July 28, 2009

Today was very relaxing and a somber mood persisted throughout the morning and afternoon. I believe I was the first one to wake up in my room. I decided to finish packing up all of my things before it got too hectic in our small living quarters. Hope and Mike decided to prepare breakfast for a change because before then, everyone was broken up into cook groups and we were responsible for preparing meals, except dinner. After breakfast, everyone hung out for a while around the compound and most of us collected our pictures of our daystay families and headed into the village (Maji ya Chai, which means tea water in swahili) to deliver them to our hosts. It was nice, but sad, seeing Mze Mkalla and his wife for the last time before leaving. Groups of us also went out for sodas while observing Maji ya Chai once more and taking in the atmosphere of a small, rural subsistance community.

Pretty soon, people were beginning to leave, with David and Zik heading off early to their separate destinations. That made everyone realize that our time here in Africa was ending. The Mamas stopped in one last time to prepare our lunches, which was coconut rice, fried chicken and vegetables. Before and after we got to Kilamanjaro Airport in Arusha, our group spent time reminiscing together and playing games. I felt really sad looking out of the window of the van that was taking us to the airport because I saw Africa flying past me. I am in AFRICA! I still don’ t believe it after spending nearly 3 weeks here. But now, I’m on the plane, heading to Dar es Salaam before heading to Amsterdam, and then to New York.

Being in Africa at my age and being a representative from a neighborhood where people barely travel outside of the state means so much to me and makes me feel so blessed. This has had a profound impact on how I think about things and has effected my motives. I learned so much about this beautiful and diverse land every single day during my stay in Tanzania that it’s still difficult to process what I’ve seen and accomplished. I’ve made lifelong friends, I found out things that I was never taught in school and I interacted with the distant relatives of my ancestors. Traveling to Tanzania has solidified my passion in traveling to learn, rather than traveling for leisure. This expedition has taught me to investigate what lies behind the scenes of certain practices that are common everyday. This has truly been a pilgrimagefor me. I can’t even put into words about how I feel, knowing that I was the very 1st one in my family to go.

This experience let me know that I can do things that people doubt themselves of doing everyday; whether it be small things or big things. Before this trip, I was an American. I think that now, I can stand tall and say that I am an AFRICAN American lol. I think that only those blacks who have had the experience I’ve had should properly deserve that title. Despite the explosive diarrhea and some of the other drawbacks, I’ll cherish every waking moment of this expedition. Landing in Arusha and feeling a rush of African warmth and scents of pure nature. Visiting a small Bongo Flava club and listening to Mama Charlotte preaching her spoken word and hearing new sounds that my ears were never exposed to before. Walking throughout Maji ya Chai with Asahn and seeing the orphanage he resided in because his mother deserted him and his father died of AIDS. Being interviewed by a group of street kids on the soccer field that was being overlooked by Mt. Mehru and snow capped Kilamanjaro in the distance. Backbreaking work in the tropical swamps and remote agricultural areas of the village while trying to insert a water pipe to be used to sustain the town during a 6 month drought. Working in the cornfields and dispersing manure over Mze Mkalla’s land and joining him and his family for chai and fruits while discussing local and national issues. Hiking through Mt. Mehru to look over an enchanted rainforest with a mystical waterfall after falling in it and temporarily destroying my camera.

Visiting Arusha and experiencing the intense market world while being bribed by dozens of Tanzanian merchants to buy from them because my skin was as dark as theirs. Being called Barack Obama constantly by locals. Stopping in the middle of the street and having tons of street kids coming up to me, speaking swahili and being stared down because i was a black American in a crowd of white people everywhere I went. Visiting the United African Alliance Community Center for the 1st time and learning about Pete O’neal and his journey to Black Panther martyrdom. Seeing the beaming faces of small children everywhere, even though they all had so little. Witnessing the welcoming and beautiful smiles of little orphans whose parents died of AIDS. Being embraced as a father figure to a little girl named Liya and sharing with her my heartbeat and warmth from my body as I rocked her to sleep in my arms.

Traveling throughout the baron lands of tribal residences on the way to Oldonyo Sambu and having small pastoral children run up to our army trucks just to say hi. Climbing to the very top of Oldonyo Sambu, overlooking the dry chapparal Savannah and realizing the devastation that the drought has caused. Sleeping in the middle of the wilderness with wild beasts creeping extremely close to our tents...hearing every sound from the animals that God had to offer my ears. Being led on nature walks with a Maasai warrior through the vivid savannah while looking over animal droppings and paw prints. Dancing with the Maasai around the fire and watching them jump nearly as high as my head with their spears. Hearing dazzling and heroic stories about lion killings. Hiking for 16 miles through the African bush and walking amongst animals that I only saw on TV. Entering a Maasai Boma and being given the sharpest and fiercest spear by the chief, who has 10 wives. Having a Maasai woman randomly put a white beaded necklace around my neck. Seeing the Big 5 in Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Having one of the luckiest safaris EVER ! Seeing lions on the hunt with a stampede of zebra resulting, just a few feet away from our truck. Seeing a huge herd of elephants migrating in search of water. Seeing a baby cheetah asleep on a tree branch. Having the opportunity to bask in the presence of a scenic sunset over the savannah.

UGHH! I can go on and on about this. But the truth is, words will never be able to explain how I felt and thoroughly explain what happened to me. So much was done. So much was learned. So much was encountered. Never will all of that be captured with a pen and paper. With God willing, I’ll be able to remember, forever in my heart, the significance of what has passed to be my short existence in Africa. I hope to truly embrace this experience everyday after this and share it with everyone who could not be beside me to see it for themselves. Now, I’m in Dar es Salaam, preparing to leave off of African soil and back home, to a land where friendliness and happiness without the persistence of material wealth ceases to exist. Where poverty and financial difficulty is met with depression and sadness, rather than with the remedy of having a backbone of family togetherness and love. I say that everyone should have the same exact experience that I’ve had here in Tanzania. But that will never be the case, even for future expeditions here. Therefore, I know in my heart that it is essential that I spread the wealth of knowledge of Africa back to my brothers. Back to my sister. Back to my peers. Back to the youth of my community. Hopefully, their interest will grow in this beautiful continent and they will wish to exploit the knowledgable resources Africa has to offer. But for now, I’ll just initiate the process, vowing to return back to the place that has taught me so much in such a short amount of time, potentially with new blood.

I am alive. I am breathing. Despite my doubts and how much money I have, Tanzania has ensured me a right to live. I’m now closing this significant chapter in my life and beginning a new one. This chapter, however, will not be lived in vain. This is totally the beginning of my livelihood here on this Earth. It took a visit to the other side of the world for me to realize that the far corners of this planet awaits me. I’m also waiting. But not for too long . . .

Rashawn Dye, Age 17
Tanzania, July 2009