From the U.S. to Zambia: Making 8,000 Mile-Long Connections
MMichael Marino
Volunteer, African Education Program (AEP)
Michael is a sophomore at Georgetown University and an alumni of Radnor High School (where AEP was founded).
I had a lot to think about over the 19 hours’ worth of flights that would eventually bring me to Zambia, and one concern took center stage in my mind: would I be able to connect on a personal level with the people I met there?
I had no doubt that I would be welcomed and treated with respect, but I had lived a very privileged life and benefited from a very different set of support systems. How could I make a meaningful contribution to AYC’s mission (AYC is the Amos Youth Centre — AEP’s flagship Learning and Leadership Center in Kafue, Zambia) when my experiences were so different from those of the people I would meet?
When I finally arrived, I quickly realized that I had no cause for concern. The people I met at AYC were incredibly kind, eager both to share their own experiences and to get to know me. Everyone had an incredible sense of humor: my first meetings at the Center seemed to consist of one long burst of laughter (yes, sometimes at my expense when I attempted to say something in Nyanja). In no time at all, I felt right at home.
I felt that same familiarity the next week during AYC’s annual summer Leadership & Life Skills Camp. The kids I spoke with loved to laugh, sing, and dance. I felt like I had come back to the hallways and classrooms of my own high school in America.
I could immediately see that the campers were very bright. They were profoundly curious and eager to hear about where I came from. And they were eager to be heard, too, with their own concerns and beliefs about politics, censorship, and climate change.
While I appreciated the kids’ willingness to listen to my own views, I was deeply impressed with and grateful for the beliefs and experiences they shared with me.
Prior to my trip, I’d been concerned about connecting with the people I would meet on a personal level, but I feel now that the discussions and jokes I shared in Zambia could’ve been made in Radnor High School’s Cafeteria or on Georgetown University’s Healy Lawn. Thousands of miles lay between my country and theirs, but they still found it extremely funny when I told them that Garfield the Cat hated Mondays.
I made so many friendships and connections beyond my wildest expectations. The people at AYC made my trip an incredible one, and I will always be grateful for that.
To prepare for my trip, I had explored every last page of the AEP and AYC websites. But I am confident that my time in Zambia has deepened my understanding of their work in ways I never thought possible. My experience opened my eyes to the immense potential and talent of the AYC community, affirming that they deserve the chance to achieve their dreams and become the changemakers their communities deserve.
It’s true that I’ve lived a very privileged life, and the experiences of the people I met in Zambia are very different from my own. But after my trip, I’m confident in my capacity to earnestly listen to those experiences and provide something meaningful in return.
