help to make this a positive experience for other students.
I have always heard about students who have studied abroad and come back with amazing experiences and stories to share. I have known for a long time that it was something that I wanted to do in college. While studying during the day in a foreign country and bar hopping at night seems fun, I wanted something more. Teaching and Learning in Malawi would be a rewarding experience and I feel I can make a difference. I can’t stop thinking about going to Africa, it’s something I feel like I need to do.
After looking at pictures from last summer and seeing the PBS video of Malawi, I could tell this would be the experience of a lifetime and I would learn so much more than any class or textbook could teach me. I have always had a passion for children and I have spent much of my adolescence babysitting, mentoring, tutoring and being camp counselors for children of all different ages and backgrounds. While I don’t know if I want to pursue a career as a teacher, I have always had interest in the education field. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my summer than going to a country where children are so eager to learn and grateful for any knowledge. I would be honored to be any small part of these children’s lives to help them succeed.
I feel this opportunity would complement my education because I am a hands on learner. I learn best through experiences and interactions. That is why I feel like this study abroad will be the perfect opportunity for me to excel academically. Being able to take everything that I have learned and observed from Malawi and put it together as a final project will be a wonderful way to document what I learned. It will be something to keep, and I will be able to look back at my time in Africa, and possibly even use it as an educational tool to teach others about Malawi.
My understanding is that the Malawi students are very eager to learn, and having a guest teacher from the states must be an exciting time. We have the opportunity to teach so much, whether its personal health, disease education, basic language arts, or multiplication tables. As long as it’s a positive experience for the children, that’s all that matters. I understand that our time is very valuable there, and I want to choose subjects that the students will find most useful. Therefore, I plan to do extensive research before our trip. I want to make this a memorable experience for me as well as the children.
I look forward to meeting the children of Malawi, but I also am excited to meet and work with my fellow students who have chosen to go on this journey. I believe that together we can achieve more and leave a more lasting impact on the children. As a team, we will be able to discuss and learn from each other’s experiences and observations. A journal will be an important tool to document our feelings and to remember our trip. Overall, this will be a positive experience for the students of Malawi as well as the students of Virginia Tech.
Why I chose to go to Africa
First of all, I'm a huge Oprah fan!!!! (BTW, I'm going to see Oprah on FEB 19th!!... but that requires an entire separate blog!) I've watched Oprah shows my whole life and I've seen the work she has done in Africa. Her Christmas Kindness trip in 2002, and of course her Leadership Academy in South Africa are both amazing ways to help others and I could see how much the children appreciated it and how Oprah got so much back from the children's joy. I always knew that was something I would love to do. I enjoy children and love to volunteer my time to help others. But to be honest, I never thought that kind of opportunity would come my way. It was just something I loved to watch on TV and wish I could do.
Last year, I was talking to a friend of mine about her summer plans and she told me she was going to Africa to teach. I screamed "OMG like Oprah!" She told me that it's a study abroad program offered through Virginia Tech. I was very jealous and couldn't wait for her to go on her trip and tell me all about it.
I saw her pictures on Facebook when she returned and I absolutely feel in love. I wanted to go to Africa and have the experience she had! I couldn't stop thinking about and I knew it would be the perfect study abroad trip for me.
I always knew I wanted to have a study abroad experience. These days, I feel likes its almost expected as a college student. I knew I didn't want to be gone for an entire semester, I just wanted to go during summer break. There are study abroad programs literally all around the world and you can find any type of program you want. The options are just endless. I went to study abroad fairs and thought about doing a program with Communication courses so I could get credits toward my major. I was also very interested in New Zealand, Australia, or any type of fun tourist location that I could travel all over the country. I wanted to go someplace that I would otherwise probably never have the opportunity once I graduated. I always had Africa in the back of my mind, but I wanted to explore the different options before I made up my mind. I knew if I went to Africa, I would be missing out on the traditional study abroad experience.
But what I would gain from going to Africa outweighed what I would miss if I didn't go. I kept going back to those African pictures on facebook and I knew I would always regret it if I didn't go. It actually came up in conversation with some of my sorority sisters and one of my closest sisters had actually researched it and was very interested in the program as well. We set up an appointment with the program director to talk with her about it in more detail. My friend, Krista and I talked and learned more about what we would be doing, and got some of our questions answered. We were psyched! Both of us filled out the application and submitted it very quickly. We both wanted to go so badly. It wasn't very long before the director told us "I read both of your applications and yes, both of you are accepted. You're excellent candidates."
Krista and I were so excited!! We were telling our other sorority sisters about Malawi and another sister, Sarah seemed really interested. She applied shortly after and was accepted too! Three Zetas are going to Malawi! I think Sarah told one of her friends about it, and shes going also. The word spread quickly!!! Below are two pictures of Sarah, Krista and me. We are all in Zeta Tau Alpha and going to Malawi together. We call ourselves "Malawi sisters"!
As you can tell, It was a difficult decision because there were so many wonderful study abroad opportunities and it was hard for me to make up my mind. Even though I haven't gone yet, I already know I made the best decision! I am so excited for the experience of a lifetime! I get a lot of different responses when I tell people about my trip. Some are very supportive, and others voluntarily tell me their disapproval, asking why I couldn't just go to a European country. I sometimes feel like I have to defend myself, but I know that a European study abroad wouldn't give me the same experience as Malawi. Although my impact will be small, I feel like I will be able to make more of a difference in Malawi than just bar-hopping in another country. It's very important for me to do something that makes an impact and helps other lives, especially children.
Last year, I was talking to a friend of mine about her summer plans and she told me she was going to Africa to teach. I screamed "OMG like Oprah!" She told me that it's a study abroad program offered through Virginia Tech. I was very jealous and couldn't wait for her to go on her trip and tell me all about it.
I saw her pictures on Facebook when she returned and I absolutely feel in love. I wanted to go to Africa and have the experience she had! I couldn't stop thinking about and I knew it would be the perfect study abroad trip for me.
I always knew I wanted to have a study abroad experience. These days, I feel likes its almost expected as a college student. I knew I didn't want to be gone for an entire semester, I just wanted to go during summer break. There are study abroad programs literally all around the world and you can find any type of program you want. The options are just endless. I went to study abroad fairs and thought about doing a program with Communication courses so I could get credits toward my major. I was also very interested in New Zealand, Australia, or any type of fun tourist location that I could travel all over the country. I wanted to go someplace that I would otherwise probably never have the opportunity once I graduated. I always had Africa in the back of my mind, but I wanted to explore the different options before I made up my mind. I knew if I went to Africa, I would be missing out on the traditional study abroad experience.
But what I would gain from going to Africa outweighed what I would miss if I didn't go. I kept going back to those African pictures on facebook and I knew I would always regret it if I didn't go. It actually came up in conversation with some of my sorority sisters and one of my closest sisters had actually researched it and was very interested in the program as well. We set up an appointment with the program director to talk with her about it in more detail. My friend, Krista and I talked and learned more about what we would be doing, and got some of our questions answered. We were psyched! Both of us filled out the application and submitted it very quickly. We both wanted to go so badly. It wasn't very long before the director told us "I read both of your applications and yes, both of you are accepted. You're excellent candidates."
Krista and I were so excited!! We were telling our other sorority sisters about Malawi and another sister, Sarah seemed really interested. She applied shortly after and was accepted too! Three Zetas are going to Malawi! I think Sarah told one of her friends about it, and shes going also. The word spread quickly!!! Below are two pictures of Sarah, Krista and me. We are all in Zeta Tau Alpha and going to Malawi together. We call ourselves "Malawi sisters"!
As you can tell, It was a difficult decision because there were so many wonderful study abroad opportunities and it was hard for me to make up my mind. Even though I haven't gone yet, I already know I made the best decision! I am so excited for the experience of a lifetime! I get a lot of different responses when I tell people about my trip. Some are very supportive, and others voluntarily tell me their disapproval, asking why I couldn't just go to a European country. I sometimes feel like I have to defend myself, but I know that a European study abroad wouldn't give me the same experience as Malawi. Although my impact will be small, I feel like I will be able to make more of a difference in Malawi than just bar-hopping in another country. It's very important for me to do something that makes an impact and helps other lives, especially children.
Why I decided to blog...
I'm new to this blogging world, but I'm taking a Media Writing course right now and my professor encouraged his students to start a blog. I wanted to avoid blogging about "my life" because I thought it was to broad and boring. I have been looking forward to my trip to Malawi for months, and I thought blogging would be the perfect way to document my trip from the very beginning and a great memory I will have forever. I also want to have this blog as a resource for the students participating on this study abroad in the years to come.
Most of the exciting posts will be when I'm actually in Africa, so I was concerned that I wouldn't have enough to write about before my trip. I started making a list, and I'm not worried anymore! There is plenty to write about and I'm very good about rambling on about my thoughts and concerns. Scholarship applications, travel clinic appointments, the African studies course I'm taking, and of course the never ending question about what to pack! There's a whole world of supplies out there my mom and I are learning all about. There's special underwear thats perfect for the African climate...who would have thought!
I'm hoping I will use this to write down and remember all of my conversations and suggestions I get from friends about Africa. I tell people all the time about my upcoming trip to Africa, and I always get some kind of response with suggestions, hints or stories about their trip or someone they know who went to Africa. Some are fun and encouraging, others are not. But I'm open to hear about the good, the bad and the ugly trips to Africa! I understand I need to educate myself about the diseases and the other dangerous things in Africa. It won't do me any good if I ignore it and don't teach myself how to be safe and healthy. There's lots of little things that you wouldn't even consider when you live in the US, but in Africa, its very important in order to stay healthy. That's why this blog will be a great way to write down all of the information I gather over the coming months.
I will tell you now... I'm a very busy college student, and I will not have time to edit my blogs for grammar and punctuation. You will see lots of errors...please don't judge! I promise that my papers I turn in for class are much better written! This is fun! I'm excited about my new blog! However, as I'm writing I feel kinda of silly because I'm not really writing to anyone but myself! haha
Mom and dad- I'm expecting you to be my most loyal blog site viewers! That means that what I'm about to say is hinted towards you....and anyone else who randomly find this on the web!!!
I need a better title! I'm trying to think of something fun and catchy! "Lexi's African Adventure" doesn't quite sound right. Ideas please!!!!!
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