'Til Next Time

                Overwhelming. That is how I still describe Tanzania, even after two weeks of being here. Every time I  start to grow accustomed to the life here, I am thrown another curveball. Tanzania is so different from American culture, but I love every single part of it. I will miss everything about Tanzania. The things I’ve smelled, the food I’ve eaten, the sights I’ve seen, and most importantly the people I’ve met. Throughout this trip I have noticed 3 major themes: respect, discipline, and love.

                Respect. To get respect you need to give it first. That is one of the biggest lessons I have learned here. This entire trip I have been trying to earn other’s  respect. The hardest people for me to earn respect from was the kids. At the school, it took a day, but for the sports camp it took the entire week. Up to our last day, all of the kids had not yet fully respected us.  After 5 days, I couldn’t figure out why some of the kids would still not listen, but then it dawned on me. In order to receive respect, I needed to be giving it constantly to the kids, even when they misbehaved. Instead of getting frustrated with the kids when they were not listening, I started to be more understanding, since I know that there are reasons behind all of their actions. This philosophy is one that I wish I knew sooner, but overall I am just happy that I finally realized it.

                Discipline. This is another theme that occurred during the trip. The person who I had to discipline the most throughout the trip was myself. I had to constantly remind myself to not give up on something, just because it did not work the first time.  During this trip, I realized that self-discipline is one of the most important strengths to have because you are your hardest critic. The more you improve from your critiques, the better you will become.

Love. We say it about objects of every size shape, and color, but we often forget to say it to the most important thing of all, each other. Love has been a subject in almost all of my blogs because it is everywhere here. From stepping outside of the airport to saying goodbye to the kids, there have been so many examples of love. I have not only received love, but I have also given my heart out to everyone here. To be loved is one thing, and to receive love is another… But to have both gives you the power to do anything and everything.

Sports Camp

                This week we started the Sports Program. We set up four stations and have 2-3 of us working at each one of these stations. The stations are dance, gymnastics, boot camp, and soccer. The dance station is having the kids learn basic movements in variety types of dance and rhythm games. The gymnastics group is focusing on tumbling and is integrating some yoga. Boot Camp consists of a variety of activities including running, jumping and throwing. Soccer is focusing on dribbling, passing, shooting and small sided games.

Ava and I are in charge of the soccer station. Throughout the week each day has improved more than the last. It was amazing to watch the kids play. They had so much skill for their age, and some of the older ones were better than I am.

Driving up to the Massai campground I was excited to see how the day would go. As Ava and I were setting up for the day, she had an ingenious idea. So 1 clothes line, 1 mosquito net, 4 rocks, and a dozen bobby pins later was a soccer goal. We did drills very similar to the ones that Ava and I do in our own practices. We started off with 50-touches, a shorter version of our warm-up, FIFA, and some passing drills. The kids were all at various levels of playing in the groups, so at times it was challenging to keep them all engaged. However, at the end day I felt so accomplished. Not because the kids were perfect, but because the kids had fun.

On Wednesday I realized just how much I loved the kids. Seeing Emmanuel and Kelvin walk through the gate in the morning my heart warmed up and my mouth turned into an immediate smile. For these past two days I have been fueled with love. Today and yesterday I was constantly reminded why I am in Tanzania. It is not to be a teacher, coach, or a babysitter; it is to unconditionally love each and every one of the kids. Every day a piece of my heart has been stolen by someone new. It has changed from a lady in the market, to a little baby girl with the chubbiest cheeks, to a boy whose smile melts my heart a little every time I see it. Tanzania is full of love and since every person here shares it with one another it keeps on growing. 

My Mission

My mission behind everything I do is to inspire others to make a difference through my actions.

A spark. That’s how all fires begin. It goes from a spark, to a flame, to a fire.

Igniting the Spark

            My spark was first ignited when I was 5 years old. My mom used to be the leader of mission trips at our church. Because of this, service trips have always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. At first, I hated being apart from her and I despised the fact that she was somewhere without me. However as I grew older, I was able to respect that the one week of my life that my mom was gone, she was in Honduras spending time with kids whose moms were never a part of theirs. And my spark grew. For years and years my desire to go on a service trip grew until I thought it would overwhelm me, and then an opportunity arouse. In my 7^th grade year I had the opportunity to apply to go on a service trip to either Cambodia or Nicaragua with CGA. I sent in my application and waited. When I heard the news that I wouldn’t be going, instead of my spark diminishing, it grew from a desire, to a need. But then, like magic, a new opportunity appeared. Even though this trip was much closer to home, it opened my eyes to a whole new way of life. The tip was to Salt Lake City, Utah. In the second week of June I packed my bags, and off I went. I returned changed, and my spark grew even brighter. I set off into the fall of my 8^th grade year certain that this would be the year. This would be the year that I would go to Cambodia. However, an outside force came in that I didn’t even know existed, and it prevented me from completing my application in the process. Then in the summer I went back to Utah, but this time instead of my mind being opened it was my heart. I always expected my heart to be opened by something big, but found it was opened by someone half my size in two blond pigtails. And my spark continued to grow into something bigger.

Kindling the Flame.

            Currently, my mission is growing and spreading to more people. In Tanzania you are constantly being watched. Not only by the locals and children but also by my friends and chaperones. During this the first time was at the LOAMO School. My class’s favorite game was wax museum and occasionally one of the teachers, Mr. Thomas, would walk in. At first, he was just observing, but gradually he became more involved. He would interact and participate in the games we were playing. He began to love playing and building relationships with the kids which in the long run will make a huge difference in their education. The other time was with the kids when we were cleaning at the Save Africa Orphanage. The kids would constantly be wanting to help us whether we were cleaning, organizing, or picking up trash. Everything with their help would go just a little bit faster, and we were able to accomplish so much more overall with their help. The help they gave us made a difference in their own lives as well as their peers. I can only hope that the desire they had with us to improve their lives could continue on, even if it is just for a day or even an hour, because everything helps. I will make my mission to inspire others an everyday reality.

Stoking the Fire

            In the future, I will become an inspiration. Not just one single person’s inspiration, but many people’s inspirations to put in that little extra effort that can make all the difference. It could be on the soccer field by putting a little extra into my sprint in order to prevent a shot on goal. In the classroom, by spending an extra half hour on an essay to fix my sentences until they sound just right. Or right here, in Tanzania, by staying energized for the entire day with the kids in order to give them as much love and attention as I can before going home, so I don’t have regrets about not giving it everything I had. Through all these actions I hope that others will be inspired to do the same, so that they can make a difference for their team, their future, or the children that are part of their life. I want to give everything I can, so others will be inspired to do the same.

It's a Whole New World

Yesterday, was our last day at the LOAMO School, and even though saying goodbye was heart wrenching, there is always more love than there is pain. The morning started off great with a Spanish lesson. It was incredible to see how quickly the kids were picking up the language. We played “Around the World” in order to have interactive practice with Spanish. Meek, who was one of the boys in my class, picked up Spanish so quickly that I started to run out of questions to ask him as he steadily progressed around the room very close to making it “Around the World” on his very first try. The next subject we moved onto was spelling. I made 2 teams and had one person from each team come up to the white board, and whoever could spell the word faster won a point for their team. Although the words were challenging for them, they were able to sound them out and get the word correct.

It is incredible to feel that after only two days at the school we were able to leave an impact on not only the kids and teacher’s hearts, but they were able to leave an even bigger one on our own. Although I was the teacher in my class, I felt as though I learned the biggest lessons. I learned that often the most intelligent kids are the ones who act as though they do not care about their education, I learned that no matter where in the world you are you will find that best friends will always be tied to each other’s sides, and that the people and places with nothing are usually the ones who have everything.

Today we went to the Save Africa Orphanage. For the majority part of the trip we were cleaning out the orphanage which was much needed. Schariar, Ava and I started out cleaning the bathroom which was coated in mud. We used my limited supply of baby wipes using every one until it spread more dirt than it did soap. Our next major job was to organize a washroom in the girl’s room which had been converted into a storage room. The first time I stepped into the room I could barely move around, it seemed impossible to move what appeared to be as 1,000 pieces of clothing along with other miscellaneous objects out of that tiny room. Finally, after moving bag after bag of clothing out of the washroom into the bedroom, it was time to organize. We moved clothing that was not in a bag into less damaged ones, which required a considerable amount of creativity considering we had no trash bags of our own. Once the rest of the supplies had been organized, we began to put the supplies back into the bathroom until we realized that the floor which we previously thought was dirt was actually tile. So we got a broom out and began to sweep. Once the floor was cleaned we positioned all the donations into a neater arrangement. We were then left with the satisfying feeling of accomplishment, hoping that the supplies that used to be tremendously unorganized could now be used at the orphanage, and that the kids may have a fresh set of clothes to wear in the future. After picking up trash around the Orphanage we received an opportunity to play with the kids.

            As I walked out of the door a little girl, named Rose, ran up to me. She had her little arms stretched out as high as she could, so I swooped her up and did the same thing. With little Rose up in the air high above me I saw her little eyes light up with glee as she threw her head up and looked into the bright blue sky. As I put her down her smile which lit her up head to toe set a fire in my heart. As she ran away to her little friends I turned around and joined in with a group of little boys who were playing soccer. It was astonishing to see all the tricks they were able to do with a soccer ball. Of course, they were better than me, and to them it was hilarious to see a mazungu who was twice their size not be able to play as well as them.

            Hearing all these stories about the lives of some of the kids in Tanzania has made me realize how lucky I am to live in America. However, at the same time I feel as though the Tanzanians are the lucky ones. Everyone in Tanzania is so full of everything that Americans are lacking. All their actions are chosen through love, not hate, not envy, not anger, not jealousy, not greed, but love. These last couple days that we have been here have been so life changing, and eye opening and I am so excited to see what the rest of the trip will bring. 

It's All About Love

Overwhelming. That is how I would describe Tanzania. All the smells, foods, and emotions that have been felt in this short period of time is immensely overpowering, but I love all of them. Flying in we see the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro protruding through the clouds which formed a breathtaking sight. Once we land and walk out of the airport we are greeted by Lisa Marie, Krissy, and some of the staff of the KATZ Guest House where we are residing. The KATZ staff greeted us with what seemed to be more smiles and handshakes than I have received in the past year. We had been in Tanzania for less than an hour and I already have felt such a tremendous amount of love and joy by these wonderful people.

On the 30^th we went to a museum, the Maasai and African Markets, and the Cultural Heritage Gallery. My favorite location of the four was the Maasai Market. The market was incredible. The vendors would do everything they could to get you to buy their products. As I was walking through the stalls I am constantly saying,”Hapana, asante,” meaning no thank you. When I said this to one vendor he said, “Hapana, asante. That is my name, so you must come into my booth.” My most memorable part of our tour day was when I was looking to purchase a bracelet. As I was looking through them trying to find the perfect one, the lady who was running the booth put one of the bracelets on my wrist. I ended up buying a different one, and as I went to take the first one off she said, “No you keep because you are my rafiki (friend).” This gesture opened me up to how even though the majority of the people in Tanzania have close to nothing, yet they are still willing to give what they have for simply being a friend.

Today was our first day at the LAOMO School. As we got out of the van all the kids were looking at us, waving, and smiling. Makena, Camryn and I were walking to our classrooms, when we ran into a group of girls. They all welcomed us with open arms. The girls asked for our names and when I said, “Sarah.” One of girls shrieked. She ran up to me and said, “Me, my name Sarah too.” The morning assembly was one of the most adorable things that I have ever seen. They all stomped, clapped, turned, and danced in unison. They sang songs and prayed to God thanking him for everything they had received. Then off they went, one by one, marching in sync to their classrooms until all 268 of them were gone. As soon as I stepped into the class I was greeted by the kids smiling faces. There was not a teacher in the class, so I was left in charge. I gradually grew more comfortable around the kids and by tea time I felt like I had already known the kids for weeks. One of my favorite things about Class 6 was how when I said, “Class 6 take a seat!” They would all in harmony sing, “Take a seat, take a seat, take a load off your feet, what, what!” I loved it. Out of all the activities and games they did; their absolute favorite game was Wax Museum. They would all go crazy when the guard’s back was turned, but the second he went to face them they would all freeze. The student and teacher interactions that I experienced at the school were like no other I had seen. The students would be constantly questioning and correcting the teacher, however the students had an undeniable amount of respect for him.

I love how in Tanzania they have an unending supply of love built inside their soul, and no matter who you are or where you have come from they will share their love with you. This has been so eye-opening to me because it is so different. Here you are brother or sister, son or daughter, or mama or papa no matter who you are. To me, Tanzania has the best sense of love. They love first and get to know you second, and I can only wish that America could start to evolve into a similar culture.

Lets Learn about the Past so We can Move Forward

The African Slave Trade and the Holocaust are both very dark and depressing times. Although they were drastically different they had some similarities as well. The Slave Trade began in the 1500s and ended in the mid-1800s. During this time 12.5 million Africans were transported from their home to the Americas. They were treated horribly from the time they stepped a foot off their homeland to the time they died. This horrible abuse lasted for generations and swiped out much of the west coast of Africa. Even after the Slave Trade ended African Americans were still treated as though they were trash. Up until the 1960s in the UNITED STATES, African Americans were not regarded as equals.

A similar thing happened to those of particularly Jewish descent, but many other people such as gypsies, homosexuals, the disabled, blacks, and resistors of any belief or race. This terrible even is called the Holocaust. The Holocaust occurred during World War II because Hitler was trying to “cleanse” the World in order to create one superior race of blond haired blue eyed Caucasians. After WWII ended only 1/3 of the world’s remaining Jews had survived. Jews were sent to concentrations camps. Concentration camps were worse than any prison. Every person there was practically starved, tortured, and treated as if they were animals in a pound. In the camps there were gas chambers. The people were tricked to think that they were getting showers, so they rejoiced with the idea of cleaning their dirty bodies only to find out that they were getting murdered with no possible escape.

Both of these horrific events show that no matter how hard we try to do the right thing we are always harming someone else. Hitler thought he was doing the right thing. He thought that God wanted him to cleanse and take over the world. The King of Portugal was only trying to make life easier for his colonies abroad. We all know that these actions were not right, but they were thought to be. At this very moment you may be doing something that you think is right that ends up being the biggest regret of your life. It could be something as simple as drinking at a high school party which caused you to not be able to play in your State Championships. Or it could be something as detrimental as driving those last couple miles home when you’re tired, crashing, and then feeling the weight of being responsible for the death of a loved one.

Imagine you are living in Frankfurt in 1934. Hitler has been chancellor for almost a year now, and things are starting to change. The girls at school treat you different now as if you were dirty even though you shower every night. Some of the boys are joining school clubs which your two younger brothers are not allowed to be a part of. Your papa was forced to shut down his shop for no reason to your knowledge. Right now you are sitting in your room about to fall asleep when you hear voices. Not the calm comforting voices of your ma and pa, but men shouting. Suddenly your door is thrown open and you can see the silhouette of men, soldiers, streaming through your door. One of them roughly grabs you, drags you from the comfort of your bed out into the hall where you see your house as you have never seen it before. The house that you mama usually keeps so pristine is in a wreck with broken chairs and shattered frames lying around the floor. You are dragged and are separated from your brothers and papa leaving you with your ma. Your are pushed in the back of a car, and then herded along with a bunch of other women and girls are packed into cattle cars. You get inside, it’s dark and musty. For a while it’s quiet, and then you start to hear cries break out throughout the train. You sit in there for days cramped and uncomfortable with no food or water. Finally the train comes to a screeching halt. Shortly afterwards guards open the doors and everyone is filed out. Right in front of you is a tall barbed wire fence encompassing some buildings, with a barren wasteland surrounding it. Everyone passes through the gates, and is then escorted into a building where you are giving one pair of clothes that you’re forced to change into and leave your old ones behind. At this point you are dehydrated and starving but food has yet to come. You are shown your living quarters which consists of one room with 10 bunks in it with a mattress of hay. You look around and realize that there are more than 10 of you in the room, and everyone is forced to double up and in some instances even triple. You and your ma are sharing a cot together. Finally, you are fed porridge of some kind that looks inedible but you’re growling stomach makes you eat it anyway. You are forced to work, work very hard until your hands are raw, and your legs are trembling from standing on them for too long. You gradually get used to this new way of life and this way for weeks, months, and then you have finally reached your 5^th year of living in this pathetic excuse of a “camp”. Your mama begins to get ill, and there is nothing you can do about it. As her condition worsens you start to get nervous knowing what happens next if she does not get better. And then one day it does happen. As you are walking back to the compound my ma is grabbed and they force her into what are called the showers with a group of women. You try to not break down since you know she is never coming out. After your ma passes nothing is the same, you stop having the desire to live and just want to give up. But somehow every day you make it through. At the end of your 10^th year you see people on the horizon. They look as though they are part of an army. The camp is in utter chaos, but all I can look at is the men coming into the camp and feel an utter sense of relief knowing that you will be able to come back home. The last thing you remember of that camp is a soldier coming up to and reaching their hand down towards yours. Then it all goes dark. The next time you wake up you are in a hospital with shining white sterile walls, and a doctor tell you that it will be all right, that it is all over.

Our history is part of what makes us, us. Without it we would have nothing to learn from. We would live in this world blinder than we already are if it were not for our history. There is nothing we can do to change the past; however we do decide our future. We can ensure that none of our society’s prior mistakes becomes part of our reality.

The Maasai Tribe Through My Eyes

The Maasai Tribe in Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya is one of the few civilizations existing in today’s modern world that live as humans did thousands of years ago. They do everything by hand and have no electronics. The role that women have in the society is very different than the one our society has had in recent history. Rather than being treated as equivalents to men as we are now or in older times when woman were only needed to take care of the house and the children, the Maasai women are responsible for the most work in the home. They need to build the houses, milk the cows, monitor the animal, close and open the gates, prepare food, collect water and firewood, prepare the fire, collect herbs and roots, wash clothes, and make decorative beads for the family.

The way that these women live seems dreadful, but at the same time I think it’s intriguing. To me it’s interesting that in a less developed society women can have such a crucial role on society, and without them their civilization would not be able to prosper.  To me it is really incredible that even though these women work tirelessly, they are one of the only societies in all of recorded history that have an impact more crucial than that of the men is astonishing.

If I were to be able to meet the women of the Maasai Tribe I would love to be able to ask them questions. One of the first questions I would ask is do they enjoy the way that they are living? Do young girls view the tasks as a play, right of passage, or work? What keeps them motivated to do all of the hard work while the men and children watch? Do they know about the outside world or is their knowledge confined to things happening in their tribe?

Although the life of a Maasai woman is very different than my own, I can still relate aspects of my life to theirs. I can understand the work ethic that the Maasai embrace. I know what it is like to get up before the sun is up and not be done working until well after the sun has set. I think after I go to Tanzania and work at the orphanage I will be able to relate to their lifestyle. When I am working, it is hard to keep going. But once I am done, I love that feeling of achievement with knowing all that I accomplished during the day, and I imagine that the Maasai can relate to this feeling.