USNA News Article

Mids Experience South Africa’s Diverse Culture

August 29, 2012

From the International Programs Office

Few countries have as diverse a cultural mix as the Republic of South Africa. With 11 official languages, hundreds of tribal and clan identities, and countless hybrid cultural practices, South Africa offers new experiences at every turn.

When one faculty member and eight midshipmen participated in a Naval Academy-sponsored language, regional expertise, and culture expedition to South Africa in July 2012, they were immersed in a cross section of people and practices they’d never imagined.

“I have always been intrigued by the unique history of the nation,” said Midshipman 2nd Class James Temple. “I studied South Africa in high school, and from that moment onward I had a desire to experience the country.”

The general objective of the trip was to understand the intellectual character of the culture of the country and sub-Saharan region. The group lived with the South African Army, visited significant cultural landmarks, stayed at an orphanage for children with AIDS, interacted with many local people, and even stayed in tents in the African “bush.”

They also conducted staff rides on battlefields from the Anglo-Zulu and Boer Wars, went on photo safaris for big game, and participated in cage diving with great white sharks in the murky Indian Ocean waters near the Cape of Good Hope.

Midshipman 2nd Class Anthony Cardon chose to go to South Africa because it offered such a variety of unique experiences.

“My favorite part of the trip, which was also probably the most rewarding, was visiting the Lily of the Valley orphanage,” said Cardon. “We were able to witness the challenges every day Africans face - such as the need for education and healthcare - and also discover the generosity of the people.”

The midshipmen were unanimous in the opinion that the trip had changed their lives forever. They felt they had gained much more than an appreciation of a culture. They felt comfortable interacting with it and, in many ways, felt truly at home in a country none had visited before.

“Throughout the trip, we had constant interaction with the whole spectrum of the South African population, from old-school Afrikaners to poverty-stricken Zulu children,” said Temple. “I feel comfortable being a representative of the U.S. when it comes to communicating and working with both the civilian and military population of foreign countries.”

Additionally, each midshipmen was responsible for a portion of trip planning and execution. They were encouraged to exercise judgment, initiative and personal responsibility for various aspects of the expedition. Success or failure of the trip was placed in their hands.

This aspect may be the most important among the many benefits of participating in a cultural immersion trip. The most effective leadership development curriculum involves consequences and stretching the midshipmen beyond their comfort zones. In this regard, the language, regional expertise, and culture organized by the academy’s International Programs Office is among the best leadership development available to midshipmen.