An Incredible Opportunity!

As part of the Experiment in International Living (EIL), my service and cultural immersion trip to Tanzania has offered me some of the greatest experiences of my life. Merely going to Tanzania was such a landmark event as I had never traveled outside of the United States before. Ever since then we landed in the airport in Dar Es Salaam, I have never felt so welcomed in a community back. Everyone in Tanzania is just as excited to meet new visitors as we are with them, so I have been accustomed to the Jambo’s (Hello) and Mambo’s (What’s up?) that greet me and my group of peers as we have traveled throughout the city of Dar Es Salaam.

As we have gone to restaurants, to museums, and even a cave, our group of 20 has soon started to become a close-knit family. This statement could not be any more correct when my group gave me my first swimming lesson in the Indian Ocean. As my group leader Carly and my friend Luke lead me into the water with a life jacket, the rest of my group soon joined us, cheering for me and circling me to make sure I felt safe. I was and still, am amazed at how supportive this group is to the rest of each other.

I also loved the opportunity to assist the communities we immersed ourselves in, such as during the homestay portion of our trip in Stahabu Village. As we helped teach the youth of Stahabu the ABC’s and how to count up to ten, we also assisted in the construction of a larger school for the children so that they could have an equal chance to succeed in their academic careers as many children do in the United States.

In addition to community service, directly connecting with my host family was a great joy and a blessing. I always loved going back to my homestay for dinner and speak with my host parents and sibling. As we would sit down and eat food such as rice and beans, ugali, and fish, I would share with them my past experiences and the United States.

Visiting Tanzania has been a life-changing experience that I wouldn’t change for anything. I was a part of incredible experiences that you could never do in the US, such as going on day-long safaris and seeing lions, zebras, and elephants! Thank you EIL (Experiment in International Living) for this incredible opportunity!