Emma Fryda – Ethiopia, 2019

05 Jan 2019    

Major: Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Science

Year: Graduated May 2019, currently in physical therapy school at UNMC

Where did you go?

I went to Ethiopia for 6 weeks. We traveled all throughout the country going to rural schools to take anthropometric measurements (height, weight, arm circumference, etc).

What did you enjoy most?

Hanging out with the kids. Whether it was playing soccer, singing songs, or letting them rub your arm to show that you were NOT covered in white paint, it was inspiring how happy and curious these little ones were.

What was the most memorable/notable part?

Seeing people pick their grains from fields, smash them with rocks, and cook them over an open flame in the middle of their yard gave me a new appreciation for culinary skills.

What did you learn?

It is one thing to learn about another country; it is quite another to experience it. I highly recommend study abroad to introduce you to things you wouldn't even think about. Who would have thought having driving lanes and keeping livestock out of the streets would be so vital to not having heart attacks while driving? ;) Studying abroad is all about jumping into a new culture and falling in love with it.