Kylie Wishneski, Empathic Global Leadership for Social Change: South Africa Summer 2024
My favorite part of being abroad was the locals that we met in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. Part of our program included meeting with engineering students from the University of Johannesburg and Cape Town University of Technology. We got to compare and contrast engineering education in the United States versus in South Africa and while there were a lot of similarities, I was surprised by how different the structure of their curriculum was. Half of their classes were ‘theory’, or traditional lectures, and the other half were composed of ‘practicals’, similar to the lab component that some of our engineering classes have. I was shocked that so much more of their classroom time is spent doing hands-on work, and it made me realize how much that was lacking in engineering education in the US.
Outside of campus tours and company visits, we got to spend two nights with the UJ students at Kwalata Game Lodge on the Dinokeng Game Reserve north of Johannesburg. Those were some of my favorite nights in South Africa; the UJ students brought 30 Seconds, a team board game featuring pop culture and South African specific questions and we played for hours. It was a great way to get to know them and to learn more about the country, accompanied by lots of yelling and playful competition. It also gave us the opportunity to talk about common South African and American stereotypes. We discussed how Africa is too often reduced to a single monolithic culture and people (mainly Americans) are largely ignorant to the individual cultures of the countries on the African continent. They brought up American stereotypes; our lack of seasoned food, movie-esque high school experiences, that we’re all overweight, and geographically unaware. It provided lots of laughter, but also a chance to discuss where stereotypes such as these originate, and how back in truth they are. Beyond simple stereotypes, I noticed a common theme among the many groups of people we interacted with. To varying degrees, many people had the impression that the US, as a country and as a people, doesn’t have any problems. While many of us live privileged lives, we are no stranger to a disappointing and fractured government, racism and discrimination, and an addiction epidemic to name a few that were discussed at points in the trip. It was so meaningful to connect with students our age. Our immediate common ground made a safe environment to discuss topics that are often otherwise considered taboo, for the sake of understanding each other’s cultural background.
Being abroad helped me understand how Americans are viewed across the world, and how prominent we are on a global scale. After making friends and forming lasting connections, I feel inspired to continue learning more about the culture, politics, and people of countries across the globe.
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