Poor People in A Rich Nation

By:

Nyasia White

Published:

Countries

Demographics

Majors

Regions

Experiencing Malagasy Independence Day was great. I felt like I was back hom except their celebrations start the night before. They have a tradition where the younger children march through the streets singing what I assumed was the national anthem along with other national songs, while carrying laterns or wearing necklaces and masks that lit up. Although 20 years old, I walked with my host father and sister and little cousin down the streets of a town 20 minutes from Ivandry where I am staying. It was not as exciting as going to the karaoke/dance club where others had gone, but it was an experience that brought me closer to my host sister and made me feel at home. Besides, the family and I had already had our night of karaoke back at the home of my host uncle. They welcomed me in and I didnt feel like a guest. I laughed, I joked and I most importantly enjoyed myself the night before Independence Day and the day of when I was invited back to the home of my uncle to meet his wife’s side of the family. Im learning so much about their culture but at the same time I had the privelege of sharing part of mine as I answered the many questions they asked me as they tried practicing their English. Although they kept pointing out that the difference between here and America is the wealth, that day it didnt seem like there was any difference at all. I was in a nicely manicured lawn surrounded by a big 8 ft tall white gate enclosed with many cousins, big and small, who were riding bikes and skating and having a great time. The lobster, duck and fish we had for lunch didnt scream poor. What they didnt realize was that even in such a poor country, they were well off and in fact doing better than I am in America. So in all, I made new memories with my sister Liantsoa but I also experienced another side of the Malagasy life apart from my simple daily morning breakfast of bread and jam and dinners where meat is always given in small quantities. All life is not simple and not all are poor in a poor nation. Just like not all are rich in a rich nation, which I still dont think they get.

Nyasia White

Hi! My name is Nyasia White. I currently live in Pennsylvania but I spent the majority of my life growing up in New Jersey. I am a sophomore nursing student at Villanova University who is active in two dance groups and the Villanova gospel choir. As a nursing student with a rigorous and very structured curriculum, it is difficult to study abroad during the semester and nearly impossible to take up a second major or even acquire a minor. In my four years at Villanova, I will not be able to minor in sociocultural anthropology with a concentration in Africana Studies as I would like to or spend a full semester abroad. With that in mind, the SIT summer program, Madagascar: Traditional Medicine and Healthcare, would be a perfect fit for me. It is medical related, located in a country of Africa and is offered during the summer months so it does not interfere with my studies. I was in need of this scholarship because I am deserving of an equal opportunity to study abroad and experience cultures outside my own while enhancing knowledge in my academic field, like students of other majors, without having to suffer from the burden of summer program costs. My goal is to work in underserved areas, nationally and internationally, in order to improve health education and overall health in populations that may not have the best access to proper healthcare. First and foremost, the program in Madagascar will allow me to develop the knowledge needed to think cross-culturally; learning about different health policies and practices will steer me closer to my goal of shaping health politics. Secondly, it will allow me to gain an open-mind to different healthcare practices, allow me to analyze healthcare with a new mindset and gain knowledge that will put me ahead of other students in my class.