2008 Woodie Awards
Students visit African villages to spur change
Michelle Caffrey
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: News
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"Coming back to campus and starting classes the next day was extremely hard," Calhoun said. "Readjusting to the weather, the fast-paced life, and the jet lag made for a rough reentry period. I don't feel like I'm over the jet lag yet, and I'm still trying to get used to my new classes."
The purpose of the DIS-led by Associate Dean of the College and Associate Professor of Mathematics Kathleen Madden and Associate Professor of Political Science Andrea Talentino-was for the students to gain a better understanding of the country's needs. The students have created proposals of ways to solve those problems.
"So many things there don't function, and some of the people there have so little that it makes you really value what you have," Joe Coyle ('10) said. "When you see villages without running water or electricity, you really realize how well off we all are in America."
The three-week trip took students to various villages, in addition to a homestay with a family. "I felt very immersed in the culture, especially during the homestay during which I stayed in a small village called Besongabang and worked in a small health clinic with the village doctor," Calhoun said. "Throughout the trip we were joined by Cameroonians and were able to experience their daily lives, so I rarely felt like a tourist."
Grace Wingerter's ('10) first shock came upon arriving in the airport. "It was unlike anything I had ever seen, and the first thing 10 little kids came running up to us first asking us for chocolate, and then for money," she said.
Coyle agreed. "Arriving in Cameroon was really crazy. At the airport, people rush at you trying to make money by carrying your bags for or helping you find a taxi," he said. "The driving is another huge difference. There are almost no rules for driving, everyone just tries to go as fast as they can, and they weave in and out of traffic."
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