During their month off of school, seven UW-Eau Claire students opted for an experience to learn something new and different.

In early January the group of education students headed off to Cedar-Riverside in Minneapolis to surround themselves with Somalian culture.

Somalia is a small country in North Africa, which is plagued by war and bad conditions. Much of the Somali population has left their country and fled to other places, including England and the United States.

During the immersion trip, students got to learn about and experience the Somali culture by working in Somalian classrooms and interacting with the kids.

The students worked at Anne Sullivan, a public school where 80 percent of the students are Somalian and Cedar Riverside, a completely Somalian school.

The group worked side by side with Abdirizak Bihi, the head of the Somali community in Minnesota. He acted as their guide and interpreter throughout the trip so the group was able to interact with the Somali students in the classroom.

Along with interaction between the culture and community in the classroom, the group spent their free time immersing themselves in many things the culture has to offer.

They attended the Somali Public Museum, an authentic Somalia restaurant and a mosque.

“You need to be open and willing to submerge yourself into the experience in front of you.” Leah Henderson, a trip participant, said. “Getting yourself out there has the ability to change your life and your career with the people you can meet and the things you can see.”