“International experiences broaden my horizons and amplify my world," says alumna Claudia Giannetti.
Claudia Giannetti, MA geography ’92, immersed herself in a new culture when she came to the United States from Argentina as a student and a Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) staffer. Giannetti felt international encounters were important learning experiences, which is one reason why she stayed on at DU after graduation, working as the international student services director, the assistant director of GSIS undergraduate programs and later as a study-abroad adviser.
Now, Giannetti is on another international adventure, this time in Nairobi, Kenya. She excitedly moved there in May 2003 when her husband took a post as Kenya’s Peace Corps country director.
“I like to get to know people from other cultures and learn about what brings us together and what sets us apart,” she says. “International experiences broaden my horizons and amplify my world. I hope I can do the same for other people.”
“Kenya is a beautiful country,” she continues. “Nature is right at your doorstep and the country has so much to offer: wildlife, mountains, beaches, deserts, savannah. I treasure the opportunities to get know the Kenyan people.”
Giannetti has plunged into community work. She volunteers at the Euphrasian Women’s Centre, which serves disadvantaged women by providing skills development and training; Giannetti teaches weekly English classes at Nairobi’s South “B”—a slum area. And, she’s helped the center develop new markets where women can sell their arts and crafts. She’s also very involved with the American Women’s Association. “The charity brings women of nationalities together to promote community service and development throughout Kenya,” she explains.
Giannetti’s passion for international education hasn’t fallen by the wayside. She collaborates with the WorldSmart Leadership Program and an Up With People study-abroad program, for which she interviews Kenyan applicants. “It allows me to keep in tune with my professional interests—study abroad and students,” she says.
As for future destinations, Giannetti says she’ll go anywhere. But for now, she’s happy to explore the African continent with her husband.
“Home is where the heart is, and you can have your heart in more than one place, Giannetti says. “The U.S. and Argentina are very important in my heart, and Kenya is an added bonus.”