Tanzania: Heart & Soul of Kilimanjaro Program for Teens

What sets GLA apart is not only the amazing cultural immersion and the knowledge that you're actually contributing to the local community, but the incredibly open minded and thought provoking environment. Every night by kerosine lamp light, amazing mentors (shoutout to Swiff Amy Paulina and Sara!) would inspire profound conversation about our personal lives, Tanzania, and world/societal issues that would leave everyone reluctant to go to bed. I found myself spending a morning discussing philosophy in a safari car with people I'd just met, then spending that afternoon whooping with the roof down and wind blowing as we drove alongside wildebeest herds. Every single day we would learn more about Tanzanian culture (I bought WAY too much art at the markets) and fall more in love with how beautiful the country is, and our local staff were family to us. We would even call them kaka (brother), dada (sister), and mama! On top of that, the friends you make on a GLA trip will not only be some of the most amazing genuine and thoughtful people you'll ever meet, but they'll also inspire you to be open minded everyday henceforth. Out of all 40 people who went to Tanzania with me, not one of them felt as though their life was not changed afterwards. There is just something about walking home hand in hand with little Zainabu singing Waka Waka as the sun sets that makes you love life more. There was never a single moment not filled with discovery of both self and surroundings, and because of GLA I have become a wiser, more passionate, and more compassionate person. I am thankful for my experience everyday.

It's hard to put into words, or even cohesive thoughts, everything that I have gained from this experience, but I will do my best, as this is a review. Overall, the trip was an INCREDIBLE experience that I wouldn't have traded for anything else. It is hands down one of the best (if not the single best) things I have done in my life thus far, as it has opened my eyes to so many new cultures and perspectives. My trip began with a view of the most amazing sunset as we flew into Kilimanjaro airport, shortly followed by a delicious home-cooked meal (by candlelight) prepared by the wonderful Mamas! From there, my amazing experiences quickly multiplied, including shopping for fabric at a local market, dancing with a group of grandmothers on a coffee plantation, and hiking through the backyards of members of the Chaga tribe on Mount Kilimanjaro! However, my favorite excursion by far was the Safari Weekend. I have decided that Ngorongoro Crater is my new favorite place in the world--it is so serene and peaceful because the only people there are safari tourists and Maasai. The roof of the safari car raises up so we spent most of the ride standing on our seats, and when you're down there, all you can see is the open sky, rolling plains, and mountains on all sides. We saw zebras, elephants, lions, hippos, impala, and giraffes (to name a few)--some cars saw a lion cross the road right in front of them! Aside from the safari, I think my favorite part of the trip was getting to interact with all of the people I met. One of my favorite moments was when a student looked me in the eye and told me "I write better because of you", to which I replied "I am happier because of you"--I know, SUPER corny, but it's true! Another moment I loved was seeing the excitement on Mama Lucy's face when I told her that her daughter Glari had exceptional English for a six-year old (Glari had spent the evening sitting on my lap helping me play UNO). One of the absolute best moments from my trip was seeing how grateful Mama Hephzibah was when I gave her my sneakers on the last day (it's AMAZING what a single pair of shoes can do!). I was also blown away by how easily our host families accepted us into their homes, and I loved being able to sit in their living rooms and talk for hours about our cultures, dreams and aspirations. The first day I met him my host brother Patric was wearing a shirt with nearly every American logo patched on that you could imagine--he wants to come to America and be a DJ someday! In addition to the native people, I learned so much from my wonderful group members and mentors! It was amazing to hear everybody's stories, people came from all over the place! To name a few, there were six students from China, two Mormons from Utah, a girl from a Native American community in Minnesota, a nationally-ranked pageant-winner from Ohio and one of our mentors was an ex-opera singer on her fifth trip to Tanzania! Although I have tried, I cannot possibly fit everything I want to say into this review, so I will end it by saying that my parents originally said no when I asked to go on the trip (their concerns were cost and safety, neither of which ended up being a problem), but the other day my mom turned to me and said, "I am so glad that you convinced your father and I to let you go on this trip", and I can say with 100% certainty that I'll be forever grateful that I convinced them too!

Where do I even start? How do I explain the most amazing three weeks of my life? On the last day I was definitely not ready to go home. I could live there forever in all honesty. Our GLA group truly became a family. One student I became very close with through working with her separately and she, too, became a sister to me. The students are all so adorable. All of the people there are so friendly and loving--even if you've just met them. I daily miss being called "mzungu"(white person) walking down the road and random children running up to us to hold our hand. Beside the family, friends, and home I gained, we hiked to some gorgeous waterfalls, spent a day with some incredible Maasai in their boma, and got to see elephants, lions, and other safari animals in their beautiful homes which we call Tarangire National Park and Ngorogoro Crater. It really was an unforgettable trip. The truth is, I can't explain those three weeks there. I can't explain my love for the people, school, and even the town itself. I can try my best, but the only way anyone could understand is by experiencing it for themself. Don't miss out!!! You have all of this and more to look forward to.

I absolutely loved getting to know the local staff and just walking around the village that we stayed in was so wonderful. Everyone that we encountered was so welcoming and kind, even though we were mzungus (white people). Whenever we passed people on the streets, a simple smile and hello would always be exchanged. That is possibly what i miss most about the trip; the common kindness that everyone carried with themselves.

How to sum up my experience in Tanzania is probably the hardest task anyone could ask of me. I could talk about my trip all day if I wanted to, but I don't think there is any way I could capture my trip by typing letters into my computer. I'll talk about my favorite day of the whole trip. It was the 4th of July, which of course has no meaning to the Tanzanians, but in Arizona (where I'm from) we celebrate the 4th like it's the biggest holiday of the year. I woke up extra early that day so I could wake EVERYONE up by blasting "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus and hopefully start a dance party. I know my GLA friends too well, because at 6am everyone got up out of bed to celebrate 4th of July with me by having a dance party to classic America songs. Then we had a delicious breakfast made my the incredibly hospitable cooking staff who I have come to love. We had Tanzania style french toast which I savored because it was AMAZING, served with fresh juice. Then we got on our bus to head down to Himo-Korona Primary school. Godwin, one of the local staff, had turned all the seats on the bus sideways so it was like a party bus (we officially nicknamed the bus the party bus) and we had a dance party all the way to the school, dancing to our favorite Tanzanian artists that the local staff introduced us to. We arrived at the school and just like every day the local young children, who aren't old enough yet to attend the Primary school, were waiting for our bus to arrive so they could chase us and aim to get a high five from us sticking our hands out the windows of the bus. We hustled to our class rooms and started our lessons. We decided that instead of a regular English lesson, we would learn about what the 4th of July is, and then play hangman. The kids were guessing ridiculous letters such as "z, y, q, x, etc.", letters that are definitely not common in the English language. The kids became playfully angry when they couldn't solve the word "thank you" because on such an inquisitive level, they wanted to know how to use every letter. All of the kids continue to amaze me by their eagerness to learn. They have a fire in their heart for education, one I've never seen before. Then after the lesson we headed outside for recess with the kids. The boys in my class took me by the arm and sat me down on a shady rock to play hand games and talk. Then we started showing each other what hidden talents we have. I showed them how I can make my eyes vibrate, while they all decided to start FLIPPING!! One by one, each of my boys took a running start and would step onto a small rock to give them a little bit of extra height, and flip! Soon a crowd started to form and other schoolboys started flipping as well. It was insane! One boy lined up 4 other boys and flipped over all 4 of them! It was the craziest thing I had ever seen, seriously. After all the fun and games at recess we started our community service by planting thorn trees around the school, acting as a fence to keep the children safe. Then we headed back to home base to figure out the rest of the days schedule. Our group split in half, half going to the clothes market, and the other half staying home to make batik paintings. I went with the group to the clothes market and it's pretty much a giant Goodwill. My friends Greg and Frances walked around with me and as we were strolling along the market, we heard a bit of a commotion going on. I looked ahead and I saw a giant American flag being held by a local with a cigarette in his mouth and music playing behind him in his small vendor shop of cheap clothes. Just above the American flag, though, I could see Mount. Kilimanjaro. It was an image that I will never forget. A torn and dirty American flag hanging just below the impressive peak of Mount. Kilimanjaro. We approached the man and danced with him a little and he tried getting me to trade American flags with him because I was holding a mini flag I brought with me. I refused and continued to joke with him and have a good time. The market was such an incredible experience to see how big of a role this small little gathering played in the economics of their community. Then we headed home and when we got there, Godwin was waiting for us with a HUGE smile on his face (as usual) and had cleared a dance floor for us so he could teach us a traditional Tanzanian dance. Godwin never fails to make me laugh, he is honestly the best person I have ever met. To end the day, as a group we all walked to the local bar to watch a World Cup soccer match and we all yelled and screamed for the teams playing, and in that moment, I felt like I was home.

I encourage anyone who wants to embark on a mission trip to apply to GLA. The Tanzania trip I went on last summer was even better than I expected( and I had high expectations!) If you are thinking of joining the tanzania trip I would say you need to like kids. This is an unbelievable experience to be role models to children and teach the English too. The housing GLA provides is outstanding, now don't get me wrong, it's not a five star resort. It is a clean, well protected( by a cement wall), and colorful . It is really a home, and you'll be calling it that by the third day guarenteed. If you choose to take this adventure you should bring a raincoat, waterproof shoes( preferably chacos :)) and plenty of snacks like cereal( if you can eat it dry), trail mix and something to suppress your sweet tooth. If you take the risk and go on this adventure of a life time you will not regret it!

The other kids on my trip were all really nice and we grew really close over the 2 weeks. My favorite aspect of the GLA Tanzania experience was the stress the put on culture. We had many speakers or groups come in to tell us about the local culture and it was really interesting. I felt like it made it a learning experience rather then just a summer vacation.

It's easy to rate a program with all 10s if you enjoyed it but GLA Tanzania deserves it. This program was unlike anything I have ever experienced before in my life. From teaching English to the most incredible, driven 4th graders at the Himo/ Korona school to spending a weekend with the powerful and beautiful Maasai people, there was never a dull moment on my trip. Everyday was a learning experience and has changed my outlook on my life and the international community.