![\"\"](\"https:\/\/community.scrippscollege.edu\/invisible\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2013\/05\/Georgia-Macy.jpg\" "\\"Georgia")
<\/a><\/p>\n[in]Visible<\/em>: Coming from a women\u2019s college, how have your experiences in your host country differed?<\/p>\n Georgia Macy<\/em>: In terms of statistics, I stayed with 30 American students (26 of whom are women) and about 20-30 staff members, who were mainly men and from Kenya and Tanzania. East Africa tends to be a very patriarchal society; the most blatant example of this bias occurred when a chairman of the town council in Rhotia, Tanzania asked our group why the women were asking the questions, because it was his impression that men were smarter. However, the women I met were some of the strongest and most motivated group of people I have ever known. We volunteered at an HIV testing clinic run by women who fought to improve education and decrease stigmatization about HIV\/AIDS. I stayed with a retired Tanzanian couple after my program, and the wife asserted several times that she believed \u201cwomen are the movers and shakers of the world.\u201d There are certainly extreme hardships for women in East Africa, but the vast majority of women I met were motivated to gain educations and better lives for themselves and their children.<\/p>\n [i]V<\/em>:Favorite host country food?<\/p>\n GM<\/em>: I have to say chai ya tangawizi (English translation from Kiswahili: ginger tea), and all of the social activities that go with it. It is almost like normal tea, but you make it with an excessive amount of milk and sugar; everyone meets up in the afternoon to have their chai. People sit, relax, and have time to enjoy each other \u2013 something that seems to be underrated in our fast-paced world.<\/p>\n [i]V<\/em>: What is your favorite class abroad?<\/p>\n GM<\/em>: My directed research project in wildlife management. I mean honestly, when else does \u201cclass\u201d mean \u201clet\u2019s go to various protected areas and count all of the animals.\u201d You know you are getting used to East Africa when seeing a giraffe by the side of the road is normal. I still dream about being back in Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Lake Manyara, and Serengeti.<\/p>\n [i]V<\/em>: What would you like Scripps to know about your host country?<\/p>\n GM<\/em>: I would love to tell Scripps everything. Since I cannot, I\u2019ll simply tell you what several staff members and professors told me before I left. They love American students, and they love sharing their beautiful wildlife, country, and peoples with others. There are, of course, several issues with cultural tourism and local peoples\u00a0benefiting\u00a0little from the ecotourism business. However, I can tell you that I almost always felt sincerely welcome and never felt afraid; it is so easy to fall in love with Kenya and Tanzania and their citizens.<\/p>\n [i]V<\/em>: Favorite Motley drink?<\/p>\n GM<\/em>: Dirty chai. I mean the English word chai, of course. I was at first disappointed that \u2018having chai\u2019 merely meant having black tea in Kenya & Tanzania.<\/p>\n [i]V<\/em>: Funniest faux pas\/miscommunication?<\/p>\n GM<\/em>: My professors were all well educated (all had Ph.D.\u2019s or their master\u2019s), but sometimes unclear on American idioms. For example, my wildlife management professor expected us all to understand when he lifted a bent index finger and asked us to promise not to worry about exams; we eventually realized he meant for us to \u2018pinkie swear.\u2019 Another professor confused the terms \u201cwee hours of the night\u201d for the \u201cweird hours of the night\u201d and thought that \u201ctree huggers\u201d were \u201ctree muggers\u201d.<\/p>\n In my homestay with a Maasai family, my mama knew little Kiswahili and even less English. I knew about as much Kiswahili as my mama knew English; I also knew how to say hello politely in Kimaasai. This made for interesting communication. When my fellow student and I were trying to carry water (it was in a jug with a strap attached to it), we tried to put it on our shoulders like a purse. This caused all the mamas (not just our own!) at the water source to bowl over laughing \u2013 the silly wanafunzi (students) didn\u2019t realize that you put the strap across your forehead, and carried it on your back!<\/p>\n <\/p>\nGreetings from Germany & Korea: Katie Evans, SC ’13, discusses her semesters abroad in Germany (Fall 2011) and Korea (Spring 2012)<\/h3>\n