Below is a blog post by Beza, a WiSci Girls STEAM Camper from Ethiopia who shared her experience at the Camp’s closing ceremony. From June 17-29, Girl Up, along with WiSci founding partners Intel, Google and the U.S. State Department, held the 2018 WiSci Girls STEAM Camp in Windhoek, Namibia.
My name is Beza and I am from Ethiopia.
The 2018 WiSci Girls STEAM Camp in Namibia has taught me and other girls in here about different cultures, opinions and ways of understanding things. But one thing I have learned the most is how we all have one common ground – in fact that was one of our Girl Up icebreakers. All of this is making the world a better place.
During our two weeks stay at this Camp, we learned different things from our Girl Up, Intel, NASA and Google classes. We have gained more knowledge on things than we did before. We’ve all heard about the projects were going to be doing when we first arrived here at WiSci Girls STEAM Camp 2018 but when the time was here, we were just lost.
This project, I am telling you, is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was challenging from the very start till the last minute. It was crazy how everyone had their own ideas and we were just trying to choose one of the best from the bunch. After we came to one decision, the challenge didn’t stop. We had to figure out how to use all the knowledge we have acquired on our projects. Of course, we had a lot of misunderstandings between us but we’re finally here by overcoming them all.
I have asked people around here and we all had kind of the same experience. We practiced more of team work, we had fun, got into chaos because of all the stress of finishing on time. But the best part is finally wrapping things up and finishing the project. This project is proof for us that no matter from which part of the world, no matter what color, culture or anything that makes us different, we all have something that challenges us every day and the one way we can overcome our common problems is through working together.
I am more blessed to have this opportunity that a lot of girls did not. This experience has totally influenced me to be the best version of me. The person I was when I first came to camp and the person I am now are two different people. The person right now knows more. She’s more creative, knows different cultures already, is more informed but most of all she has a clear vision for her life. And this girl is probably the best me so far.
(Photo credits to the U.S. Embassy in Namibia)
