Understanding Culture by Katelyn Knapp

One of the most pertinent topics of coursework this semester focused around culture and acceptance. As we are about to embark on our internships, I find myself reflecting on many of the ways foreign culture has been integrated throughout my classes, and how much this will benefit me while on internship.

1.     Cultural Shares

At the beginning of the school year, our fearless leader, Dr. Ameena Ghaffar-Kucher, gave us an assignment: to present an aspect of our culture in 2 minutes or less. Classmates from across the world presented on Chinese tea ceremonies, Japanese kimonos, and, my personal favorite, how to tie a Nigerian gele. While these presentations won’t directly impact my internship, knowing as much as possible about other cultures and your peers can only be helpful in this field.

2.     Potlucks

As the graduate assistant in charge of social events for IEDP, we planned several international potlucks this school year. Anyone in the program interested in attending could bring a dish from his/her home country, or just anything fun to prepare. We were able to taste foods like samosas from India, chicken and rice from China, and wine from Italy. [The wine was semi-cheating, but it was wine so we enthusiastically accepted it.]

3.     Kiswahili

Probably the most valuable intercultural experience I have had at Penn has been the two semesters I have spent learning Kiswahili. I recently learned that my internship will take place at UNESCO in Nairobi, Kenya. Although Swahili is not required for the internship, I feel that it will be invaluable in daily life. This past week, as I spoke with a member of last year’s class who worked with Aga Khan Mombasa, it hit me how much culture I have been exposed to through this class. I have learned about the importance of greetings to the Swahili people, and the respect that they have for elders in their culture. According to Josh, who worked in Mombasa, Kenya, learning to greet his boss every day and interact with his peers in a way that was comfortable to them helped him make friends and adapt to the new environment. I definitely feel like I’m one step ahead for learning about the culture and customs before traveling, and it makes me that much more excited to visit Kenya for the first time.

Kwa herini, na tutaonana!