While many Ohio University students spent much of their time trying to beat the cold weather during winter break, several were basking in the warm climate of Zambia.
From bungee jumping at Victoria Falls to volunteering at the Kasisi Children’s Home, participants of the Zambia: Media, Governance and Society study-abroad program reeled in a crowd of about 100 last night as they shared their experiences abroad.
On Tuesday, the students launched a documentary and a special issue of the Institute for International Journalism’s magazine, Global Spotlight, highlighting their time in Zambia.
Eighteen students from the Scripps College of Communication traveled to Zambia over the winter break to take part in an African adventure.
Although students enjoyed Zambian excursions such as safaris and hanging out at Devil’s Pool, which overlooks the peak of Victoria Falls, they also interned with various media organizations while documenting their experiences for viewers at home.
Their goal was to give viewers a taste of Zambian culture and to provide a different perspective of African culture. Following their return to the U.S., students worked to put together the documentary and magazine.
“I hope it paints a picture of Africa that people have not seen before,” said Tom Ginley, a senior studying media studies with a focus in advertising.
Participants discussed moments of culture shock and the disparity between the American and African cultures.
While in Zambia, the students traveled to Soweto Market, an outdoor market similar to an American flea market. When they arrived, they were not greeted with the same clean and comfortable hospitality that they had been accustomed to prior to their visit but with dirt, mud, stagnant water and people begging for money.
“We had been in really nice places before the market,” said Amber Skorpenske, a senior studying journalism. “We stepped off the bus, and it was a total change of scenery.”
The members of the group said they quickly developed a newfound appreciation for their everyday lives in the U.S.
Many of the students also became aware of the difference between the media outlets in Zambia and those in the U.S.
Brenda Evans, a senior studying online journalism, interned at the Zambia Daily Mail, a government-owned newspaper in Zambia.
“There’s a lot of discrepancy between their state-run media and our media,” said Adam Flango, a senior studying magazine journalism. “People don’t really know what the freedom of information is.”
Nevertheless, the each member of group took a new outlook on African culture and returned home with stories to tell.
“It was the single most amazing experience I’ve ever had in my life,” said Danielle Parker, a junior studying public relations and a current student trustee.
hm156809@ohiou.edu
Editor's note: This story was updated to identify Amber Skorpenske as the student speaking about the markets in Zambia. The quote was originally attributed to Molly Nocheck.
