Over the past several days I have been getting increasingly
sentimental about my time here in Tanzania.
After all, a mere six weeks separates me from my flight out of
Dar-es-Salaam. Maybe it's a little premature to be talking this way but I'm truly grateful for this experience.
So here’s a list, in no particular order, of things that I am
thankful for from these past months in Tanzania. It’s off the cuff and certainly not
exhaustive (no snubs intended!), but I hope it gives you a sense of how Tanzania and its people (Tanzanians and expats alike) have
affected me since I arrived late last August.
I’m thankful for...
- Tanzania kids yelling 'good morning!' to me no matter the time of day
- living in a compound with great friends
- the rapport I have developed with one of the women who works at a shop where I stop for tea every weekend
- a dumb phone (versus a smartphone) that has helped me to stay more present rather than distracted by bajillions of things on the internet
- welcoming people, co-workers and compound-mates alike, who helped me to transition into my first experience living abroad
- chips mayai, because it just tastes so good (you can refer to my previous blog post)
- the Dodoma weather which, while not great for growing crops, I find extremely pleasant
- the privilege I have that allows me to visit a good chunk of this country
- friends who come from different places (literally in the sense of location but also in terms of experiences lived) who provide different perspectives to so many things
- Swahili, a really fun language that is my top pick for international lingua franca (move over English and Chinese!)
- the Bible, for not just being long but for having so much good stuff in it
- hot water heaters because when it comes to cold showers I'm a complete wuss
- young men blasting music from enormous speakers in the back of pick up trucks because pulsing ear drums and a vibrating rib cage wakes you up like nothing else
- patient people who tolerate my attempts at speaking in Swahili
- the tendency for people here (Tanzanian and otherwise) to take the time to at least greet and sometimes chat about how you are doing
- friends back home and abroad who have made an effort to keep in touch with me despite the distance between us
- the internet for making such interactions with friends and family possible on a fairly regular basis
- meeting people from all over the world and the pieces of culture they bring with them
- Norway especially for producing top shelf individuals
- Dodoma for being a safe and chill place to live
- the abounding thoughtfulness and patience of the people with whom I work
- learning more about God through the people I have met and the experiences I have accrued
- a greater appreciation for what the phrase 'Jesus is Lord' means in my life
- people who, often times without even realizing it, force me to confront the assumptions and stereotypes I hold (consciously and otherwise)
- people who are excited to create relationships in development work rather than simply interested in executing transactions
- the Episcopal Church that has created the amazing opportunity that is YASC
- markets where you know exactly what you're buying (read: going grocery shopping and not buying things that are laden with extra sugar or fat)
- Canon Andrea Mwaka School (CAMS) for allowing me to volunteer and be a part of the lives of the students and staff there
- the CAMS students for the energy with which they live life (and *usually* bring with them into the classroom)
- Tanzanians singing gospel or otherwise spiritual songs in Swahili, it sounds so so good
- village parishioners who take the time and effort to welcome and feed us when we go out to their village
- the remarkably good health that I have maintained throughout most of my time here
- a God who knows our hearts
