O.A.T.H.

I remember walking the banks of the Niger River past mango vendors, women wearing brightly colored dresses carrying the day’s work on their heads, and giant Baobab trees casting shadows on mud-brick dwellings. I was on my way to meet the Touregs, a group of desert nomads who had recently migrated into southern Mali in search of a new sedentary existence in Segou as a result of desertification and a changing socioeconomic climate in the nation. All I really knew about them was they had caused a rebellion in 1990 and they were known by locals to be a bit aggressive, but I was already well aware of how stereotypes can paint an inaccurate picture.

            I arrived at their workshop unannounced and sat between a tanning camel hide and a basket of mangoes. I had come to learn about the Touregs and their business as an advisor to the Chambre de Metier de Segou. They stretched dyed camel leather over wooden crates to make leather-bound trunks and various other items like mirror frames and Qur’an covers. While the craftsmen made their wares, other members of the tribe peddled the merchandise throughout the city’s dusty streets.

            It didn’t take long to realize that no one at the workshop spoke French. No one even spoke Bambara. This was going to require some language gymnastics and a bit of finesse. After exchanging curious looks for a while, an elder approached me with some tea and a smile and I was happy to be well received. In no time we were making wordless jokes and beginning to understand one another.

            Over time, I was able to teach that tribe some of the basics of illiterate bookkeeping. Our efforts eventually secured a loan from the U.S. embassy to help the tribe develop a larger inventory of crafts to sell. Instead of struggling for survival in a new environment which breeds the kind of discontent that led to a rebellion, these Touregs were excited to be entrepreneurs.

I believe I have great potential in the international field for two main reasons: I learn languages quickly and effectively, and I have an insatiable fascination with other cultures which has fueled my academic and professional ambitions. Upon completing my studies, I boldly stepped onto African soil and have found my future there. I connect well with African people and use my studies to create sustainable, appropriate, and participatory relief programming.

            A foundation in foreign languages is paramount to creating necessary connections and building trust. Mutual understanding and trust are mandatory for successful development programming. I studied French and gained full control of the language while working for the Chambre de Metier in Mali, West Africa. I also studied Bambara with the Peace Corps and used it at a conversational level during my service. I’ve studied Bundjalung at Southern Cross University in Australia and Arabic for two years at Colorado State University. Although I have never studied Spanish, I speak it conversationally and have always acted as the liaison between my Latin American coworkers and their English-speaking counterparts. Languages are a passion, a hobby, and a necessity in my life, especially as my travels and professional goals bring me deeper into non-English speaking regions of the world. I truly believe my multi-lingual background makes the world a smaller and more accessible place.

            While languages are significant, it is my appreciation for the many African cultures that has most influenced my relationships there. As a musician, I have been lucky enough to play the Kora along side Malian drummers on Bamako street corners. As a guitarist and a pianist, music has often been my first tool of cross-cultural communication. As a professional chef, I have studied African cuisine (even though cooking is done by women in Africa, I have the advantage of being an “outsider” and my cooking is well received). I have managed to bridge a number of cultural gorges through food, music, and language. These are skills I have acquired through education and through my personal explorations.

From purely an academic perspective, I have had several accomplishments with global significance including a 3.6 GPA in international or economics-related courses while holding a full-time job and being involved with a number of organizations. I have also attended lectures presented by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Noam Chomsky. These historic figures, and others, have influenced my global perspective immensely. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu wisely proclaimed, “Anything war can do, peace can do better”. His wisdom stands as the backbone of my professional ambitions. I am currently working towards my master’s of International Studies at Boston University as a National Merit Scholar.

Michael Silvestrini