From October 2024 to March 2025, I had the opportunity to spend a semester in Moshi, Tanzania. My main focus was working on my Master’s thesis, but I also completed a course at Mwenge Catholic University.

Life in Tanzania felt very different compared to Austria – it was slower, warmer, and, I must admit, often more friendly than back home. The people I met were always curious about why I was in their country and what I was studying. Whenever I needed something, I could simply ask the nearest person and would receive immediate help. Sometimes they even walked with me for up to 500 meters to help me find a shop I couldn’t locate! Can you imagine an Austrian doing that?

Figure 1: Friends from the neigborhood

I stayed in an Airbnb near the university with another colleague from Graz. The apartment was beautiful – we had everything we needed. At the start of the new year, we could even pick fresh mangoes from our own tree in the garden. Mangoes for breakfast…I’m seriously missing that right now!

Another highlight was the neighborhood itself. It was a peaceful area with friendly neighbors and many children. After about three weeks, the local kids discovered that two “Mzungus” (Swahili for “white people”) had moved in nearby. Day by day, more children started visiting our garden, curious to get to know us. Over the following months, we built a strong bond with them – playing puzzles, UNO, and football, flying a drone over their homes, or even taking them out for breakfast in the city. This connection with the children became a core part of my daily life, and it’s probably what I’ll miss most about Tanzania.

Figure 2: My kids

The university campus itself was a beautiful space, full of banana and palm trees. I went to university about 3–4 times a week to work on my thesis and attend the course “Professional Ethics in Education.” My professor was incredibly knowledgeable, and we often had lengthy discussions about different educational approaches and societal values in Austria and Tanzania.

Figure 3: University campus and library

In January and February, I also completed an internship at a local high school, where I was able to teach mathematics and even participate in their anniversary celebrations. I felt genuinely welcomed both at the university and the school, and I experienced a strong willingness from students and colleagues to learn not just about my subject, but also about the country I came from.

Reflecting on the academic, cultural, and social aspects of my stay, I can say that this experience was deeply enriching for me. Academically, it offered me a unique perspective on education systems and the importance of adaptability in teaching. The exchange of ideas with students and professors deepend my understanding of how context and culture shape pedagogy.

Culturally and socially, I learned a great deal about openness, community, and the value of everyday kindness. These aren’t things you can learn from a textbook—they have to be lived and felt. I believe that without this stay abroad, I wouldn’t have gained such a deep appreciation for intercultural communication and the ways in which different societies function.

Figure 4: On top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Yes i climbed it. Yes it was hard. Yes I  threw up three times.

This experience has already influenced how I view my role as a future teacher. It taught me to be more flexible, empathetic, and patient – skills that are crucial in any classroom, regardless of the country. And let me tell you, patience was the skill I most improved in, simply by having to wait for taxi drivers or universtiy colleagues for up to an hour. A thing you have to get used to pretty fast in Tanzania! I’ve also gained new methods and ideas I plan to bring into my teaching practice, especially regarding how to build meaningful relationships with students.

Figure 5: A lion. Don’t worry I am still alive.

On a personal level, the stay has definitely changed me (as everyone is going to say). But for real, the stay in Africa made me more grounded and reflective, and more aware of the privileges and perspectives I carry. Living in another cultural context, even for a few months, forced me to question my assumptions and to grow in ways that staying at home simply can’t offer.

All in all, this stay abroad was not just a chapter in my academic journey – it was a transformative life experience that I will carry with me into both my professional and personal future.

Author: Christopher Ganzi