Ian Watt
- Cornell College
- Tanzania, Fall 2010
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Majors & minors: Sociology & Anthropology major, Ethnic Studies major, Music minor
Activities & interests: Jazz Band, KRNL 89.7 FM (DJ), Alternative Spring Break
Why I chose to do this program: In part, I chose the ACM Tanzania program because I couldn't resist the opportunity to do undergraduate fieldwork outside of the Midwest, my beloved but all-too-familiar homeland. I also have a passionate interest in indigenous peoples and the environment – and the ways in which they interact – which is why I think the Tanzania program is such a good fit for me.
What I'm most excited about: I'm very excited to learn Swahili. The prospect of experiencing a new culture through its own language blows me away. I'm also excited for my first real adventure into fieldwork.
Anything else? Going abroad is big deal for me. I haven't spent much time outside of the United States, yet I've devoted my studies to making sense of the human similarities and differences that define the cultural makeup of our world. So a semester in Tanzania may be where things come to a head for me – now I just need to wait and see whether the convergence of my thought and action is a marriage or a train wreck! In seriousness, I'm incredibly pumped about this adventure, and I expect it to be one of the important formative experiences of my life.
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