[Africans in our arms] (60) “I saw a bit of ‘Leopards of Kilimanjaro.’”

Deborah Eric Mukwenda (36), an international student from Tanzania who first came to Korea in 2009, was embarrassed every time she was asked which country she was from.

This is because there were many Koreans who were unfamiliar with Tanzania, located in eastern Africa. At the time, quite a few people even asked, “Are you from Cambodia?” because the pronunciation sounded similar.

Then one day, while chatting with a taxi driver, I told him that there was Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and the driver understood right away.

Thanks to singer Cho Yong-pil's song 'Leopards of Kilimanjaro', Tanzania became familiar to people.

From then on, when someone asked Deborah her nationality, she would reply that she was from Tanzania, the country of the ‘leopards of Kilimanjaro.’

In June 2024, 15 years later, Deborah had a special experience attending the meeting between Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Cho Yong-pil, who visited Korea.

President Hassan, who visited Korea to attend the Korea-Africa Summit, served as an interpreter to express his gratitude to Cho Yong-pil for his contribution to promoting Tanzania.

Cho Yong-pil was amazed that Deborah spoke Korean fluently at the time, and said he was honored to hear that his song was helpful. The two also took a selfie.

In an interview held at a cafe in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 5th, Deborah smiled and said, "I really benefited from 'Kilimanjaro's Leopard' in the early days of my life in Korea."

Deborah is currently working as a public affairs officer at the Embassy of Tanzania in Korea.

He speaks Korean, English, and Swahili, the official language of Tanzania, and is responsible for the embassy's external publicity, media response, culture and tourism promotion, and official event preparation.

When the Tanzanian government delegation visits Korea, they also participate in protocol work, including interpretation and schedule coordination.

Deborah, who grew up in Arusha, northern Tanzania, came to Korea at the age of 18 in April 2009 after finishing high school.

Growing up in a family where his father was a pastor, he chose Korea over the United States while preparing to study abroad with the support and encouragement of his parents.

I wanted to gain new experiences in Korea, a country that has developed rapidly in the fields of education and technology.

Deborah, who started studying abroad without knowing anything about Korean, studied Korean at Inha University for about 1 year and 6 months and then entered Baekseok University. He received a bachelor's degree majoring in Christian Education and Youth Studies.

She then studied educational psychology at Sookmyung Women's University Graduate School and earned a master's degree in 2017.

In the early days of studying abroad, I covered tuition and living expenses with the help of my parents. Afterwards, he continued his studies with support from the church and a university scholarship.

Deborah said that while learning Korean, she had a particularly difficult time with honorifics and titles that varied depending on the other person's age, status, and intimacy.

Even after becoming somewhat familiar with Korean, there were times when I was embarrassed because I could not understand the dialect or informal speaking style.

For Deborah, who grew up in a place with distinct wet and dry seasons, Korea's four seasons were something she had to adapt to.

The hot and humid summers and sub-zero winters were unfamiliar to me, but as I lived in Korea for a long time, I learned how to change my clothes according to the season.

As I made friends and participated in community activities, I gradually became accustomed to life in Korea.

A new turning point in Deborah's life occurred in 2017, when she completed her master's degree.

In September of that year, I applied after hearing that the Tanzanian government was recruiting local staff to open an embassy in Korea.

He passed the exam and participated in the preparations for opening the embassy. He started by laying the foundation for operation, including providing the necessary furniture and equipment for the office.

Since then, he has assisted three ambassadors, including Ambassador Noel Emmanuel of Kazanda, who took office in May of this year.

As the embassy became established, Deborah's role also grew.

In addition to public affairs work, we are supporting communication between the two countries' governments and private sector officials by informing Korea of ​​Tanzania's tourism resources, cultural heritage, and investment opportunities.

Deborah cited the Korea-Tanzania summit held on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit in June 2024 as a particularly memorable experience while working at the embassy. Deborah, who served as an interpreter, translated Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan's Swahili remarks into Korean.

He said that there were no major difficulties with interpretation because he had studied the agenda and related terms to be discussed in advance of the meeting.

Deborah said that it is important in interpreting to understand and convey not only the meaning of the word, but also the context of the statement and cultural differences.

Deborah, who was active in this way, received the Outstanding Professional Award at the 3rd Korea-Africa Excellence Awards (KAFXA). KAFXA is an award that honors the achievements and contributions of Africans living in Korea.

He credited the award to his embassy colleagues and members of the Tanzanian community in Korea.

“I did not achieve this alone. It was possible because of the help of many people who believed in me and encouraged me.”

Aside from her embassy work, Deborah is also promoting a project called ‘Bora Connect’ that connects Korea and East Africa.

The name of this project, which started last year, is 'Bora', which means 'good' and 'excellent' in Swahili, as well as part of her own name 'Deborah'.

The purpose is ‘Bridging Potential with Opportunity’. The goal is to promote exchange and cooperation between Korea and East Africa in various fields, including education, business, and tourism.

Although it is still in its early stages, concrete results are being achieved in the field of education.

It is said that this year, five Tanzanian students were supported to enter Korean universities.

For students wishing to enter graduate school in Korea, we provide guidance on how to find a university and advisor that fits your major and research plan. We also assist with contacting professors and preparing application documents.

Deborah said that it is important to help young people who want to study abroad find opportunities that fit their majors and goals rather than vaguely recommending that they go to Korea.

Deborah considers Korea her ‘second home’. It has been 17 years since I came to Korea, and I have spent almost half of my 36 years here.

He says that if Tanzania is his roots, then Korea is where he studied, worked, and created his life as an adult.

As the years I spent in Korea changed, my perspective on the four seasons here also changed.

Deborah says she has come to accept fall as a season of letting go of something, winter as a time of waiting and invisible growth, and spring as a season of new beginnings and hope.

I also looked back on how I had grown little by little in the process of adapting to an unfamiliar environment and enduring difficulties.

Deborah is thinking of pursuing a doctorate in education, diplomacy, or interpretation and translation as early as next year, as long as it does not interfere with the embassy's work.

He urged African youth who, like him, are trying to find new opportunities abroad, to be persistent, patient, and willing to learn.

“I hope that while embracing a new culture, we do not lose our roots and identity.”

He said, “Both Korea and Tanzania played an important role in making me who I am today,” and “I want to continue to use the knowledge, experience, and personal connections I gained in Korea to do work that is helpful to both countries.”