Connecting Across Cultures Through Peer-to-Peer Experiences in Gaborone

The following blog was written by a student intern on a Summer 2026 CIEE high school abroad program. Read on for a first-hand account of what it's like on program in Botswana. 

Both our Wildlife and Conservation and Leadership and Service in Public Health Global Navigators have been enjoying Botswana through experiences centered around their program themes. Highlights for our Wildlife students include a land rehabilitation activity, sanctuary and animal care for snakes, tortoises, and impalas, and learning indigenous star navigation while camping in a nature reserve. Meanwhile, our Public Health students have been working with Stepping Stones International (SSI), a nonprofit organization based in Mochudi, a village located 45 minutes from Gaborone, that supports vulnerable youth in throughout Botswana. They have also completed clinic observations at three public clinics, toured a private hospital, and visited a traditional medicine site.

One experience both groups have shared is interacting with local peers, either through schools or as participants in one of SSI’s programs. These opportunities provide a unique lens into another culture while fostering a broader sense of community. Regardless of the setting, our Global Navigators dove headfirst into every experience, whether pairing with students from another school to attend classes or learning to play the marimba from a local student. Many of our students described these peer interactions as the highlight of their week.

A Morning at Mosesewapula Public School

Our Wildlife Global Navigators visited Mosesewapula Public School, where they spent the morning getting to know local high school students. The Mosesewapula students taught traditional Setswana games and showcased their school garden, highlighting how agriculture is integrated into education and sustainability initiatives. The day was filled with laughter, connection, and opportunities to learn from one another across cultures.

Learning, Dancing, and Making Friends at Legae Academy

At Legae Academy, a private high school located next door to Mosesewapula, Wildlife students continued their peer interactions. They attended a dance class led by Legae’s instructor, who won the Red Bull Dance Your Style Botswana competition in 2025. They also learned traditional dance from Legae’s traditional dance club, accompanied by live drumming, and partnered with local students to perform at the end of the session. Later, they attended marimba class, toured the chicken coops, and even got to hold some of the birds. They then joined students for the universal school experience: lunchtime, where they met even more peers and gained a better understanding of everyday school life. To wrap up the visit, Legae students hosted a scavenger hunt around campus complete with side quests that included posing for creative photos. By the end of the day, many friendships had formed, and our students were reluctant to leave. Fortunately, the goodbyes were only temporary—they'll have the chance to reunite over the weekend for "Family Fun Day in the Park".

Community and Collaboration with Stepping Stones International

Through their work with SSI, our Public Health Global Navigators have also built meaningful connections with local youth. One day, everyone came together to play sports, including soccer, volleyball, badminton, and even netball—a game similar to basketball but without dribbling or backboards. Our students have also been helping maintain SSI’s community garden. The youth participants, who take agriculture classes as part of school, taught our students how to break up the soil, prepare planting plots, and grow different crops. To finish the week, both groups participated in a color run, filling the air with powdered paint and laughter. Both the SSI participants and our Global Navigators benefited from the cultural exchange and truly enjoyed the experiences they shared.

Shadowing Students at Rainbow Academy

Our Public Health Global Navigators also visited Rainbow Academy, a private secondary school, where they were paired with a Rainbow student and attended classes together throughout the day, including math, science, geography, and history. One student shared that "it felt like an authentic experience, like they weren't trying to hide anything." Another noted that they "felt very welcome, even though they had just met each other." They ended the day off with a marimba lesson from Rainbow Academy's music instructor. These peer-to-peer experiences have not only allowed students from different cultures to get to know one another but have also given our Global Navigators a deeper understanding of Botswana and its people.

More Than Just Tourists

Whether through sports, music, classrooms, or community service, these peer-to-peer experiences have reminded our Global Navigators that meaningful connections can happen anywhere. As they continue exploring Botswana, the relationships they have built and the perspectives they have gained will remain some of the most memorable parts of their journey.

Are you a high schooler interested in spending a summer abroad with CIEE? Explore our programs today!