Claudia Kalisa, Northwestern University student
by Claudia M. Kalisa, Northwestern undergrad student
I was born in Luxembourg but raised in Rwanda. I moved to the US for college in the fall of 2017, the first time I had been that far from my family for more than a month. When I got to the US, everything was very different from what I had been used to all my life: everything from the food to the weather, to the culture. I had to adapt quickly.
I started taking Swahili during the winter quarter of my sophomore year. I chose Swahili because it was the only thing that Northwestern offered that made me feel close to home. It reminded me of home not only because it is a Bantu language and therefore pretty close to Kinyarwanda, my first language and the official language of Rwanda, but also because my dad speaks the language. Being able to connect with my dad was very important for me.
In my two years of Swahili, I met great people in the class from and outside of East Africa and Africa at large. It was always a pleasure to learn and discuss with others and also hear from the people who used to live or still live in Kenya. Every day in class we saw and learned how things play out in the daily life of real Kenyans.
When I started taking Swahili, my family and friends did not really understand how or why I decided to study Swahili in college in the US. During these two years, however, I have learnt so much, not only about the language but also about the culture altogether from the readings, the movies, or even just hearing about our professor’s experience.
Today as I reflect on my two years as a Swahili student, I don’t think there is an experience that compares to it. I am capable of writing a text and listen perfectly, but my speaking needs a little bit more polishing. I would also like to thank Mwalimu Mwangi for sharing his culture, teaching us his language, and giving us an understanding of real Swahili experience. I have never been to Kenya, but I know that when I do go, it will feel like home thanks to him.
Claudia M. Kalisa is a junior and majors in industrial engineering and management sciences.
This article originally ran in the PAS Newsletter, Fall 2020, Volume 31, Number 1.