Highs and Lows in Tanzania

Hey all,

Hope all is well where ever this post finds you. I'm writing from the University of Dar es Salaam, in Dar es Salaam, in the mainland of Tanzania (came here by fairy, about 2 hours). We will be attending lectures and doing some field excursions here for the next week and a half and will then get to go to Saadani National Game Refuge for a couple of days and will go on a land and water safari there, pretty exciting.

As for the title of my post, I'd thought that I had better talk about some of the themes that I'm finding in this strange beautiful country. Being here we've all experienced innumerable highs and lows, over and over again. Zanzibar, for example, is located roughly 10 degrees South of the equator and is basically set in paradise. However, life is extremely hard here, we've had many days without electricity and water, have witnessed unthinkable land degradation/abuse/pollution, and are surrounded by many illnesses and disease (many of which are extremely preventable). The days here go by fast some days, but extremely slowly at times.

Also, people here can be both wonderful and less than wonderful. Many, if not all of the people that we interact with a great deal are amazing, beautiful people. But some, if not the majority, really don't know how to respond to a group of wazungu (white people, as we are referred to constantly), or even us as individuals. Most if not all of us have experienced blatant discrimination based on race and gender, many times both at the same time (for the girls mostly). This can be somewhat disheartening, but I've come to realize that it must be kept in perspective, as this is a developing country without a firm knowledge of their own identity. Most people don't respond perfectly to change, as I know I don't. It has been a hard adjustment, but one that I know I will always be extremely grateful for having had.

There is a lot we have yet to learn, and the majority of our lessons are learned not in the classroom, but out on the streets, at our homes, on the beach, and anywhere else we find ourselves. I feel extremely fortunate to be able to have this experience and I hope that I will do it justice in the amount of life experience and openmindedness that I can gain.

More soon,
Laura