Landing in Rwanda felt unreal in a lot of ways. I could not believe that I was actually there and that I made it. The hardest part of study abroad for me was before I left for the program.
Study Abroad as a Math Major:
When I started to look at study abroad programs, I was a sophomore Mathematics major here at UWB. Looking at all the interesting programs, it was hard to find any that directly related to what I was studying. After going over my concerns with Ludmilla, one of the study abroad advisors, she clarified that a study abroad program does not need to directly relate to my major. She suggested using study abroad as a way to earn general education requirements or elective credits. She also suggested that I study abroad to explore my other interests.
Too many choices:
The next challenge, as a person who has a tough time making decisions, was seeing all the different programs that UW offers. It was both exciting and overwhelming. I did not know how to make a decision even with the help of leading questions. I could not decide which country to go to. I wanted to go to all of them! I did not know how long I would like to study abroad. I did not know what to base my decision on. Then, when talking to my professor about it, he suggested that I apply to the Global Scholars Cohort Program. He explained how this program will help give me 1 on 1 support and really help me narrow down choices.
After doing more research on the program, I realized that it could help me with more than just choosing a study abroad program. This program is meant to teach you about identity, differences, and power dynamics that play out when you are in an unfamiliar environment. I felt like this was important to learn about before going abroad, so I decided to apply to that cohort program.
Global Scholars:
Global Scholars really helped me in narrowing down the study abroad programs that I was interested in going to. First, I was supposed to choose a program in the summer to go along with the program schedule. This already narrowed it down from so many options. What also helped is that I knew that I wanted to do mathematics research during the first part of the summer, so that left me to study abroad programs during the Early Fall period. This period is between when summer quarter ends and fall quarter begins, so it would not interfere with the classes I wanted to take.
Looking at the programs in Early Fall, I would save the programs that I found interesting and look up to see if they had any info sessions I can attend. If they did not have an info session on the UW study abroad calendar, then I emailed the faculty involved to meet online to tell me more. Then, I looked at what credits I can earn from each program I was interested in. Most of this ended up being fulfilling a social science credit. In the end, I had 5 programs that I found really interesting.
Global Scholars also helped me look for scholarships and helped me apply for them. This was how I got the UWB Study Abroad Ambassador Scholarship that helped pay for my flight and a bit more. Global Scholars also helped me with my next decisions: which 3 to apply to?
Trip to Meza Malonga
Picking 3 programs to apply to:
There is a limit to how many study abroad programs you can apply to in a given time period. Since I was only really available to Early Fall programs, I could only apply to 3 programs that I was interested in. In the end, I chose the 3 programs that kept circling around my head the most: Nation Building in Rwanda, Urban Design & Planning in Italy, and Program on the Environment in Morocco.
I was really interested in the program in Italy because part of it is learning about the farmers’ lifestyle in Italy. You would learn about the challenges they are facing, both from the business perspective and the environmental perspective. Part of the program was also staying in this villa in Tuscany where we lived with a farming family and would help them work the farm. The peace and tranquility of what that would look like really drew me in. I was also really curious to know how farmers adapted to climate change while also preserving their traditional ways of farming. How difficult was it to start a business in Italy? Why did the Italian government have so much regulation on business? What were the cons and pros of that system? I was really curious to learn more, so I decided to apply.
For the Morocco program, it was really cool because you would get the chance to stay in several different cities in Morocco. Part of the program was a 3-night homestay in Rebat, which I found so exciting. The idea of a homestay really drew me in because it really felt like you would be part of that family for a period of time. You would learn about their customs and traditions. You would get the chance to really understand the culture and its values. Part of the program was also staying in an indigenous village in the mountains and learning how to speak a bit of their language. I really loved the cultural immersion aspect of this program. This program was also about how the environment is influencing farmers in Morocco. In the village that we were going to, most of the farmers used to farm to eat, but recently they switched to farming to sell. This change was motivated by new government policies. What I found so fascinating about this program was getting the opportunity to talk to government officials and stakeholders. So, I decided to apply.
Lastly, I applied to the Rwanda program for a few reasons. I was really interested in development and how a nation decided to develop. Rwanda was also a very unique case study in this instance. After a horrific genocide 30 years ago, Rwanda has managed to rebuild itself. I was really interested in how and why and who was participating. I also found it most exciting that part of the program was working with students from the African Leadership University in Rwanda. I also found this program interesting because of its location. Before going to Rwanda, I would not have even been able to point to it on a map. No one in my family really traveled to East Africa before, so I was really fascinated by how little I knew about the country and how much I could learn. This program was led by a professor I had for class before. I really like how that professor leads his classes and the discussions that he pushes us to have, so I decided to apply.
Picking the One:
When I applied to all 3 programs, I did not think that I would get into all 3 programs. In fact, I hoped that I would not get into all programs because I could not pick which program to go to. Now, I was back to still having to pick between all 3 programs. I talked to my parents, friends, and Ludmilla about it. Everyone had a different opinion on where I should go and what I should do. It was really hard to decide.
In the end, I started a pro/con list for each program. The Italy program, while fascinating, was not as academically rigorous as I would have liked it to be. I realized that that was a deal breaker, so I knew the Italy program was out.
The hardest choice was having to choose between Rwanda and Morocco. My parents really wanted me to go to Morocco, but I found Rwanda more fascinating. When would I go to Rwanda if not now? At the same time, the Morocco program seemed perfect. I think if it was in a different country, I would have chosen it. However, I felt like going to Morocco would not be the completely new experience that I was looking for. I grew up in Jordan and so I was familiar with Arab culture and values. Even though Morocco is not Jordan, I am sure that when it comes to most customs and traditions the two countries are very similar.
Now, I was really leaning towards Rwanda, but my parents were really against it. They were worried that regional conflict near Rwanda would put me in danger. Also, the thought of me going to a country where I did not speak the language concerned them. They were certainly thinking of the worst case scenarios. I even got a phone call from my grandpa telling me not to go to Rwanda and to choose Morocco instead.
Convincing my Family:
I was really conflicted. I know that I am an adult and my parents do not control my choices, but to pick something despite their clear disapproval felt wrong. From there, I decided to talk to the faculty in charge of the program, my previous professor, Ben Gardiner. We set up a meeting and I was telling him about some of the concerns that my parents had. He told me how I should alleviate my parents’ concerns and how to assure them that I would be safe abroad. After that meeting, I tried to talk to my parents again, but they were still hesitant.
Coincidentally, at the same time, my local mosque was hosting an interfaith Iftar, where people from diverse backgrounds and identities came to my mosque to break fast together. I invited Ben to this event because I felt like it was something he would be interested in attending. There I introduced him to my family and parents. During the event, I was busy volunteering and helping out, but I did notice Ben having several conversations with each of my parents. Then, by the end of the night, on our drive home, my parents turned to me and told me that they had changed their minds and I could pick any program I wanted to go on.
I felt elated! They were supportive of my decision to study abroad in Rwanda. After making this decision, I got another phone call from my grandpa telling me that his coworker’s daughter also went to Rwanda a couple of years ago. My grandpa gave me her number and advised me to talk to her and ask her about her experience. I texted her and we had a nice phone call, where she told me about all that she did in Rwanda and how much fun she had. Honestly, after that phone call, I knew I made the right decision.
Going to Rwanda:
When I landed in Rwanda and now that I am back, I am really glad that I kept pushing for what I wanted to and was able to participate in this experience. It was truly amazing and taught me so much. So, if you are facing any of the challenges that I faced, know that you can get through it, especially if you reach out to the people around you! Thank you for reading!
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