As most of you know by now, I am returning to Tanzania on the 29th of January for a brief two week stint. This is to get you up to date on where I am now and to invite you to follow my journey as two other past CCS volunteers and myself attempt to create our own non-profit to support those that we met there.
Returning from Tanzania was not easy, to say the least. I was immediately overwhelmed by the rushing pace of life and the continual demands on my time and energy, in a completely different way. Immediately after my trip, I traveled in England with Marty (my now fiance) and then to Hawaii with my family. Neither the bustle of London nor the craze of mzungu tourists in Maui allowed for a smooth transition, but perhaps it was better to not ease into it.
To say that I thought (think) of Tanzania frequently would be a drastic understatement. It was continually on my mind. I tried not to overwhelm those with questions with too much information or too long of a story, although those who know my eagerness to talk know that this was difficult. The most frequent question I got from those brave enough to ask a question other than the requisite "how was it?" and "what did you do" was "weren't you scared?" I guess that it never occurred to me while I was there to be scared. Yes, I felt uncomfortable at times and I was aware of certain dangers. But are you scared when you step into your home at the end of the day? To me, going to Tanzania was like going home. I immediately felt comfortable and at ease. Part of this, admittedly, were the plush conditions provided by CCS, but the other part was an internal recognition of where I was meant to be.
My mother, among many wise people I have encountered, have always told me to 'follow my bliss'. I am sure that none of them meant for me to follow it to a third world country.
I am so thankful for my experience, for the people who made it possible, for those who inspired and encouraged me along the way, and for those who I met while I was there. You are an inspiration, and I hope to see you all in a couple weeks!
Sunday 11.1.2009
15 years ago
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