For my STEP signature project, I participated in a study abroad trip to Rwanda to learn about the 1994 Genocide, and how the country rebuilt itself after this devastating event. During our travels, fourteen other Ohio State students and myself traveled all throughout Rwanda to better understand it’s history, why the genocide occurred, and how to promote peace building in the future.

I have been a traveler for as long as I can remember, however my travels never took me outside of the western world. I was honestly a bit scared to travel to a country so different from my own. While there were some aspects of life in Rwanda that took some getting used to, like showering with buckets and mosquito nets, I quickly fell in-love with the country. The experience took me out of my comfort zone, and changed my perception of the world and its people. As an individual, I realized what a comfortable life I live in America, and I became grateful for all the opportunities and simple luxuries that I had once taken for granted. During my stay in Rwanda, I learned more than I would’ve thought possible about the world, the country, and myself.

All that I learned throughout this trip that ultimate changed the way I view and think about the world can be attributed to many things. A major contributor to me, were the many stories my classmates and I were told. We had guest speakers from survivors, perpetrators, and rescuers of the genocide, as well as university students who are the future of Rwanda. Many Rwandans who experienced the genocide still experience extreme trauma, so it was an amazing opportunity that the speakers were willing to share their story with us. The fact that we were in a country of survivors that have experienced mass trauma over the past twenty-four years, made this event very real for me. It’s easy to distance yourself from the world’s ongoing problems and atrocities, but being in Rwanda helped me realize that I need to be aware of what is occurring in the world, and to not let myself become desensitized to these problems and events.

When I was sixteen, I had the opportunity to go to Germany and live with a homestay for a month. This experience truly helped me learn about the German culture, and I was lucky enough to have the same experience in Rwanda. Each OSU student including myself lived with a Rwandan family for the duration of a week. I found this to be an essential part of the trip, and it helped me deeply understand Rwandan home life and culture. Compared to Germany, Rwanda had many more differences compared to America. A few examples include, hand washing clothes, house boys/girls in the homes, and bucket showers. There were also small differences between Rwandan and American life like later meal times, the availability of African Tea at all times (I might add this is the best tea I’ve ever had), and many music video channels on the TV. I think it’s important to immerse yourself in other cultures, even if it seems scary at first. This may be the best way to understand the world and people, because while studying a country through books is useful, studying through immersion is what truly leads to complete understanding of a society.

As my class learned more and more about the 1994 Genocide, it was easy to lose faith in humanity, and almost impossible to really believe this happened so recently. However, what gave me hope was seeing how Rwanda has moved forward to rebuild itself over the past twenty-four years. One would expect a lot of retaliation and revenge after the genocide, but the new government promoted peacebuilding and reconciliation. The fact that Rwanda was able to move forward despite having deep trauma gives me hope for the future of other countries, and that there may be peace one day in war torn countries. Rwanda has taught me and the world a lot about how to move forward as a country.  Because I major in International Relations and Middle East Studies, this was important for me learn and witness.

Before this trip, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after my undergraduate career, but now I realize I would like to further my education and eventually teach university students about places like Rwanda, and hopefully pass on my knowledge of the country and peacebuilding to fgenerations. I don’t believe I would be so passionate about this decision to teach without my experience in Rwanda. As far as my upcoming academic plans, I would like to go back to Rwanda next summer and conduct undergraduate research. While I now know so much about this country, there is still an abundance information I seek to learn and discover, and I’m fortunate that this trip has inspired me to do so.