Joie Kombou, a second year Bachelor of Applied Arts in Screen Arts and Technology at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) got an opportunity of a lifetime to partake in a 10 month Community College Initiative (CCI) programme in America.
During the 10 month period, Kombou (21) from Newlands East, Durban was not allowed to visit home unless there was a family emergency. She is grateful to technology that she was able to video call her loved ones at any given point, making it easy for her to see and talk to them regularly.
“Being away for that long came with its up and downs, at the beginning when I first got there for the first three weeks I was certain it was the best thing ever. Everything was still so new to me and seemed all so exciting. After that for two months I was homesick and started missing home, school and my friends. However, I started getting used to the lifestyle and the people, and I started forming relationships with people and my housemates and then all of a sudden I did not want to leave,” shared Kombou.
Giving insight on how she got to be part of this exchange programme, Kombou indicated that she had read about it in her class group chat but she did not pay attention to it as she felt she did not meet the requirements. A week prior the closing of application, Kombou said she decided to give it a try and she sent her application.
“The selection process was very tedious. After submitting my application, for about a month and few weeks later I received an email stating that I have been selected to go through to the interview process. When I did the interview I remember there was no electricity at home, we had a load shedding so I literally went to the nearest Mc Donald’s so I could be able to charge my phone and do the interview. A few weeks later I received another email stating that I have been selected as one of the five KwaZulu-Natal participants for the programme amongst the many who have applied,” said Kombou proudly.
After being selected, she was left with a huge task of breaking the news to her family. Kombou revealed that she had kept the news a secret for a while in fear of their reaction since she was going to be away for a long time. To her surprise her family were so happy and proud of her achievement. Kombou was based in Dayton, Ohio, where she managed to grow personally and professionally while getting a broader perspective on the world and forming lifetime relationships.
“I lived downtown in an apartment building with three housemates from India, Colombia, and Indonesia, who were also part of the Community College Initiative programme. Living with such a diverse group of people allowed us to share and learn from each other’s cultures, enriching my experience significantly. I had attended Sinclair Community College where I studied Video Production as a short course, where I was able to learn and experience so much. My time in America was filled with incredible experiences. I travelled to many iconic places, including New York, Texas, Washington DC, Florida, Arizona, and Chicago. Each location offered a unique glimpse into different aspects of American culture and history,” reiterated Kombou.
Experiencing the American schooling culture was a significant part of Kombou’s journey. The environment and the educational approach were different from what she was used to, and this exposure greatly benefited her. She was also able to share her experience with her classmates and professors on how things were done at DUT.
As part of the Community College Initiative programme, Kombou revealed that she had completed an internship at a non-governmental organisation called The Foodbank in Dayton, where she was part of the media team. Sharing some of her duties, Kombou said: “My role involved creating videos and content for their social media, as well as producing, directing, shooting and editing video content for campaigns for Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Food Bank, which was really cool. I enjoyed working there as I got a feel of what the American working culture was like, and they really embraced me and made feel like I was part of the organisation.”
Some of the challenges she was faced with was that when she arrived, it was summer, and the weather was really good, it felt like the Durban weather. However, as the seasons changed, she experienced a harsh winter for the first time. Initially, she was thrilled to see and play in the snow, taking pictures and enjoying playing with the snow. After a couple of days, Kombou indicated that the excitement wore off as the cold became overwhelming.
“The highlight of this programme was traveling to different parts of America and experiencing its diverse cultures first-hand. Over the 10 months, I grew significantly, becoming more independent, confident, and a better leader. The programme pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me a new perspective on the world and the amazing opportunities it has,” shared Kombou.
She expressed her gratitude to the Community College Initiative programme and the US Department of State for the incredible opportunity they had provided her. She believes this experience allowed her not only to grow and develop personally but also to represent South Africa, Durban, and DUT on a global scale.
Pictured: Joie Kombou during her 10-month exchange programme in America.
Simangele Zuma
