Mbabane – A delegation of students from Fort Worth, Texas, landed in Mbabane this week for a youth exchange programme under the Sister City partnership between the two cities, bringing with them some cross-cultural curiosity including why Emaswati call the round ball sport “football”. At the same time, Americans insist on calling it “soccer.”
The visit, hosted jointly by the U.S. Embassy Eswatini and the Municipal Council of Mbabane, included a series of activities centred on youth development, cultural exchange, and international collaboration.
On Monday, the Fort Worth delegation visited the U.S. Embassy in Mbabane, where they met with Chargé d’Affaires Weinstock and received an inside look at how an American embassy operates, covering diplomacy, public service, and career development.
The following day, the programme moved to American Corner Mbabane for an interactive Youth Exchange Roundtable. The session brought together the Fort Worth students, participants in the local STEM Mentorship Programme, and Mbabane students who have been selected to travel to Fort Worth in July for a reciprocal cultural exchange.
Discussions at the roundtable covered youth leadership, innovation, community engagement, and cross-cultural understanding.
The language differences between the two nations provided some lighter moments during the exchange. Beyond the football-versus-soccer debate, the delegations also unpacked why the word “jersey” means a numbered sports shirt to an American but a warm outer garment to someone in Eswatini.
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