Leibold Revels in Tanzanian Beauty

Alyssa Leibold '04, a sociology major from Murray, Iowa, spent the spring semester of 2003 in Tanzania, a country she describes as "the most beautiful place on earth."

Leibold, two other CC students (Celina Cunningham '04 and Taylor Williamson '04), and 10 other students from around the country participated in a nation-building program sponsored by the Associated Colleges of the Midwest which is designed to give students insight into the political, cultural, economic, and social aspects of other countries.

During her stay, Leibold lived with a Tanzanian family in Dar es Salaam, a bustling seaport of 2 million people with electricity, running water, a modern university, and Internet access. Her host parents, Arnold and Lightness Towo, work at the University of Dar es Salaam: Arnold as a professor of mechanical engineering and Lightness as an administrative assistant. Leibold shared a room with the couple's two daughters, ages 12 and 3.

While there, Leibold worked with Youth Action Volunteers on AIDS education, a field she wants to pursue upon graduation. She spent two days each week hitting the streets in high-risk areas to discuss AIDS prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. People gathered around her group of mostly local volunteers, which used traditional dancing and drumming to disseminate AIDS information, and Leibold says that although she was far from graceful, she enjoyed participating.

Leibold, who kept a journal during her stay, found herself immersed in one of the "oldest and most beautiful cultures in the world," while at the same time learning more about herself and American culture than she ever expected.

- Leslie Weddell

Georgianne Preskar Rollman '73
Gabriele Prochaska '86 & Scott Desmarais '86
Kate Vorhees '96
Scott McLeod '71
Alyssa Leibold '04