LCCT 101

I realized the other day that I have yet to actually explain the program in which I am participating for this study abroad experience, so here's a LCCT 101 for those of you who don't already know:

The Lutheran Colleges Consortium to Tanzania (LCCT) exchange program is comprised of four Lutheran-affiliated colleges in the United States (Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma, WA; St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN; Concordia College in Moorhead, MN; and Luther College in Decorah, IA) and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) in Tanzania, a country along the southeastern coast of Africa. 1-3 students from each U.S. college/university involved with the program travel during the fall semester to study at UDSM until December. For every 2 undergraduates sent from our U.S. schools, UDSM sends one Tanzanian scholar from the university to the U.S. during the the spring semester, giving them the opportunity to do research in our libraries for furthering their masters or doctorate degrees.

This year, the LCCT group of 10 students began our study abroad experience together in Arusha for a two week orientation period under the direction of Lori Stanley, professor of anthropology at Luther College, and Yarrow Pasche, Luther College Study Abroad Office staff member (the universities rotate every two years for which one's professor/staff leads the orientation). Following our time in Arusha, we moved to Dar, got settled in the dorms and began our month of intensive Intro to Kiswahili course. Two weeks of independent travel time broke up the Kiswahili course and the commencement of regular semester classes at the university as well as gave us the opportunity to “do our own thing.” Since then, our group has branched out and found our individual niches in the new environment. In addition to taking classes at UDSM, we complete assignments specific to the program itself, including academic journal entries, monthly newspaper assignments and an independent research or creative project. Furthermore, we are volunteering our time at the Mlimani Primary School just down the road from the university. It is there we teach English in primary level classrooms 1-2 times a week, depending on your schedule, and interact with a ton of kids who are pumped you are there!

So how did I end up here? Well initially, I planned on studying abroad with the “Scandinavia and the Baltic” program, a Luther-sponsored semester trip (the “Luther-sponsored” bit is significant because it means Luther participants still receive their regular financial aid, and outstanding costs are limited to transportation and living expenses). However, a certain favorite English teacher of mine (*cough cough Mr. Brown cough) asked why I was choosing to have a cultural experience in an area rich with a culture well-known to me already, which I had to admit seemed like a valid point. At that time, I was also considering post-Luther paths of teaching English overseas, so when I found the Tanzania trip was Luther-sponsored, included teaching English to primary schoolers AND wouldn't be feeding me lefse and rommegrot every morning (but what I would give for a little homemade lefse right now! Mmm....can't wait to be home for Christmas!), the LCCT program seemed like a good fit. Turns out, choosing to study in Tanzania was a very good idea as I'm loving it, loving absolutely everything about being here – both the fun times and the challenges. It's nothing like what I expected, which I continue to learn is exactly the way it should be.