Zanzibar Study Abroad
Students Return from African Nation Known for Historic Slave Trade
Zanzibar, a small group of islands off the coast of East Africa, is known for its pristine beaches, abundant wildlife and rich history. But beyond its stunning natural beauty lie the stories of tens of thousands of slaves who were bought and sold on the island each year up to the mid-19th century.
Seton Hall Law’s Study Abroad Program in Zanzibar offers an ABA approved course on modern day slavery and human trafficking taught by distinguished international law faculty, including Seton Hall Law Professor Bernard Freamon and Simone Monasebian, Chief of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime in New York. Students enrolled in the winter intersession study abroad program in Zanzibar are given the opportunity to learn about a rapidly developing area of international law while immersed in one of the historic slave trade capitals of the world.
“Human trafficking is so much more of a present problem than I ever knew before I went,” said Ashley Turner ’10, one of 12 Seton Hall Law students who made the trip. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of similarities between historic slavery and current human trafficking.”
Students visited the Slave Market in Zanzibar, where slaves were auctioned off for over 60 years. They also traveled to the mainland of Tanzania to the town of Bagamoyo, the oldest town in the country and the location where entry into slavery began for many East Africans. There, students toured historic sites that stand as memorials to the African slave trade. Later, the students went to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania, where they met with its officials and received lectures on the Tribunal’s work.
In addition to learning about important and emerging topics in international law, the students were introduced to a new and different culture. Ashley who experienced Africa for the first time, was surprised by the slower pace of life in Zanzibar. “The thing that kept shocking us was how kids did not really have a place to go,” Ashely said. “Everything is just slower-paced. There’s not really a lot of concern for time.”
Students also visited a spice plantation and the Jozani Forest, home to the Red Colobus Monkeys. After completing the course, students also had the option of taking a week long safari into the Serengeti, known for its wide range of mammals and the largest overland animal migration in the world.
The Serengeti tour was one of Ashley’s favorite parts of the trip. Students stayed in three different lodges, including one in the middle of the Serengeti by a hippo pool and another on the lip of the Ngorongoro Crater. During the safari, the students encountered cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras and lions. The lions would actually seek out the trucks they used to navigate the Serengeti in order to find shade beneath the tires. Ashley had no fear of the lions, however, thanks in part to the knowledgeable drivers who guided them through the Serengeti. “It’s one of the best parts of the trip,” she said.
Students attended class daily from 9 a.m. until noon and spent their afternoons soaking in the culture and physical beauty of Zanzibar. Ashley and her classmates took a trip on a traditional sand boat to a snorkeling location in a conservation area and also spent a great deal of time walking around Zanzibar. In addition to Seton Hall Law students, she shared her experience with students from California, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Maryland and even Canada. “It was a great way to bring my law school career to an end and it was short enough that I didn’t have to miss class or miss out on job opportunities,” said Ashley.
Ashley, who will be doing commercial litigation for K & L Gates next year, said she did not have a great interest in international law prior to going to Zanzibar, but came back with a desire to get involved. “It certainly helped me realize the value of law as an agent for worldwide change,” she said. “The issues faced by international law are as big as they get, and I plan to actively seek pro bono work in the field and do my best to work towards effectuating that change.”