Africa

  • Blog

Rainy, Dreadful Days Before Botswana

Penn Global Seminar: Writing Health and Healing in Botswana Manjay, one of the Spring 2026 Penn Global Seminar Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during the Spring Break. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed. I can’t believe I’m only 24 hours away from my flight to Botswana.…

  • Person

Manjay Konneh

Manjay Konneh is a freshman from Guinea living in Philadelphia, studying Health and Societies on the pre-med track. This semester, she will travel to Gaborone, Botswana through a Penn Global Seminar to explore Botswana’s healthcare system with the emergence of cancer, and explore how traditional medicine is incorporated in the system. On campus, Manjay serves…

  • Person

Mohammad Yaghi

Mohammad Yaghi is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, studying in the Huntsman Program of International Studies and Business. In Spring 2026, he will be studying at the American University of Cairo, where he will focus on Arabic language, Middle Eastern politics, and regional economic policy. From Houston, Mohammad has deep interests in international…

  • Blog

My Internship Experience with SIC

GRIP: Swicorp Infra Capital (SIC), Tunis, Tunisia I stepped out of my taxi and into Lac II, the financial district that runs along the lake in Tunis. The building was tucked into a quiet corner, its glass windows catching the full force of the Tunisian sun. Inside, I was introduced to a small, close-knit office…

  • Person

Maria Awadalla

Contact Ask Me About… My experience is unique because, as an Egyptian born in America, I had always been connected to my roots but through the lens of my parents’ perspective. Every 8 years, we’d visit Egypt, staying primarily in the village where my family is from. These visits were special but often limited to…

  • Person

Hans Bode

Contact Ask Me About… Starting with GRIP: Power Up Gambia, my first-ever summer internship was also my first time working in Africa. What made this experience unique was learning how to navigate a completely new culture while carrying out my first professional role. I was adapting to new work expectations, living in a rural setting,…

  • Person

Alexandra Whittle

Contact Ask Me About… As someone with Egyptian ancestry, I have always dreamed of traveling to Egypt and learning more about where my family came from. My grandfather came from Egypt to the U.S. in the 1950s and I have heard countless stories about his journey and determination for a better future for himself and…

  • Person

Natalie Vasquez

Contact Ask Me About… Studying abroad is undeniably life-changing, but it also brings moments that can be difficult to hear about or experience firsthand. I would like to share my answer to the question: “What is a situation that was emotionally taxing, yet ultimately changed me?” When I was in Cape Town, I witnessed the…

  • Blog

GRIP Tips: Power Up Gambia

GRIP: Power Up Gambia Madison Shelton, one of the Global Research and Internship Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during Summer 2025. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed. Hi everyone! It’s Maddie here checking in from The Gambia! I have spent a considerable amount of time in what is…

Madison standing with internship coworkers
  • Blog

Stepping into Pura Vida

GRIP: Sustainable Development in Monteverde, Costa Rica Arriving in the country of ticos and ticas in the middle of the night trying to understand everything from the language to the unique ways of living felt surreal. Although I was completely lost at first, I soon encountered a kind taxi driver who patiently engaged with my…