Dumela, my name is Isaiah! Dumela (Doo-meh-lah) means “Hello” in Setswana, a native language in Botswana. Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa, and this is the country where I am studying abroad for this semester!
My family is from a Caribbean island named Haiti, and my ancestors are from the continent of Africa. I grew up in Orlando, Florida, a city known for its many theme parks. Growing up, I spent a lot of time playing football and acting in school plays. I always wanted to travel the world as a kid, but my family never had the money to pay for a trip out of the country.
Eager to finally leave home, I moved to Washington, D.C. to study political science at Howard University. In D.C., I liked to go to art shows, study Black history and protest for social change. In my college classes, I learned a lot about the history and politics of Africa. Learning about the stories of my African ancestors made me want to visit a country in Africa one day!
I must admit that I was nervous about the idea of studying abroad at first. I never knew what it was like to be in a different country, and I did not know if I could afford it. Regardless, I was determined to overcome my fears.
