Going Abroad to Africa

Teresa Johnson is a college student from New York University (NYU) in an exchange program with the National University of Algeria with Maliya Moa. This article will follow Teresa's journy in Algeria for the duration of one semester.

When Teresa got off the plane she had noticed awkward stares and rolling eyes in her direction. At first she did not understand why. When she met her greeter, the youngest son of the Moa family she embraced him with a deep hug.

He had replied to this by saying, "Never hug a person of the opposite gender. It is very inappropriate. Also, your clothes are very immodest so my mother will take you to one of the open air markets tommorow.

Teresa did not realize that her halter top, mini skirt and red pumps would make such a problem.

On the way to the market the following day she noted that most people wore full body dresses that prevented burn from the scorching sun. She then planned to by a fancy orange dress.

Dubabi, Maliya's mother, picked up a variety of foods that Teresa could not recognize. Dubabi had planned a traditional feast for her young guest with the main course of rich and fish. The only identifiable good was the cade oil Algerians used for tea which was generally served after meals.

Tesera was amazed by all the options of fabric and clothing avaibilbe to her and soon realized the ways of the open market. She noticed how people would gossip about a person who was new to these things like she was. She stated that, "people never buy things at the market for the marked price. If you do, you are quickly gossiped about and everyone in the market knows who you are." She also stated that her Arabic, the language spoken in Algeria was good enough to understand what the people were saying.

Teresa was taught by Dubabi that one does not need many clothes but two full dresses to cover in. One should be decorated and the other plain. That way you would always have something for every occasion. Teresa eventually settled on a black dress, and a white dress with embroidered flowers and beads.

After they got back to the house Teresa was sent to the courtyard. She was amazed at how decorated and precise everything in it was and wondered who had built it. She loved the pillars with their delicate carving that seperated the house and courtyard and how the floor was bare dirt yet it was so clean and felt so good. She also enjoyed how their were swings that creaked but were yet steardy. Teresa ended up spending the rest of her day in the courtyard asleep and did not wake up until house guests started to arrive.

Teresa was seated on the side of the room were all the other females sat. The men started to talk about the youngest son, the same one who was there to greet her. His name was Lienumb and his family was looking for a bride for him. Teresa then made a huge mistake. She had asked the adults why they would pick Lienumb's wife and not he himself. She was then called over by the youngest daughter-in-law of the family and was whispered to that she was not to talk about the opposite gender. She then apologized quietly.

At dinner she ended up making another huge mistake. She had pointed at the elder of the household while explaining to Moa's grandchildren how things were in America. She was then told by one of the toddlers that pointing at a person especially an elder was intolerable at rudely looked upon.

Life in the Moa household from then on did not change much except Teresa started taking classes so was at the house less often. She did however gain a romantic interest in Lienumb and decided to confront him about it.

Teresa was shocked at his response when he asked for her hand in marriage in which she did accept. It was not until later did she realize what she had done.

Teresa took time to understand Lienumb as a person but grew to love him deeply. They planned to have there marriage take place after the semester was over and when she would be on winter break.

Currently, Teresa is living in the Moa household and is now a full time student in the National University of Algeria. She has no current want of going back to the USA at the moment. She and Lienumb are also married and are planning to have kids.