By Jordan Warren
Seven other US students and I embarked on a two-week journey of cultural exchange in Lusaka, Zambia. Though I was filled with many emotions coming into the trip, the overall feeling was glee as this would be my first time venturing out of the country. I was especially excited to travel with LearnServe – a program dear to my heart – and of course with my younger brother. I looked forward to the cultural exchange aspect since that is my field of interest as an international relations major.
The biggest thing that surprised me about the cultural exchange was not just the differences, but similarities in our ways of life. For me at least, when approaching the topic of culture, I automatically think about things I can learn from it, as it’s something that differs from my own. However, one of my favorite and most unexpected discoveries of our trip was our overlapping cultural similarities, despite being thousands of miles away. Though there were a lot of similarities, there were also a lot of differences. And sometimes, those unfamiliar environments can be a little overwhelming for me, coming from a place that has been constantly familiar. Something that helped me navigate through these moments was seeing the situation as an opportunity more than a challenge. That change of perspective helped me become more appreciative of my time there as well.
Something that helped me navigate through these moments was seeing the situation as an opportunity more than a challenge.
Overall, some of my biggest takeaways from the trip were about community. I came to Zambia more so with the intention to learn so that I could prepare myself for the future with the right skill sets to travel to other places. And while I did build those transferable skills, I also gained something more important: community. While I met the Zambian students during the online portion of the program, I never really connected with them for various reasons, whether it be internet issues or limited interactions on Zoom. Meeting them in-person made me realize how much I missed out during the sessions and how truly amazing they are. Being there in-person made it so our conversations were tangible and had greater substance than when we were just online.
I again realized my own ignorance as I found out the Zambian students enjoyed similar books and movies there that I like, things I had never even considered existed there before. I was met with so much love and taken in instantly. Now that I’ve been to the country and experienced its amazing-ness, something I would better prepare for is doing more personal research before landing. The Zambians we met love when foreigners are interested in learning about their culture, and I would love to have made more people smile by dropping a fun fact or two about Zambia!
One of the most important goals I have for myself in the next three months is reflecting. In Zambia, our trip leaders Latrina and Chris had us share intentions, reflections, and shout-outs every day. At first, I wasn’t too fond of these activities due to always having to publicly speak, but as the trip went on, I realized how important it was – especially when I made an intention and actually completed it. Though I don’t practice these habits every day, there are some days where I continue to implement them in my day to day life back in the U.S. to help me map out my goals and reflect on my actions. Now that I’m back in the States, I want to hold on to the amazing lessons I learned from Zambia.
One of my proudest moments since returning was while I was working as a summer camp counselor for 6 to 11-year-olds. A curious 7-year-old asked me about my bracelet which was a souvenir I got while in Zambia. This sparked a long conversation about the country, and he told me that one day he’d like to visit for himself. Even seemingly small things like a bracelet have such a big impact and story behind them. I’ve gained so much knowledge and love that I don’t feel like a new person, but an improved one. I have an inexpressible amount of gratitude to everyone involved in bringing us on this trip. I hope to visit Zambia again!