My time spent in Tanzania, East Africa 2004 ~
My 40th birthday present thanks to
my very best friend in the whole wide world, Jennifer!
I went with a non-profit - non-government organization called Cross Cultural Solutions. Their work is noticed all over the globe. If you are interested in getting involved, visit www.crossculturalsolutions.org to learn more. I chose to teach local indigenous people about HIV/Aids. One of the most precious and meaningful times of my life! I can't wait to go back.
My beautiful children from the orphanage. I learned kids will be kids no matter where you are! In spite of the language barrier, we communicated with our hearts and mind; no need for me to know Swahili. The children were not at all shy! They loved to hang on me and try to rub the freckles off of my hands (it took me a while to understand they thought I had dirt on my white hands)...too much fun!! They taught me the most important lesson of all...that there was no such thing as racial separation. We are all Oneness.
That's me in the pink shirt in the center. The locals entertained us by teaching us a few tribal dances. The other volunteers said I dance like a white girl! But the locals seemed to think I had some pretty good moves going on!
The young boy to the left of the photo wanted to take us to the waterfall - he didn't mention the hike was over a 1/2 mile down and the hike back up was grueling! All we had were flip flops for shoes and the incline was steep and very muddy and slippery. We found some very big bugs along the way that took my breath away (well actually, I thought they were gross). But the trip was worth it. We paid him some money for his services. I think my legs were terribly sore for 3 days and I quickly learned how out of shape I truly was. But we spent time swimming in the river with our clothes on to get the most of our time there! Indeed, that was a marvelous experience!
Saying goodbye to my sweet adopted Meru Tribal family - I couldn't stop crying all the way back to the airport (4 hour drive on dirt roads going 30 mph). The people on the "shuttle" kept asking me why I was crying....hard to explain in Swahili! Note how tall I am compared to this tribe. I stand a full 5'3" and I felt like a giant!!!
We ran into a bunch of young men from the Masai Tribe, who had recently undergone their rites of passage from boys into men. They will remain dressed like this for approximately 6 months or until they've proven themselves to take care of their families and tribe. Absolutely beautiful.
I had to borrow this picture because mine got
deleted from my camera, but the boys looked just like this:
Picture from Margolies, Barbara. Olbalbal:
A Day in Maasailand. New York: Four Winds Press, 1994.
Now these boys are men! They have proven themselves.
My group of volunteers with our caretakers. That's me on the far right in the bright blue shirt.
Typical Banana Leaf Hut ~ Meru Tribe - Room enough for one or two cows and two goats, plus the family. Yes they all sleep together! This is where I met my Grandmother from another life. She said she recognized me and thanked me for coming home to see her! My question: How did she recognize me with red hair and freckles?________________________________________________
Going to Market
The man on the left is getting everyone's attention so we can teach them about HIV/Aids. There are no means of mass media in the villages; no newspapers, television, radio or electricity - You must show up for market once a week to 'advertise'. We did this through drumming, singing and role play. While the subject matter requires sensitivity and is considered a 'taboo' subject, people listened and were eager to learn.
