EXPOSED LATITUDES

So much anticipation was coursing through my body that I really wasn’t able to sleep on my first flight, even though it was evening and I was tired.  Many things were running through my head.  Did I forget to pack something?  Will I have enough time to make my international connection?  Will anyone actually be there to pick me up from the airport when I’m deliriously tired?  These thoughts come to mind out of necessity, and I’m glad they pop into my head, because they prepare me for the things I know I must handle in transit.

Then other thoughts seep their way through to my brain.  Will enough people know English to help me get around, or will I have to note Swahili translations of everything?  Will curly blonde hair and green eyes get me good attention or bad attention?  What will the general impression of me be as I busy myself with watching the watchers?

The darkness of uncertainty blankets me on that first evening of travel and I try to keep a calm heart as I chase the morning.  I must remember that everything will work out if I just go one step at a time.

Thoroughly exhausted after my trans-Atlantic leg, I make my connection in Istanbul and settle in for the 6.5 hour flight to Kilimanjaro.  It was great that I had a window seat, but unfortunately my first view of the motherland was the evening desert, which appears as a black sea of nothingness.

Luckily, customs and immigration went well and I had no problem finding my volunteer representative upon exiting the airport at 4am.  After we collected a few more girls, we were driven an hour West to Arusha and dropped off at our respective homestays.  Since I was the last to get dropped off, I had the opportunity to say Good Morning to most of my housemates before I settled in to finally catch some Z’s.  My house mama Miss Sara got me up around 5:30pm so that I could eat dinner and meet everyone coming home from their volunteer placements.  It was great to meet everyone and hear about the experiences the other volunteers have had so far.  But before long my eyelids were once again growing heavy, so I turned on the water heater (so I could have a hot shower), got my small suitcase unpacked, washed and changed just in time for the power to go out on us.  I guess this happens often due to the local government trying to regulate power usage.  In any event, I was happy I was finally clean after 2 days of traveling and for my first official night in Africa I got to lounge in bed, making my journal entry by candlelight to the sound of crickets…what could be better?

The 5am Call to Prayer emanating from the Mosque next door to my homestay was, and continued to be, the bane of my existence for most of my volunteer experience.  But at least I knew I’d never be late for anything!  Since it was Saturday, and a day off for everyone, a bunch of us made our way into town, which I was very happy to experience in good company before my official orientation day.

I was technically living in the town of Ngaramtoni, which is outside the city of Arusha.  So we had to walk down a long winding driveway, then down to the end of the main road, and then take a yellow dalla dalla into Arusha.  (Essentially they are minivans that are stuffed with as many people as humanly possible).  Each ride is about $.30, but sometimes Muzungu’s (or white people) get charged a little more.

Once in town, everyone stopped at the exchange bureau so I could transfer USD to Tanzanian Shillings (or Tish for short).  Next we stopped at the Maasai handicraft market.  It’s a huge tourist shopping area, but an awesome place to go.  Here you can find any kind of trinket imaginable and you can bargain and barter for your choice souvenirs.

After a beautiful day of being out and about we headed back to our house.  When we got home, right behind our house was a clear view of Mt. Meru.  It’s usually covered by clouds, so I took advantage of the opportunity and went for a walk up the big hill behind our property and took some beautiful shots.  I had to make it quick though because the sun had been setting promptly at 6:30pm, and no one really stays out after dark.

Since my orientation wasn’t until Monday, we all had another day to explore.  Two of my housemates and I went hiking to a nearby waterfall on Sunday morning.  We met our guide at a local grocery mart and took another dalla dalla to the town at the base of the mountain to begin our hike.  After seeing some beautiful scenery, partaking in some strenuous exercise and rock-hopping through a very cold river, the fruits of our labor paid off as we stood in the mist of a beautiful waterfall.  After some photos and a picnic lunch we began our reverse journey.  As we wandered back through the mountain town, walking with church-goers returning to their houses, there was a crispness in the late-afternoon air, signaling the presence of Winter.  It was actually pretty warm on that particular day, but the scent of the season was unmistakable.  Combined with the aroma of small trash fires that everyone sets ablaze on the sides of the streets, it really brought me back to long, snowy winters growing up in PA when we used a wood stove to heat the house.  All I had to do was close my eyes and take a deep breath.

Finally, orientation day came at the beginning of the week and I was whisked away to one of the large volunteer houses to get everything started.  There was about 30 of us there and after a sort-of meet and greet, we covered lots of info pertaining to rules and regulations, placements locations, cultural/touristy stuff, and a mini Swahili lesson.  Then we traveled into town, tried to learn the layout (since maps do not exist) and discussed the next day’s plan of finding our placements.

I was placed at Glorious Orphanage (which is basically just a school) way out in the middle of nowhere.  I was with Nick and Daphne, and awesome couple from the Netherlands, and the three of us took notes on how to get to the orphanage and back.  There are no road signs, so we had to memorize the names of the dalla dalla stops and try to look for distinguishing landmarks on our 1-hour journey to the work site.  Working at the orphanage ended up being very challenging for many reasons, but the 125 kids were wonderful.  They were so full of joy and love that it almost overwhelmed me.  Such a comfort level with strangers and the need to be held and hugged is just not something I’ve really ever seen outside of familial circles.  It was touching and a but heartbreaking at the same time.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do much “teaching.”  We helped with a lesson here and there, but mainly served as teachers aides most of the time.  During my two weeks at placement, I was only able to attend for a few days due to some political unrest and personal travel.  Plus there was a day I opted to assist at my housemates one-room schoolhouse to get a feel for a different environment.  Both locations were experiences I’m glad to have had.  I’m sure that the kids benefited from having a native English speaker present, but that was nothing compared to the education I received from interacting with everyone and getting the chance to see how this area of the country/world functions.

One of my favorite parts of this experience was truly feeling like a member of the community.  I loved that after about 2 or 3 days I knew my way to placement and back home.  Awareness of my surroundings really helped me to feel more comfortable when I was totally out of my element.  I knew that I stuck out like a sore thumb, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.  I had to remember that the people in my town weren’t used to seeing someone like me and accepted that they were staring out of curiosity more than anything else.  And everyone really lit up after I flashed my smile and said “Jambo” before engaging in friendly banter or bargaining for fabric or supplies.

It was also amazing getting the opportunity to meet volunteers from around the world.  People came from far and wide to give their time and assist in the area any way they could.  Bonding with everyone was wonderful, but during my time in Tanzania I was also able to interact with so many locals and have rich conversations on every topic you could think of.  I would talk about US Politics, our education system, typical work/living conditions and schedules, travel, you name it.  I also found myself debunking many things about the US that were misconstrued, but it was great to be able to have those conversations in the first place.  Just like two acquaintances catching up on a morning commute to the office, I made connections on the dalla dallas heading out of the city, through barren land, to an orphanage in the middle of nowhere.  And I recognize how much of a gift that was…for me.