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Tanzania: Ecology & Human Origins

Dar es Salaam & Tarangire field site, Tanzania

Living arrangements

University of Dar es Salaam

A student dormitory at UDSM.

During the first two months, students live in dormitories at the University of Dar es Salaam.  At this time, the University is not in full session, so students are living with other international students.  These dormitories are practical and modest, with small double and triple rooms, furnished with bunk beds, desks, and small storage areas.  Bathroom facilities are shared, with typically one bathroom per floor.  During this time, students are responsible for purchasing their own food.  Many students choose to eat in the campus cafeteria, while others choose to venture off-campus to local eateries. 

Field research site

Photo courtesy of Colleen Zumpf.

In the field, students live at an established campsite, which includes an open brick building used for meals and as a general meeting space.  Students sleep in tents, with typically 3 students per tent. The campsite facilities are relatively primitive, with pit toilets and, in some cases, no water on site.  ACM uses an outfitting provider while in the field to provide tents, vehicles, and meals.  The campsite is located near the small village of Olasiti, where students can purchase basic supplies, meet the locals, and enjoy a simple meal and drink.

Host Families

In the last month of the program, students live with host families in Dar es Salaam. The family members are often faculty at the University, and most typically live in on-campus or close to campus, in faculty housing. The home stay invites participation in the daily life of the community, broadening the program experience beyond the classroom.

Tanzania: Ecology & Human Origins

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Linnea Karlen Studying abroad on the ACM Tanzania program has without doubt been the most valuable experience I’ve had in college (if not my life). Living in dorms, the field, and home stays enabled me to experience multiple facets of life in Tanzania, all of which were different and interesting. The field stay was my favorite part of the program; my research project helped me realize that I want to pursue animal behavior in the future, and we got to do so many incredible things! As an anthropology major, I was happy to see sites like Laetoli and Olduvai Gorge, and getting to visit places such as Serengeti and Tarangire as a student researcher rather than a tourist was amazing.

—Linnea Karlen, Tanzania, Fall 2010

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