By Niyea Pollard
What surprises me the most is how much people in Zambia stay connected to their culture and roots. To this day, they still practice traditional dances and songs. It’s so beautiful. They still use their fabrics as daily wear. I feel as if in the U.S., very few people stay connected to their culture when they move there. However, I can only speak for the DMV, based on what I’ve observed. Some people hold on to their culture and stay in tune with it, but many people modernize themselves or Americanize themselves and leave it behind. It’s fantastic to see that in the motherland, they still uphold the cultures and their way of living today. It’s scary to imagine and to think, as a Black person, of all the things that made us ourselves in our past getting thrown away as generations go on. I felt at peace in Zambia knowing that though I was born in DC, the place where my ancestors once lived is still rich with culture. And, I think everyone should be able to experience that at least once.
For me, some things made me a little uncomfortable because I wasn’t used to it. But due to wanting to know more about what Zambia had to offer and teach me, I had to remind myself this is a learning experience. To learn more about these fantastic people, I have to walk in their shoes. Take a risk and be a little uncomfortable. I had to accept that instances could be a bit awkward and remain calm because something I was unfamiliar with could be someone else’s prize. It was not for me to disrespect it, even if it was accidental.
This trip wasn’t just about learning more about marketing, business, or entrepreneurship. Instead, it was about how you create friendships through experience.
I want to take away hopefully a better view of life. I want to get better at living in the moment. I made unmatchable bonds that I would have never made without going on this trip. This trip wasn’t just about learning more about marketing, business, or entrepreneurship. Instead, it was about how you create friendships through experience.
I met some of these people through the Incubator program, where we only really talked about our ventures in the leadup to pitching them. But, this was done virtually, so you don’t actually learn about the people on a personal level. They’re just kind of like co-workers. We could have ended the experience with our pitches, and that’s it. None of us probably would have continued talking or gotten to know each other on a personal level. And we would have been ok with that. Some of us might have felt empty, but it would have been okay.
But we had the opportunity to meet them in person. Go to Zambia and connect with them. And that was life-changing. I never knew that two weeks of getting to know people you met on Zoom could make such a big difference.
I met some of these people through travel preparation, and I was honored to meet them. We laughed, we danced, we learned, we served, and we grew. Two weeks wasn’t long enough, and I knew before those two weeks that I needed to make every moment last. We had all connected so quickly; it was a blessing. I now know that every moment needs to be treasured. Though I miss every single Zambian student, I’m at peace knowing that I treasured those moments, and that this is not the end. I’m taking away friendship, knowledge of culture, more energy to serve, and, most importantly, the experience and love spread out while I was in Zambia.
I’m taking away friendship, knowledge of culture, more energy to serve, and, most importantly, the experience and love spread out while I was in Zambia.
Changes that I had to make in preparation were more so in what I packed in my suitcase than anything else. I didn’t realize it was going to be so cold. I mostly packed shorts, and I was pretty cold in the mornings and evenings. But I think, for the most part, I entered the trip with an open mind, and I think that’s what helped me enjoy my experience.
My goal is to keep in touch with the fantastic Zambian students. I want to find ways to share US culture with them, and I hope to be exposed to more Zambian things, though we are waters apart. Because I love the way the organizations that we learned about in Zambia are helping their community, I would love to find a way to help them help others. Though I know I can’t travel to Zambia within the year, I would love to visit again and reunite with everyone!
