Penn Global Seminars Best Kept Secret

PGS: Writing Health and Healing in Botswana 

Sean, one of the PGS Correspondents, shares his experience abroad during the Spring 2024 semester. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.

As Penn students know, we’re all required to take a writing seminar. Most take it first semester in an attempt to “get it out of the way,” but one of the best pieces of advice I received from an upperclassman friend was to take it the second semester. At that time, it felt like he was letting me in on some crazy secret. To be fair, it has been one of the most underappreciated opportunities here at Penn, and most of my friends did not even bother to apply. But I’m telling you now, even if you missed the deadline the first year, still try applying for these classes—it’s worth it. 

The dynamic of the class is different from the start. Maybe it’s the fact that we’ll be traveling together on a 14-hour flight to a new continent, or maybe it’s because we’ll all be rooming together at hotels. Whatever the reason, our class is tight. We’ve created a group chat titled Botswana Baddies, and we constantly ‘snipe’ each other in public, taking candid pictures of our unsuspecting classmates whenever we see them out in public. I’ve been a victim of this one too many times, but the overall environment is very jocular and wholesome. The camaraderie in this 16-person class is not something I’ve experienced in any of my other courses, especially not in those big introductory classes. All freshman writing seminars offer this smaller classroom setting, but the added travel component brings all of us closer as we venture to new settings. 

My fellow classmates are also very passionate and intelligent. With this seminar needing an extra application to join, it guarantees that the students are all more motivated and interested in the topic of the seminar. Surrounded by like-minded students wanting to go into healthcare and/or policy, my own perspectives were constantly challenged and developed. Right before our travel, we had our first peer review of the white paper. The various topics ranging from medical negligence in South Africa to challenges in cervical cancer diagnosis in Botswana impressed me and taught me about issues I normally wouldn’t have encountered.   

Now with less than 24 hours left before we depart for Africa, I’m busy packing my bags, making sure to include my passport and Type M plug adapter. I keep in mind the advice that my professors Dr. Sara Byala and Dr. Tenney-Soeiro gave for when we go to Botswana, to be professional and humble as we all are representing Penn. I can’t wait to enjoy spring break in Africa, but more importantly, learn about global healthcare as I immerse myself in a wholly new culture.