A distinct clicking sound filled the Calkins Hall lounge last week.

As a part of “Exploring Africa,” a week-long program hosted by Calkins Hall, students were able to get a taste of Xhosa, one of South Africa’s 11 languages.

Grand Rapids senior Will Sartore gave students an entertaining introduction into South African life and this unique language.

Sartore said the most important phrase to know in Xhosa is, “Sorry, but I only speak a little Xhosa.” This helped him earn an A in a Xhosa course while studying abroad during the fall semester.

The Sound

“I am interested in learning a language that does not make sense to me on paper,” said Burt sophomore J.D. Sawchuk.

Xhosa is difficult to read because instead of pronouncing the letters x, c and q, a click is made. Clicks are named after the sounds they make.

A champagne click sounds like popping a cork, a dental click is made by flicking the tongue against the teeth and the chopping click sounds like an axe hitting wood.

Going Abroad

“It was scary without knowing what was going to happen,” said Emma Lockwood, a Huntington Woods senior who was the first student to study abroad to South Africa in Spring 2006.

Lockwood wanted to go somewhere different and was not afraid of the challenge that she faced. More than a year later, Sartore was up to the same challenge.

“It was a learning experience that has impacted my view of the world and how I view myself,” he said.

The Culture

“People are people because of other people.”

This is the South African philosophy of Ubuntu that Sartore learned in South Africa. This sense of community is something he would like to see more of in the United States, Satore said.

Fenton freshman Jocely Wilson said learning about other cultures is important.

“It’s part of your education – it opens your eyes,” Wilson said.

The Celebration

“All the events built on each other, this is definitely the summit,” said White Lake freshman Michelle Vermilya.

Saturday night was “Kilimanjaro: The Summit of Africa,” a celebration ending the week-long program. Students gathered to eat traditional Ethiopian and Tunisian food and danced to African music.

“Calkins is becoming more diverse in what is available to its residents,” said Calkins Residence Hall Director Cathy Warner.

Programming Planning 101

Calkins Hall Resident Assistant Katie Quinn developed “Exploring Africa” for her class, LDR 402: Applications of Leadership.

“I have a few friends from Africa, I wanted to let them tell their stories,” the Grand Blanc junior said.

Quinn went to high school with Alex Hill, the founder of Scout Banana, a program fundraising to bring clean water to Uganda.

“I thought it was so cool that he started it on his own,” Vermilya said. “It made me want to do something like this.”

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