So I'm all packed up. Backpacking backpack, duffel, and backpack. I'm deserting some of my most "African-ed" belongings. I'll stop by the office tomorrow to say my goodbyes. I've never been a fan of goodbyes. I feel like that's all I'm doing these days.
I'm back on my iPhone (this summer I mooched Allison's old iPhone, which I'm selling to my coworker), and it's strangely foreign. I also pulled out my wallet, something I haven't carried since arriving in Tanzania. Pretty prepared to board the plane tomorrow, but I wish that I knew when I would get outta Dubai. My flight is tomorrow at 6:20 PM and I'll fly through Doha, arriving in Dubai in the middle of the night. I have a long layover before I try for the first standby flight to Atlanta.
My last days here have been filled with dancing and drinking... just the way I like to leave a town. Jackie's Bar hosted me for some delicious dinner on Friday, and I'm piggybacking on other North American going away parties ('tis the season), including a BBQ today.
Last week my rafiki Fernando stopped me on my walk to the office and introduced me to his baby (usually I see him walking his other son to school in the morning). He invited me to see his home and meet his wife. While this is generally not something I would accept, I felt like after seeing him on a daily basis that he was a trustworthy character, and I was legitimately curious to see an authentic Dar household. We walked around the corner and he said hi to his neighbors. His curtained doorway opened into a room smaller than my bedroom with a queen bed, a couch and all of the family's belongings piled along the edges. There was barely enough room for the four of us (including a woman making ribbon banners, not sure what her relationship was to Fernando and his wife). Big smiles all around, lots of "karibus" to welcome me and lots of "asantes" to thank them for their hospitality. I went to work feeling very curious. I can complain about my first world problems... or even my third world problems, but the fact that this family appreciates life and is so willing to welcome a stranger into their unbelievably small and simple home... it's disorienting.
The next day a man with his infant baby on his back approached me, saying his son would like to meet me. We walked together a bit and chatted. They were heading to the clinic for a check-up. When we parted ways, he said "I know you can't give me your contacts but I would like to see you again," an uncharacteristically direct statement for a Tanzanian. His awareness of my understanding that giving your contact information demonstrates interest between men and women was refreshing after having to decline the request on other occasions.
Both of these stories show the sincere friendship and curiosity of Tanzanians. After being here for three months these interactions overshadow those less pleasant exchanges, like the bus station and some not so nice conversations with men (always men!).
Overall I'm still intrigued by the culture here. I'm not sure what people really think of me, but hopefully I was able to represent the US and Duke well. I don't have the opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone that has helped make this experience rewarding and transformational.
As is the general traveling international assumption, no news is good news, so if you don't hear from me until I'm back in the states don't worry. The soonest I'll touch down in Atlanta is 5:45 AM on 8/22 but it could be a couple days later. As an advanced apology, I am not one for souvenirs, so I come home pretty much empty-handed. One thing I'm very grateful to return with is the package of red licorice nibs that my friend, Daniel, gave our Zambia crew before we left Durham. The fact that I still have them symbolizes no crisis moments where I needed the comforts of US treats. I can't wait to dig into them, either to manage traveling woes or to celebrate my homecoming.
Thanks for reading and following me on this journey. I hope that I didn't overshare (a word that my San Francisco Family Dinner crew invented to describe our sometimes dramatic retellings).
Tanzanian epic summer complete! Caterpillar/Kirforce/Kiki/Kirsten out!
I'm back on my iPhone (this summer I mooched Allison's old iPhone, which I'm selling to my coworker), and it's strangely foreign. I also pulled out my wallet, something I haven't carried since arriving in Tanzania. Pretty prepared to board the plane tomorrow, but I wish that I knew when I would get outta Dubai. My flight is tomorrow at 6:20 PM and I'll fly through Doha, arriving in Dubai in the middle of the night. I have a long layover before I try for the first standby flight to Atlanta.
My last days here have been filled with dancing and drinking... just the way I like to leave a town. Jackie's Bar hosted me for some delicious dinner on Friday, and I'm piggybacking on other North American going away parties ('tis the season), including a BBQ today.
Last week my rafiki Fernando stopped me on my walk to the office and introduced me to his baby (usually I see him walking his other son to school in the morning). He invited me to see his home and meet his wife. While this is generally not something I would accept, I felt like after seeing him on a daily basis that he was a trustworthy character, and I was legitimately curious to see an authentic Dar household. We walked around the corner and he said hi to his neighbors. His curtained doorway opened into a room smaller than my bedroom with a queen bed, a couch and all of the family's belongings piled along the edges. There was barely enough room for the four of us (including a woman making ribbon banners, not sure what her relationship was to Fernando and his wife). Big smiles all around, lots of "karibus" to welcome me and lots of "asantes" to thank them for their hospitality. I went to work feeling very curious. I can complain about my first world problems... or even my third world problems, but the fact that this family appreciates life and is so willing to welcome a stranger into their unbelievably small and simple home... it's disorienting.
The next day a man with his infant baby on his back approached me, saying his son would like to meet me. We walked together a bit and chatted. They were heading to the clinic for a check-up. When we parted ways, he said "I know you can't give me your contacts but I would like to see you again," an uncharacteristically direct statement for a Tanzanian. His awareness of my understanding that giving your contact information demonstrates interest between men and women was refreshing after having to decline the request on other occasions.
Both of these stories show the sincere friendship and curiosity of Tanzanians. After being here for three months these interactions overshadow those less pleasant exchanges, like the bus station and some not so nice conversations with men (always men!).
Overall I'm still intrigued by the culture here. I'm not sure what people really think of me, but hopefully I was able to represent the US and Duke well. I don't have the opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone that has helped make this experience rewarding and transformational.
As is the general traveling international assumption, no news is good news, so if you don't hear from me until I'm back in the states don't worry. The soonest I'll touch down in Atlanta is 5:45 AM on 8/22 but it could be a couple days later. As an advanced apology, I am not one for souvenirs, so I come home pretty much empty-handed. One thing I'm very grateful to return with is the package of red licorice nibs that my friend, Daniel, gave our Zambia crew before we left Durham. The fact that I still have them symbolizes no crisis moments where I needed the comforts of US treats. I can't wait to dig into them, either to manage traveling woes or to celebrate my homecoming.
Thanks for reading and following me on this journey. I hope that I didn't overshare (a word that my San Francisco Family Dinner crew invented to describe our sometimes dramatic retellings).
Tanzanian epic summer complete! Caterpillar/Kirforce/Kiki/Kirsten out!
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