“How was your trip,” people ask me. “I hope you had a good time,” they say.  This past semester spent studying abroad in southern Africa with 14 other university students was so much more than just a “trip” or a “good time.” It was a life-changing set of experiences. Homestays, speakers, traveling, classes, and conversations all took me and others to new places and perspectives on spiritual, geographical, and personal levels. It all began with ten days in Johannesburg, South Africa, where we had orientation and first met, then continued on to Windhoek, Namibia, where we studied politics, religion, history, and the “development process,” and ended with a week in Cape Town, South Africa, where it was difficult to finally say goodbye.

While we had many good times and experienced incredible travel, we were also challenged to think in new ways and challenged to wrestle with our own identities in regards to race, class, gender, nationality, and religion, among other things. We learned about apartheid and its legacy; we saw the legacy every day. We learned about education struggles, the wealth gap, HIV and AIDS, gender issues, Christianity’s role in society, and “western” imposition. We learned about Owambo culture during rural homestays as well as how to pound mahangu (a millet used to make porridge) and cook over the fire. I left Namibia and South Africa with more questions than I had upon arrival.

As is true of most people who study abroad, the experiences further molded my character and changed some of my ideas and understandings. It is the little things that stick out most to me now that I am back home. For example, the majority of Namibians and South Africans I met were very welcoming and always took time to have a conversation. The moment I entered customs at the airport in D.C. I knew I was back in the U.S., where interactions tend to be much more formal and fast-paced than what I’d been experiencing the past few months. The welcoming atmosphere and appreciation of time are aspects I hope to incorporate more of in my own life here.

As far as change goes, I am much more aware of considering my “role” in places. What did it mean for me to study in Namibia? What does it mean for me to have had those experiences and now be back in Minnesota? I don’t necessarily have answers for those questions, but I do know that it is important to continue to process them.

My perceptions of southern Africa also changed. Africa, at least from most U.S. media and mainstream society standpoints, is seen as this homogenous continent with poverty and “Lion King” wildlife and scenery. But each country and city and individual person is different from the next. In Namibia alone there are several different ethnic groups, and everything from the capital city Windhoek to deserts, oceans, mountains, and a rich wildlife. I am grateful that many of my preconceived ideas were dismantled and replaced by real life—real people with real stories, and first hand images of Namibia.

This gaining sense of reality is what has truly made a difference to my education. It is one thing to learn in a classroom about being open to others, but quite another to learn from others in their context. The people I met both through the program and otherwise will influence my take on life for years to come. Perhaps it is in the journey home that the journey abroad truly sinks in.

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Internships help to enhance the study abroad program, deepening student understanding of the issues they study in the classroom and giving them personal and practical experience with people and cultures. CGE sites in Cuernavaca, Mexico and Namibia have offered internship programs for a number of years. This year, both sites will expand their offerings in response to growing interest from students and internship sites. Mexico will offer year-round internships and Namibia will begin a summer internship program.

The Cuernavaca site offers several options for internships in diverse fields, and students can complete full-time internships during January-term, in a semester, over a full year, or in the summer. Part-time internships are available for students in the semester or summer programs. These placements can be combined with Spanish language study, including courses to complement the intern experiences for students in healthcare, ministry, or business.

In Namibia, a new summer program titled “Social Change and Development in Southern Africa” will provide students with an opportunity to learn about contemporary and historical issues impacting development and social change in Southern Africa. In addition to their coursework, students will be paired with a local organization dealing with education, community development, health, or social change. Participants are also engaged in experiential learning and community engagement through home stays with local families and travel seminars that take place during the program.

Internships have been a highlight for many students because they provide opportunities for hands-on learning, personal and professional development, and rich exposure to local cultures and communities. An Augsburg College student who interned in Namibia with Hope Initiative said, “I enjoyed every minute of my time at Hope Initiatives. The staff has been so flexible and willing to help me in any way. The amount of knowledge and confidence I have gained here is endless. I now feel that I am a more well-rounded teacher and have had my mind opened to all new experiences.”

An ongoing goal is to make sure that internships are reciprocal for the host organizations. Aunty Clara from Vision Life in Namibia, a small organization catering to the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, said, “[Our intern] was everything in that home for us. She taught me many things — to be patient, to look beyond [skin] color. I could see in her an angel… She wrote a proposal and we received funding from a big company in Windhoek to buy food. She made a positive contribution in our lives, and I’m grateful.”

For more information on the Center for Global Education at Augsburg, go to .

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