Beyond the Single Story: Connecting With People, Not Perceptions w/ Catherine Cruz

I didn’t join college with the intention of studying abroad, let alone happening a second time. If
you’ve read my last blog, you know a bit of my story and my experience studying abroad in
Spain last summer. If you haven’t, I recommend you read that before this one. I promise it’s not
a self-plug. I had a wonderful experience in Spain, being immersed in a program focused on my
favorite sport, but Rwanda was the experience I didn’t know I needed. It was the missing puzzle
piece I never knew was missing.

The beginning that’s often forgotten

I had learned about Rwanda early on, since the same professor who led the program I was a
part of in Spain was also leading Rwanda. Though it seemed like an interesting program, I didn’t
jump right away, knowing I would do it, simply because I didn’t know much about Rwanda, and
because I had never considered traveling to Africa (part of that is because of the distance). It
took a while to convince myself that it was actually an opportunity not only to learn more about
Rwanda but also to explore topics that I found very interesting: sports development, human
rights, public health, and leadership/nation-building. So I applied, went abroad, and everything
went smoothly.

Right?
Well, not exactly.

When I decided to move forward and begin the application, it was different compared to Spain.
When I was accepted for Spain, the news was received with excitement and praise, but with
Rwanda, I was met with questions and concern. Keep in mind that my friends and family have
never traveled outside of North America or Europe, nor have they tried to learn about the
continent. So for them the idea of me studying abroad in Rwanda was seen as gutsy because of
their perception of Africa as an unsafe travel destination.

Luckily, I’m fortunate to have a very supportive mom who I didn’t have to do much convincing to.
In fact, I think she convinced me more than anything. She asked me if I was comfortable going,
and when I answered yes, that was all she needed to know I was making the right choice.
Early on during the program acceptance process, we were asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 10
how comfortable our parents were with us going to Rwanda, with 10 being the most anxious/
concerned and 1 being not worried at all. I said my mom was at a level 2, not concerned at all,
and when I came back from my experience and told her about this question, she responded by
saying she was more at a 20/10.

The truth is that my friends and family were reacting based on the “single story” they had
absorbed about Africa. The assumption that it’s one big country, all the same, and unsafe,
impoverished, and lacking basic resources. None of that is true. Of course, that’s not true, and
it’s just the single story that is often told through western eyes and I may have had those same
misconceptions had I not gone on this experience because I also didn’t know much about
Rwanda or Africa which I feel ashamed to admit.

Together at last

I don’t want to make this post a full side-by-side comparison between Spain and Rwanda and
tell you which is better, because that wouldn’t be fair for either. Both experiences and programs
were very different respectively. What made my experience in Rwanda so different was the
connection I had with everyone, both UW and ALU students; we were together every day and
consistently engaged. Some of my most memorable moments were the simple ones, the long
bus rides filled with sing-alongs, trivia battles, and endless Uno games. The nights spent
watching The Summer I Turned Pretty in someone’s apartment, playing games in the hotel pool,
trying to teach the ALU students Spanish and of course getting to work with them both on our
project and during class activities it was incredibly meaningful hearing their perspectives on
different issues, the list could go on and on.

Every day felt fresh and exciting, and whenever I had a day that felt like the best experience of
the trip and nothing could be topped the next day would get even better. Our Professors did
such a great job planning our schedules and connecting with such great organizations and
people that offered so much knowledge even if some students were only interested in the sports
or health aspect of the program they were still enriched learning about them. Shout out to Oliver
and Peter for making sure we got to each of our daily activities on time and safely. By far Peter
is one of the most skilled drivers I’ve ever met.

Finding Comfort Far From Home

Like any study abroad program, there came a point when many students began to feel
homesick and drained socially, mentally, and physically. The constant movement, the long days,
and the emotional intensity of our activities started catching up to everyone. But for me, this time
felt different. During my first study abroad, I definitely experienced homesickness. This time,
though, I didn’t. I know it might sound harsh, but I didn’t really miss my family or friends.I
promise I have feelings. I just felt surprisingly comfortable being on my own.

I even talked to my professor about it because I started to feel guilty. Everyone around me was
missing home, and I felt fine. His response made me feel so much better. He reminded me that
it’s completely normal not to feel homesick, it didn’t mean I cared any less about the people I
love. It simply meant that I adapted easily, and that I was fully present and engaged with the
experience in front of me. Looking back, I think not feeling homesick was a sign of growth. It
showed me that I’m capable of grounding myself in new places and finding comfort outside my
usual environment. It doesn’t mean I think less of my home, it just means I’m expanding my idea
of what “home” can feel like.

Coming to an end

The final week was incredibly emotional for me and for many of us. It started on our way back
from our field trip in Musanze. We had our final group activity at Meza Malonga, where we
learned about different spices, Chef Dieuveil Malonga bringing luxury dining to Rwanda, and
helped make banana beer. We were surprised with a five-course meal, hands down the best
meal I’ve ever had.

But after dinner, the reality hit that we only had a few days left together before returning home,
and we wouldn’t get to see the ALU students daily the way we had become so used to. I have to
admit, I’m not someone who cries easily. I didn’t even cry at the end of the program in Spain.
But during those final days in Rwanda, I cried at least once a day.
It was the realization that in just three weeks, I had built such meaningful relationships with the
students. I met people I never imagined I’d have the chance to meet, let alone connect with so
deeply. And now it was time to go back to my life in the U.S.

Breaking the Single Story

Our professors made an impactful statement during our final group discussion. They said that
we have the power to change people’s perceptions about Rwanda and the discourse
surrounding the single story of Africa.

Upon my return, I realized how impactful it was to share my experience with close friends,
because it was the closest they’d ever come to hearing about a true experience in an African
country. It was also a way to realize that some people aren’t meant to hear you because their
perspectives and opinions won’t be changed unless you drag them along for the journey. Going
to Rwanda was like walking into a room with the lights off. You don’t know what’s waiting for you
until you’re inside, and suddenly everything becomes clearer than you imagined. People who
have studied abroad say it’s a life-changing experience, and now I understand why. It shifts
something inside you in a way you don’t notice until you’re back home.

This trip reshaped the way I see Africa, and it left me wanting to return not only to reconnect
with the friends I made in Rwanda, but also to experience more of the continent.

Other Memorable Moments:

• When we were in Musanze we bumped into a filming crew from Mexico filming a reality travel show with Eugenio Derbez and his family and we were so lucky that we saw them again the next day in Volcano’s national park which they ended up doing the same Golden Monkey hike we were doing just farther down from us.
• I dropped my AirPods during our session at the women’s basket weaving collective and was able to get them back on the last day of the program. Jason dropped his AirPods hiking and somehow was able to recover them as well.
• We went to a Mexican restaurant that was pretty good but ended up being a club with almost no lighting.
• I ended up paying triple the amount that’s normally paid for a pair of shoes at Kimironko Market and got made fun of by the ALU students.
• I got our professors to say six, seven simultaneously
• Ben drove the bus a whole few inches, and then he and Ron went on to host the firstever UW bus lecture.
• On our last day of class, we got stuck in traffic because of a cycling tournament and ended up walking about 10 minutes to the ALU campus before hopping back on the bus.
• We had Nigerian catering delivered to a student’s room, and the whole class squeezed inside. Just imagine nearly 20 of us packed into a small room, sitting wherever we could.
• There was a small soccer court at the restaurant where we had our final dinner but they charged $40 USD to play. We only had time to play for 5min before heading to the hotel and leaving to the airport and I am telling you I had never begged for a soccer ball in my entire life as much as I begged for it that day just so we could play one final game and unfortunately my begging didn’t work.