Africa Semester - Zanzibar, Uganda, Tanzania
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Uganda
Orientation:
Students have 3-4 days of orientation at a beautiful resort to get your feet on the ground, break through the haze of jet lag, and learn more about the program and each other. During this time you work on group communication skills and team-building activities and set your intentions for the semester. We also spend time discussing hard skills including health and safety, cultural dos and don'ts, as well as have time to get acquainted with our local environment.
HIV/AIDS work:
Spend two weeks volunteering on a variety of construction projects in support of an HIV/AIDS orphanage based in Fort Portal, Uganda. Students get the opportunity to play with the kids when they want to but will spend the majority of their time on construction projects. Afternoons are free to spend with local families or to participate in optional cultural activities (traditional cooking, outdoor conservation work, etc.) On the weekends we have time to organize and design trips into town for email and other fun explorations of our environs.
Environmental Conservation:
Spend two weeks volunteering at a local environmental project doing anything from trail maintenance to working at an ecological reserve. Typically the things they need done pertain to fundraising ... but for the time being we work with local organizations to get the physical labor piece done in a way that promotes sustainable development and thereby more financial resources for the communities. Accommodations will vary from semester to semester, but may be as Spartan as a shack or as nice as an eco-resort.Tanzania
Border Crossing:
Students travel overland from Kampala to Bukoba village crossing the Tanzanian border along the way. We have a few days to explore the small but vibrant town of Bukoba before traveling onto Mwanza.Safari:
In Mwanza we stay in tents for two nights and spend our days living and working side by side with a local fishing village as a way to introduce you to the fishing community that makes their living on Lake Victoria's vast waters. From there we spend about 4 days on safari traveling overland in Land Rovers through the Serengeti and staying in semi-luxurious accommodations with experienced guides. Having passed through the Serengeti we come upon the Ngorongoro Crater where you'll take a day of game-drives, then overnighting for some rest embark on a three-day hiking safari led by a local Maasai tribesman and a team of donkeys down to Lake Manyara. The hike is a great introduction to the Maasai tribe. From Manyara we finish our safari time by traveling in the Land Rovers to a rural community about 20 minutes outside of downtown Arusha.Language Study:
Spend two more weeks studying Kiswahili and living with local villages outside of Arusha. Afternoons are free for time with homestays and group activities. During the weekends we have opportunities to travel into the crazy town of Arusha for email, shopping, and perhaps an opportunity to see the UN International War Tribunal for Rwanda in action.
Social Service:
Spend two weeks in the mountain-town of Moshi working with street kids. We build a specific curriculum during the course of our travels that you get to implement during these two weeks of working with the kids. These kids have often lost their parents to HIV/AIDS and are stuck in the streets systems of Sub-Saharan Africa.Zanzibar
SCUBA:
Take a 1.5 hour boat ride from Dar Es Salaam on the mainland of Tanzania to the island of Zanzibar for a week of rest and recreation. Students live in a hotel on the beach and take a course leading to PADI or SSI Basic Open Water SCUBA certification. Higher levels of certification are available for those with previous dive experience. When not diving, students have time for lazing on the beach, emailing to friends, and feasting on the variety of local seafoods.Program Details
Program Dates:
Fall 2008: Sept. 10 - Dec. 3, 2008
Spring 2009: February 11 - May 5, 2009
Group Size:
Up to 12 Students & 2 Adult Leaders
Eligibility:
Ages 17 and Up
Academic Credit:
Up to 18 credits available
Language Requirement:
None
Admissions:
No deadline - applications accepted on a rolling basis until start date.
Starting & Ending:
San Francisco , California. Our travel agent will price the best deals and notify participants
Program Fee:
$8,900 Program fee includes all food, accommodations, and scheduled program activities for the duration of the program. International airfare, health insurance and spending money are extra. International airfare estimated at $1800.
