With the approaching date of my course on Effective Communication Skills for Precision Air in Tanzania I became more and more nervous.

I asked my African friends, Eric Tsimi and Ibrahima Sory Keita to give me some advice on how to approach people from their continent. Their answer was: „ You are a very open-minded and authentic person. Just be yourself”. I swallowed and thought: „Hmmm, would it go well? “.

Nevertheless, I followed their advice and spent 5 challenging but extremely rewarding days because I embraced the new environment with open mind and open heart…

… And I met wonderful and engaging people.

Probably, I would not be able to do it if I hadn‘t met before Bea Hategeka, Elodie Bamowoglo, Aliou Adam Ndiaye, Leonard Lengema, Eric Essono Tsimi, Joseph Desire Som I, Yvonne Apiyo Brändle- Amolo and Didier Mafuta Kiyungu. We graduated together from the Master Program in Intercultural Communication (MIC) at the University in Lugano.

Additionally, I should not forget at least three of our extraordinary professors. Marie-Therese Claes, Edo Poglia and Milton J. Bennett taught us to look at first at the person itself to check if there a ground for establishing a personal relationship, far beyond the national culture.

I‘m deeply grateful to all of them for this experience!