Tanzania Trip FAQ

Argh! I took my last malaria pill last night and there is still so much that I'd like to share about my trip. Before I get too far into depicting the scenes of our daily life, let me share answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from friends and family.

Q: You were working with a school, right? Did you work on any construction projects while you were there?

A: Nope, our partners have made it clear that having interactions and building relationships, while sending funds is of more use to them. In fact, the one prior group wanted to help plant trees. They arrived to find holes pre-dug for them. Plus, you don't really want me leading a building project! We also each brought a second suitcase, filled with donated items for the school, a nearby orphanage and the hospital (a big shout out to Aubrey, Ashley and Colleen for the wonderful items for the orphanage - they were much appreciated!)

Q: So if it was a trip with your church, were you ¨missionaries¨?

A: Okay, so no one has really asked this question, but I just feel people thinking it. We were guests of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania. If anything, they tried to win us over to some of their more conservative ways of thinking. Really, the trip was about fellowship and learning about each other more than anything else.

Q: Well if you didn't build anything and you didn't try to convert anyone, what did you do?

A: So many things - we attended classes and assemblies with the students. Our students played sports with them, including netball, which our girls decided should be brought back to America. We went on safari at Arusha National Park, Tarangire, and Ngorogoro Crater (and saw tons of animals). We visited some of the other social services of the Meru Diocese, including a rehab center, a coffee farm, an after-school program for the poorest youth, an orphanage and a hospital.

Q: Who is we? Trent was with you, right?

A: We is three chaperones, eight 16 and 17-year-olds (6 girls, 2 boys; three 17 year-olds and five 16 year-olds) and a recent college graduate who sometimes counted as a student and sometimes as an adult, depending on the situation. We came from the four churches that make up the Ailanga School Project plus two additional churches. Trent did not come along, mostly because I was pretty sure that he would not be very excited about chaperoning a trip for a church which he does not attend. One of our friends did try to convince him to plan a side trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro for the time that I'd be gone, suggesting that he surprise me by being at the airport or the market when I was scheduled to be there.

Q: Did you have any difficulties with the kids (e.g. problems with alcohol)?

A: Nah, the combination of having a great group with us, staying in a guest house that is locked up at night and being completely jet-lagged in Amsterdam took care of that (plus, I am an awesome chaperone!). The most trouble they got in was being told to hush up a couple of nights by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning doctor randomly staying at our guest house.

Q: You must have been boiling hot - what was the weather like?

A: Well, actually the area we visited had temperatures about 65-70 degrees most days. It is their winter time, and they apologized several times (wearing warm scarves and hats) for how cold it was. One day it rained and most of the students bundled up in coats for the outdoor church service. On safari it got a little warmer, but not any hotter than the weather we've had in Seattle this summer.

Q: What were you most struck by?

A: Like I said in my Re-entry post, the sense of hospitality - greeting strangers and genuinely being pleased to meet us. We were met at the airport and dropped off at the airport by a number of teachers and when we first arrived at the guest house some of the students sang and danced a welcome song for us. I can't remember the last time a group of friends or family met me at the airport either coming or going. Plus, even in a small village, people seem to do much more of their living outside of their houses.

Q: Any moments of culture shock?

A: While attending a religion class, the teacher went over one of the test questions: ¨Name two reasons why child sacrifice is practiced in modern-day Tanzania¨. ¨It is very common,¨ he said. Yikes! But I suspect that it is more like the Satanism child sacrifice rumors circulating the U.S. in the 80s than an actual commonplace program.

Q: Did you get sick?

A: A cold circulated through the group, but nothing too terrible. I did have one night where I was sick as a dog, going so far as to take a Cipro - but I suspect it was one thing that I ate in the buffet that no one else did (as I was fine the next morning and no one else had any problems - a good thing, since that occurred the night before exploring Ngorogoro Crater).

Q: Any other difficulties?

A: This was not the trip for a person who likes to be in control and know exactly what to expect. We were constantly surprised by changes in our schedule, miscommunications or differing expectations. That said, some of those oddities led to the most laughter (more on that in a future post).

Q: Was it wonderful? Will you go back?

A: Yes and I'm not sure. I feel like the second time of any new experience is often a let-down. Plus three weeks is a long time to be away from Trent. And yet, it changed my outlook on life - both making me appreciate my own lifestyle and giving me a concrete reminder that you don't need a lot of money to be happy or have ¨enough¨.

Any other questions? Let me know in the comments. And again, I do plan on a few follow-up posts in the next week or so before our Summer South Sound Sailing Adventure.