Hello! My name is Kylie Wishneski and I am a rising junior at Pitt majoring in bioengineering. On campus, I am involved with Engineers Without Borders and the WPTS engineering staff, the campus radio station. Outside of campus activities, I enjoy running, biking, and have recently started a journey of learning how to make sourdough bread (and it truly has been a journey).
This summer I had the privilege of traveling to South Africa for two weeks as part of the Empathic Global Leadership for Social Change program through the Swanson School of Engineering. I chose to apply for this program due to its focus on the human side of engineering, something that is all too often missing in typical engineering education. Prior to our departure, I was most looking forward to meeting engineering students from another country, and getting to experience a more holistic view of South Africa than I likely would be able to on my own. This trip promised to be an opportunity for measurable personal growth, and a chance to forge international connections, both personally and professionally.
The first half of our trip took place in Johannesburg where we met four students from the University of Johannesburg. Our time with them at the Kwalata Game Lodge on the Dinokeng Game Reserve allowed us to get to know each other more closely. They brought South African board games, and we played for hours, discussing both South African and American pop culture, politics, geography, and religion. We discovered that through the commonality of being a college student, especially with most of us in engineering, we felt comfortable discussing a great range of topics and did not shy away from more controversial matters. I became engrossed in their politics especially, which many people we met were eager to talk about with their sixth democratic election coming up at the end of May.
Surprisingly, many South Africans professed that they did not plan to vote due to the rampant corruption in the ANC, the former ruling party in the government. Despite being the party to bring the end of apartheid, the ANC has shown year after year that they do not serve the people of South Africa. What I witnessed as a result of this was the resilience of the people, and their ability to provide for their communities in areas where the government had failed. There is a Zulu word, ubuntu, which has been indirectly translated to “I am because we are”. This distinctly South African philosophy could be felt woven into the very fabric of their society. In the United States, life often feels very transactional; you drove me to the airport so I’ll buy you dinner. I owe you because you did this thing for me. In South Africa, it was very clear that people prioritized the wellbeing of the community as a whole, even if it came at a small personal cost. One of the students we met in Johannesburg told me that our biggest difference was that Americans don’t have Ubuntu, and that I feel has been one of my biggest takeaways.
Our second week was spent in Cape Town which had a drastically different feel from Johannesburg. The Dutch and British colonial influence was much stronger in the architecture, food, demographics, and overall sense of wealth. In other words, the lingering effects of apartheid were very noticeable. Though it was beautiful, I still have mixed feelings about Cape Town. The architecture in many ways felt more familiar and like home, but having by then learned a great deal about the history of colonialism, apartheid, and oppression in South Africa, the European influence left me feeling a bit wary. South Africa’s history places them in a unique position, yet at its core it is still a very African nation in people and values.
I feel incredibly lucky that I had the opportunity to experience as much of South Africa as we were able to in two weeks. It truly was a beautiful country. The view from the top of Table Mountain will remain unmatched, the colorful houses brought so much life to so many neighborhoods, and the blending of cuisines created some of the best food I’ve ever had. Nevertheless, the most beautiful part of South Africa was by far its people. From our program facilitator KG and the students we met in Johannesburg and Cape Town, to the locals who led our tours, ran the shops we visited, and who we had lunch with, I will remember all of them with so much fondness, respect, and admiration. As a people, South Africa was so friendly and welcoming—it forced me to leave any shyness or reservations at home and to truly be open with those around me. In just two weeks I’ve grown to be far more comfortable with myself and others, even those I barely know. Over the course of this trip, we met with representatives and leaders from six different companies, many of them engineering focused. The conversations we had and the questions my peers and I asked have no doubt helped prepare me for a future as an engineer and broadened my horizons as to what engineering looks like somewhere outside of the United States. Still, my most profound takeaway circles back to resilience and Ubuntu. If I could bring back anything to Pitt, and to my life as a whole, it would be a piece of South African community and support. It is not enough to simply be a part of a community, it is your responsibility to create and foster community everywhere you go.
