Language and Culture Program

Volunteer Abroad in Zanzibar, Africa.

This carefully designed Zanzibar, Tanzania language and cultural training offers glimpses of local languages, cultures, religions, and ways of local life before beginning voluntary service. The program covers Swahili language training, cultural visits, language practice, and orientation to the local culture. Swahili or Kiswahili is the main language spoken in Tanzania and most of East Africa.

The program will also entail day tours to Zanzibar’s stone town and the coastal village of Jambiani where cultural activities, relaxation and Swahili classes take place. Besides having some of the friendliest people, Jambiani is known for its expansive and un-crowded white sandy beaches, crystal clear blue waters, seaweed farming, rope making, the caves, and fishing. Staying with a host family will ensure you eat some of the best Zanzibar cuisines, which Jambiani is famous for.

A typical schedule of the Language and Culture Program is as follows:

Day 1: Arrival and pick up from the Zanzibar International Airport (code name ZNZ); transfer to host household home or hotel for overnight.  Day 2: Registration and Orientation. Registration to the program followed by bout 2-hour discussion covering topics including orientation to the program, Zanzibar culture, history, customs, politics, do’s and don’ts. Afternoon – Guided tour of the city of Zanzibar Stone Town. The tour is covered mainly on foot, and as will as time allows feature strolling through the narrow winding labyrinth alleys; view houses with carved Arab doors and balconies; the House of Wonders; the Palace Museum; Dr Livingstone's House; The Old Anglican cathedral; and Zanzibar's bustling market. Stone Town has excellent gifts shops with plenty of souvenirs handicrafts and splendid artifacts to choose from.  Day 3: Morning: 2-3 hours Swahili lessons. Afternoon: Take a local bus to the beach village of Jambiani in the East coast of Zanzibar where you will spend the remainder of the week.  Day 4: Sunday: Free to relax, soak in the sun, walk on the most beautiful yet un-crowded beach; feel like Robinson Crusoe in your remote and extremely peaceful paradise Island.  Day 5: Morning: 2-3 hours Swahili lessons. Afternoon: join the villagers to do see weed farming.Seaweed farming is a small local industry that gives work to hundreds of islanders. The weed was introduced in Zanzibar from the Philippines in 1988. The product is shipped to Europe, where it is used in medicines, cosmetics and in the preservation of foods and beers. Later on as time allows climb on coconut palms to harvest coconuts together with the locals. Day 6: Morning: Swahili classes, 2-3 hours. Afternoon: Join local women in rope making and visit with a local herbal “doctor” to learn the art and science of herbal medicine. Day 7: Morning: Program Evaluation, 30 minutes. Thereafter, join the local fishermen for a fishing expedition or jump on a dhow and sail in the calm waters of the Jambiani lagoon. Alternatively take a 2 hour hike to attraction, a large cave containing a fresh water spring thought to have once been used as a holding house for slaves. The cave is also a traditional shrine and some local people come here to pray and make offerings. Afternoon: Trip back to Zanzibar city. Day 8: Introduction to project staff and beginning of project work.

Please note that the Language and Culture program is not provided on its own. It is only provided in combination with one other programs, that is, either Basic (as Explorer),  Adventure or Best of Zanzibar.