Category Archives: Tanzania

Life’s a Circus

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Recent College of Agricultural Science graduate Kasey Moore not only received a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from OSU, but also had the opportunity to study abroad twice during her college career. As a sophomore, Kasey traveled to Valdivia, Chile to study at La Universidad Austral de Chile for a term, and during fall of her senior year Kasey hopped on a plane again, but this time to Africa to participate in the School for Field Studies’ Wildlife Management Studies program. Now, having explored the world as an undergraduate, Kasey is embarking on her grandest adventure yet—traveling the world with Cavalia.

Most people find a job within their related field of study after they graduate from college. This is how I imagined my life after college would go, but things took an unexpected turn a couple of months prior to graduation. Instead of moving straight into a job within the field of fisheries and wildlife science, I will be running away and joining the traveling circuCavalia Performances.

The show is called “Cavalia” and was created by Normand Latourelle, who was also one of the original co-founders and managing director of Cirque du Soleil. Cavalia is very similar to many of the other Cirque du Soleil shows, except for the fact that there are horses as well as acrobats in the performances. The main idea behind the show is to give tribute to the relationship between horses and humans and to document their place in history through an artistic and visually stunning performance.

I first heard about this job opportunity through an old friend of mine who I grew up riding with in the United States Pony Club. She is currently on tour with Cavalia and working as one of the team’s veterinary technicians, and in April she sent a post out on the Oregon Region’s Pony Club Facebook page advertising the position opening. This seemed like the perfect fit for me, as it incorporated the two things I am most passionate about: traveling and horses. I have spent most of my life around horses and involved in the world of 3-day eventing and dressage. My 13 years of involvement with Pony Club has allowed me to achieve all 10 certifications within the organization, and given me countless valuable skills for working in the horse industry. I have also been lucky enough to participate in two study abroad programs during my four years at Oregon State. The first was in Chile during my sophomore year, and the second was a program through the School for Field Studies in Kenya and Tanzania during my senior year.

Both my horse and travel experiences helped me to obtain this position within Cavalia, and now everything is becoming very real. I will be leaving for Brussels, Belgium two days after OSU’s spring commencement ceremony and begin my journey working for this incredible show! I will be working as a groom, meaning I will be taking care of the 47 horses that Cavalia has as they tour the world. Daily routines will include basic barn chores, exercising and warming up some of the horses before each show, and getting the horses ready for each of their evening performances. After the show ends in Belgium, our next stop will be Singapore, and then other major cities throughout Asia for the remainder of the year. Needless to say, I am extremely excited for this opportunity and to work with these talented horses and tour the world at the same time!

For more information on Cavalia and their touring schedule, visit: http://www.cavalia.net/en

Thoughts from Under the Baobab Tree

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Dylan McDowell is a junior at Oregon State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife with a minor in Education. Dylan is studying abroad during the Fall term ’12 in Tanzania, Africa, with SIT Wildlife Conservation and Political Ecology program. Below is a entry from Dylan’s blog reflecting on his experience in an unfamiliar, but amazing environment.

Halfway across the world in the mountains of Tanzania, the Mazumbai Tropical Forest takes me back to foggy hikes growing up in the temperate forests of Oregon. The fog turns to rain turns to brief sunshine all in the span of minutes, just like back home. While the feel is the same, a closer look shows the differences. The ferns here are raised on stocks, there are leaves more than 4 feet long, vines dangle from trees just asking to be climbed, and a sweet smell accompanies a walk through the forest. And, unlike Oregon, colobus monkeys move through the canopy riling up hornbills.

Dylan and his friends in Tanzania

Our group sets up camp on the lawn of a Swiss chalet turned research station. Over the next few days we research plant variation both vertically and horizontally within the tropical forest as part of our studies. The real topic of discussion is the village below the forest and the issues surrounding their resource use.

An elephant’s visit to a campsite

The eastern face of the Western Usambara Mts. Have an astonishing growth rate of 4.2% per year without immigration, and the average number of children per women is 8! This rapidly increasing population is straining the forest resources of wood and water.

We drive into the village to chants of “Wazungu” (white person)from children chasing the car. In the village we break up into groups to discuss issues with the local people. I am astonished to discover many aren’t sure of their own age.

Spending time at Mazumbai showed me a unique view of Tanzania not normally seen by outsiders. In a country known for sprawling savannahs, this rare glimpse into a tropical forest and its people is what studying abroad is all about.

Study Abroad with CIEE

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CIEE – Council on International Educational Exchange – has officially been partnered with OSU since 2006, and over 60 OSU students have studied abroad in 24 different countries thus far. All of the CIEE programs are approved at OSU and available to all eligible students.

Studying abroad is for more than language majors. It’s for anyone who wants to indulge a passion, explore a fascination, or challenge the status quo—of the wide world or their personal routine. CIEE has sent students abroad since 1947; since the late 1960s, we have been developing our own study abroad programs. We partner with universities to create a CIEE Study Center, staffed with a CIEE-employed Resident Director and often other support staff available to students around the clock. We offer courses at the host university and at times develop program-specific courses available only to CIEE students, including a critical analysis of the host culture. We offer quality academics alongside opportunities for cultural immersion such as excursions, homestays, volunteer opportunities, and internships with the goal of providing the highest quality study abroad experiences.

We have the widest range of programs in the world and we can help shape your study abroad experience according to major, location, semester, language, activities, and more.

With CIEE, you’ll make the most of your program through guided excursions, field study and internship programs, volunteering, conversation exchanges, and homestays. Meet new friends, enjoy unique experiences, and gain a new perspective on the world. And, you’ll do all that and still graduate on time.

With more than 125 programs in 41 countries you’ll definitely find the perfect one for you. Study abroad with CIEE and earn credit for courses in business, natural or social science, humanities—and everything in between. Go for a semester, a year, or a summer. Don’t speak a foreign language? Don’t let that scare you: Almost half of our study abroad programs don’t have a language prerequisite.

Still undecided, how about these reasons to choose CIEE:

  • We provide the widest selection of study abroad programs
  • We deliver the ultimate learning opportunity—both in and out of the classroom
  • Our local-savvy staff ensures student safety and program quality
  • We’re committed to exceeding expectations—read alumni program evaluations online
  • We offer extensive pre-departure support

Don’t just take our word for it though, read blog entries from the people that know our programs the best—our participants. Visit www.ciee.org/blogs to get a first-hand perspective on what it’s like to study abroad with CIEE from our participants and staff overseas. You can also learn more about our programs by visiting us on Facebook to look at photos, connect with recently accepted students, or ones that are returning from their time abroad.

To find the program that’s perfect for you, visit www.ciee.org/study to begin your study abroad experience today. For more information for OSU students, visit the OSU Education Abroad website.

Tuning in to Tanzania

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Jessy Cawley, in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Jessy Cawley, a Civil Engineering major, participated in the CIEE Tanzania program in 2009.

I studied in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania during the Fall and Winter terms of 2009.  Dar es Salaam has a population of almost 2.5 million people.  As months passed, I explored more and more of the city, visiting another mtaa, or neighborhood, and the anxious bustling somehow transformed into a vivacious tranquility.  The first time I rode on the public transportation, a small bus called a “dala-dala”, Beyonce was booming from the stereo and school children navigated on and off the stops wearing their cute blue and white uniforms.  I’m continually grateful for my time there.  The University of Dar es Salaam is similar in size to our own Oregon State University.  I’ve often reflected on my time there.  You never know what you’ll learn before you leave for a great adventure to a new place.   With every new person/place/circumstance abroad, I learned so much about my own culture and perspective because of the differences and similarities.
I can’t describe the things I’ve learned since going to Tanzania or the things that I’ve observed since returning.  If our daily lives were a radio, I somehow have picked up many more stations than I could have tuned into before.  I imagined I would learn a lot about other cultures and share my own, and I did.  I really learned a lot about American culture, and I also watched my views on race, poverty, health, and religion evolve in different ways.  I refuse to claim I now understand the whole picture, but a lot of stereotypes dissolved.  I really encourage all students to study abroad in Tanzania or anywhere you feel lead to go.  Also, I really encourage other students to meet the international students on our campus because we, the people of the world, really affect one another in good ways.