First Week

On Friday, January 13th, sixteen EMU students and the Suderman family of five were sent off to begin our semester-long South Africa intercultural experience. Our first week was spent in Washington, D.C. We spent the week visiting museums, taking walking tours, and exploring the city. We began to get to know each other and prepare for our upcoming flight to South Africa.

On Sunday, we visited Alfred Street Baptist Church. This church allowed many of us to gain insight into a church service very different from our home church services. The congregation was very welcoming, making the environment and service very informational and enjoyable.

On Monday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we went on a walking tour with Dr. Kimberly Schmidt. We walked through the National Mall and visited the numerous monuments and memorials. Part of the focus in DC was to start looking at race relations in America, as race relations and the legacy of apartheid will be a major part of our studies in South Africa. With each monument we passed, we talked through the different versions of history that each monument represented. We talked through the importance of truth-telling, even if it reveals the faults or mistakes of our country’s leaders. One highlight from the day was the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. It was a profound experience, walking around his memorial on his national day of recognition. It was a very reflective day, filled with insightful conversations and probing questions.

Tuesday we visited the African American History and Culture Museum where we learned more about the struggles of African Americans in the United States. We traveled through time and heard stories about their fight for freedom and equality. After spending the morning in the museum we split into groups and explored the city. A group of students found Rob Gronkoski on their walk back to the apartments where we are staying.

The best weather and warmest sunshine was on Wednesday. In stark contrast to the weather that awaits us in South Africa, DC was frigid and wintery. After our walking tour in Georgetown, where we learned about the gentrification of African American communities in that area, we found a playground to play on for a little while.

On Thursday, we paid a visit to the National Museum of the American Indian. While there, we were able to learn about different American Indian groups, treaties made between the American Indians and U.S. Government, and American Indian culture. After leaving the museum, the group traveled to Alexandria to talk to Pastor Kirk Hanger, the pastor of New Hope Fellowship Mennonite Church. Pastor Kirk allowed the group to gain insight on being a pastor in a multicultural community.

Throughout this past week, we learned about the histories and cultures of African Americans and Native Americans, as well as the history of colonialism, enslavement, and displacement throughout history. It was an important start to our education this semester. Our learnings in DC help us better understand the world and systems around us, the people around us, and ourselves, too. We look forward to our next big thing – the plane ride to South Africa!

-Reah Clymer