If you’ve ever wondered who is going to save the rain forest and end world hunger, search no more because it seems like we’ve found our girl! From climbing Mt. Iongonot to going on safaris in the African jungle, Carly Burson seems to be on track to save the world, while speaking perfect Swahili, of course; and which is why she’s this week’s Campus Celebrity. Hakuna Matata!
Major: Double major in Nonprofit and Community Leadership, African Languages and Literature, with a certificate in Global Health and Global Cultures
Year: Junior
What do you hope to do with your major/ what would your dream job be?
My dream job would be to work for the United Nations. Many NGOs (non-governmental organizations) around the world, specifically in developing countries, are not sustainable after they are left to fend for themselves. I would love to study solutions to this problem, and help NGOs become sustainable by the surrounding community without large sums of donor funding.
What other organizations, clubs, etc. are you involved in at the UW?
Student Leadership Program (SLP), Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF), and Badger Volunteers at the Goodman Community Center. I also absolutely love my jobs at the Center for Leadership and Involvement (CfLI) on campus as well as Visitor and Information Programs (VIP) where I work when I’m not in Africa.
Tell us about what you’re doing in Kenya—what does a typical day look like?
I arrived at the beginning of August and have been living in the capital city of Nairobi for three months while taking classes. At the end of October I will move to Mombasa on Kenya’s east coast where I will intern with a community health organization. Throughout the entire program I stay with a Kenyan host family in Nairobi and in Mombasa.
A typical day starts by waking up to the sounds of roosters calling behind my bedroom window. I have some breakfast with my hot chai and walk to class with the other students who live my in estate. We have our first class, a chai break, second class, lunch break and then a third class. Classes end around 3pm every day and we can use the rest of the day as we please. Usually we’ll run some errands or walk to the market in our neighborhood to get some snacks. My favorite part of the day is when my host mom gets home from her shop around 7pm. As soon as she gets home I help her with dinner and we get to talk about our day and then we watch the news. I get to hear her opinions on the news stories every night which is really interesting. We also love to dance so we’ll sometimes play music while washing the dishes after dinner. She has been absolutely wonderful!
On the weekends we usually do more touristy things. So far I’ve been on safari, traveled to Uganda to see the Nile River, climbed a mountain and been to a couple Kenyan weddings. I’m still planning on riding an ostrich, traveling to Tanzania and seeing Hells Gate, which is the national park the Lion King was based off of.
It looks like you’ve had your hair braided, tell us about that!
I live right next to the market in Nairobi that is known as the place to get your hair done if your Kenyan. So my friend and I decided to get ours done! It took four women to finish it in 2 hours, they add extensions to the roots of your hair and then twist it all the way down. It was a bit painful but so worth it.
You also speak Swahili, is that correct?
Yes, I took four semesters of Swahili at UW before studying abroad. I arrived a month earlier than most of the students in the program for an intensive Swahili course during the month of August. I love Swahili and it’s so fun to be able to practice it in day-to-day life when shopping at the market or talking with my host family.
What is the most challenging/most exciting part about studying abroad in a place like Africa?
The most challenging part about studying abroad was Kenya the culture shock after first arriving. I was constantly afraid of offending someone by doing something that’s not considered culturally appropriate. This is also my first time living in a place where I am by far in the minority. Constantly having people stare at me on the streets, giving me higher prices for goods in the market and treating me differently overall because of the color of my skin has been very challenging. The most exciting part of studying abroad in Kenya has been the different culture. Although it is challenging, I am so glad I chose to study abroad in a place so different than my home. It’s been the most challenging and rewarding thing I’ve ever done.