One of the things that has struck me most since arriving in Tanzania is the sheer hospitality of the people as a whole. Granted, living in Arusha particularly, there are some who are only interested in selling souveniers or scam safaris, but these are significantly overpowered by genuine kindness and generosity of dozens of others who truly want to welcome visitors. Since our arrival a little over two weeks ago, we've been invited into people's homes, introduced to families, shared meals and shared our stories with strangers on the street. It is such a different feeling from home, where we are often taught to mind our own business, that strangers mean trouble and invitations are often empty with little expectation of follow through.
This weekend, we spent an afternoon exploring the village of Innocent's (our newest local volunteer and recent graduate of the Umoja Centre) mother. We were shown around the forest by a man we encountered on the road. He asked nothing of us, but chose to spend hours of his day pointing out the oldest trees he knew of. When we returned to the family home, we were given a full meal and invited back again, as soon as we had time.
Then there is our homestay. From the moment we arrived on the 19th, we have been part of the family. Nisha and I are their Canadian daughters, and they are our Tanzanian parents. I find myself suddenly having three siblings - very different from life as an only child, but enjoyable just the same.
In the community, a day doesn't go by when I am not greeted by a stranger. Many "hellos" or "mambos" are followed by questions about where we are from, what we are doing, and where we are going. It seemed a bit intrusive at first, but now it is a highlight of the day. These conversations almost always end with "karibu sana" which means simply: you are most welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment