Strangers Like Me

Bumpudy bump bump over the hills I go.
Bumpudy bump bump to Mbeya I go.

I am writing this while on the Super-Feo Express bus from Songea to Mbeya. I am glad to be here considering African Time was taken to the limit in getting me here. Ha!

I had planned for the monks of Hanga to drive me and my luggage to Msamala Stand at 9:00AM so I would have plenty of time to board and get myself situated on the bus. They do this for all volunteers as they leave. Br. Ambrose picked me up and took me at 10:00AM. The bus left at 11:00AM.

He was a fast driver which was probably the deciding factor, but he first had to wash the car (which was interesting considering we travel on a dirt road for 45 minutes), pick up another brother, drop that brother off in town and then take me to the stand. We were lucky to have made it.

I grabbed my luggage, chucked it under the bus and sat down in my seat. The bus pulled away from the stand two minutes later. Phew!

The beginning of my trip has already been more intense than I was hoping. Ha! I made it, though.

Like I have said before, it is important to plan ahead while traveling in Africa. There are many reasons why this is good, but one obvious reason is because there is a good chance you will miss your ride.

Once on the bus one of the staff members makes their way around checking bus tickets. They do this after the bus is moving rather than before.

Most buses usually have a man who preaches and prays for a number of miles in the beginning of the ride. They will stand in the aisle and scream (yes, scream) their message. Some scream so much that they must place their prayer book over their mouth so spit does not come flying out. No joke. Some aren't so bad, but there are a few who are. It's all in Kiswahili so it is hard for me to follow.

As with all of Africa, there are many vendors selling food on the side of the road. It is fall here in Tanzania (a warm fall) and pumpkins are in season. The driver of the bus I am currently on just pulled over, got out and bought 15 pumpkins. I am sure some of the passengers will buy a number of them from him.

Finally, people love to honk their horns in Africa. They love it. There are many people traveling by foot on the side of the road so it is done partly to alert them, but I believe they just enjoy honking as well.

Traveling can be tiring and a bit stressful, however there are three things I have learned from doing so. They all work together to make the experience better. The three are: stay calm, go with the flow and trust. Staying calm is a big part because it is easy to freak out. All of your luggage is stuffed underneath the bus, you are cramped and it is hard to see where to get off the bus because it is an all day excursion which means it is dark by the time you reach your destination (there are multiple stops). Going with the flow helps with overcoming obstacles that you are guaranteed to come across. You just have to go with it. Finally, trusting everything will work out is always a great thing. It is important to remember everything works out in the end.

So now that I have left Hanga I have Europe to look forward to. I am excited. Time for some fun traveling with some great friends. My friends, Adam and Jamie, will be waiting for me at the airport. They will take a ferry across the channel with their friend Tom so we have a car. We will spend time in the Netherlands and make our way back across the channel on the 17th. Adam has a tour lined up which will be a lot of fun. We will also be resting in Manchester for a number of days while Adam takes care of some work.

Then, come June 3rd, Air Force JMK (more like IcelandAir...if only I was president!) will touch down in the evening hours at MSP International Airport after a quick layover in Iceland.

Leaving Hanga was a bit tough because I had to say goodbye to so many wonderful people, especially my sisters. I held it together, though, and completed the rounds of goodbyes and then packed my luggage.

I will stay in Mbeya for the next three days and on Tuesday I'll take a regional airline, FastJet, to Dar. In the evening I'll depart Dar for Nairobi, Kenya on Kenya Airways. Then, at midnight, I will board a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam. where I will pass customs (hopefully smoothly) and proceed to my Europe trip. I am also hoping all of my luggage makes it on time.

I am excited to start getting back to my old self. Throw the earring back in, put the backwards hat back on the head, the converse on my feet and bring the relaxed and cool personality to full throttle. It will be nice.

What a wonderful experience this year has been and I have many people to thank. Many of us, upon successfully completing a task, like to think we have done it all on our own. I know that is not the case for me. The support I have received from my family and friends has been tremendous. You all are what has allowed me to fulfill my work. Thank you.

Being alone was tough at times, but it did have its perks. I do feel I have made stronger and deeper connections with others because I was alone. It forced and created many friendships because if I did not have any it would have been a lonely year. I am glad to have made them.

The sisters were telling me how they loved my attitude and how happy I always was. I laugh because I was happy due to things such as their friendships. A great blessing.

As I ride the bus I have been listening to music and Phil Collins came on. Obviously my parents have greatly influenced my music selection. I spoke about Phil in my last post, but the song that came on was different. This one was titled "Strangers Like Me" which I believe was created for the movie Tarzan which was produced by Disney.

A great song to have come on. It speaks about wanting to know more about the world and the strangers like ourselves. Strangers like ourselves? Yes, because even though the people I have met this year have been strangers I have learned to embrace our differences and in doing so I have learned that we are alike in more ways than I previously thought. A beautiful realization.

There is so much out there and I love getting to know it more and more.

This will be my last post from the African continent. I hope to post while in Europe. I will do my best to do so. Depending on how smooth customs goes and the timing of Adam in picking me up I will decide on whether or not to post Wednesday. If he is there waiting then it probably won't work. If he is running behind schedule then there should be a blog.

I have arrived safely in Mbeya. I got off at the correct stop and Br. Odo was there to meet me. He told me that he recently met a Peace Corps Volunteer from Minnesota who is staying in the area. He is going to try and have us meet up. In addition, I have a friend, Romanos, who lives here and so I will meet with him as well. Finally, I have seen many women wearing the traditional dress of the Massai tribe. It is beautiful and looks as if there are a number of cloths overlaying one another. I really like it. Br. Odo said we can go to a shop and look at them. I obviously don't want one for myself, but it would be cool to go and look at them closer. It should be a nice and relaxing few days before Europe.

Once again, thank you to all of you for keeping up with me, following my experience and supporting me every step of the way. I love all of you!

Though, I do suppose we all have our favorites, right? I do and even though I have met many people throughout my journeys she is the most amazing one of all. I love you, Mom! Thank you for having always been there for me. I cannot tell you how much it means to me. As one of our favorite bands, The Backstreet Boys, say "Mom, you always were the perfect fan." Thank you for being mine. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

The link to an amazing song. The Perfect Fan by the Backstreet Boys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE9VmQZefWI

Thanks for reading!

In Boredom's Deep Thoughts

The preparation for my departure has begun. Yesterday I was able to make it to the Msamala Stand in order to buy my bus ticket to Mbeya. I will head there on Friday and stay at the Benedictine guesthouse while I await my flight out. I actually spent my first night at the guesthouse in Mbeya so it nice to have everything come full circle.

A lot of things need to be put in order before I leave so that last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind. Three of those things have been wrapping up my work, saying goodbye to all of my friends and giving away the things I no longer need.

Everyone likes being goofy when they are 15.

I was able to give away a few things while teaching at both Saint Benedicts and the Trade School the past couple of days. That was good, but I will focus on giving away some more as I begin to pack because it easier to identify items I no longer need when doing so.

Yesterday I was able to make it to sports time at Saint Benedict’s Secondary School. You know how everyone has their click or group while in high school? Yeah, the same goes for Africa as well. There are little groups and friend circles all around. My group is made up of the girls who enjoy throwing around the Frisbee with me. Blandina, the one who is always looking forward to playing Frisbee, is the one I will be giving my last Frisbee to. This way she will be able to continue to play even when I am no longer here.

On Sunday I was able to go with Father Kizosto to Coland. I have mentioned Coland as Corant in the past. Coland is the all-boys secondary school which sits about 4 kilometers back in the village. It’s all by itself which is nice because there is a lot of room for activity. In addition, it allows for silence while in class. Looking back I think it could have been fun working at Coland, but I believe it sits too far from the Abbey and so that would have made things a bit difficult.

Fr. Kizosto presiding over mass at Coland.

I celebrated mass in the small school house with the boys who attend school there. I had been planning this excursion for a while and so I was happy I could make it happen on my last Sunday here. Having mass in a small schoolhouse was great. It makes you realize that you do not need a cathedral to be with God.  Of course, the massive and well-designed cathedrals and churches back home are really great. Though, the main purpose should be to spend time with Him and it is great to know we can do that anywhere.

Afterwards, Father Kizosto and I along with Christa and Kersti went for a beer. Father Kizosto is a really nice guy and he wanted to thank me for my time and work over the past months. I grabbed a beer and he had a Dragon (a popular energy drink) mixed with Konyagi. Konyagi is the most popular form of hard alcohol in Tanzania. It is called ‘The Spirit of Tanzania’. It is obviously a spirit, but I laugh because it also appears to be what awakens most of the spirit in Tanzanians ha!

The mixture of the energy drink and Konyagi is terrible for your health, but, if I am being honest, it did look good. I think I’ll have to try it when having my last chipsi in Mbeya. That’s a good last meal, right? Konyagi is also packed in a 100ml pouch. It is not in a bottle; a strange and interesting difference.

I was speaking with Christa the other day about the school systems here and how they work. What I learned interested me and so I thought I would share it. A major reason why things are slow to progress and develop is because of the poor school systems. When Tanzania formed the teachers who were teaching primary school had only completed Standard 7 which means they were 12 or 13 years old when they completed their schooling! It has improved from Standard 7 to Form 4 (15 years old) in recent years and now the requirement is completion of Form 6 (equivalent to a high school diploma).

It’s amazing to think that people who have barely completed Tanzanian high school teach the younger students. In America you must have a four-year degree in education and then pass a number of tests before you can even think about teaching. It really shows you how advanced our country is and how the development process is working here in Tanzania. There is obviously a lot of work to be done, but it is good to see that there has been progress. It takes a lot of hard work and time to grow as a country.

Locks of Love, I'm coming for you!

Another discussion point is the language taught. I understand the argument that language is culture and a part of identity. This is a great point to be made. However, even so, I don’t see how teaching your students Kiswahili is beneficial when the rest of the world does not speak it. In addition, there are 123 tribal languages. This means children start off speaking their tribal language, enter into primary school having to learn Kiswahili and then attempting to learn English in secondary school.

The kids are forced to start over three times. This is very hard and only leads to a slow progression. I am unsure what will be done about this in coming years, but it is something to think about.

I recently was eating some rice and beans in the refectory when I felt a piece of hair in my mouth. I went to take it out and found it was attached to me. Yes, my own beard has now begun to interfere with my eating. I think that means it is time for a trim! I will do so on Thursday so I am prepped and ready to go for Europe.

The President of Tanzania has ordered a nationwide trash and garbage pick-up on Saturday. I believe this will continue each Saturday throughout May (and hopefully longer). This is needed badly. Trash and littering is a major problem in Africa and especially in Tanzania. It is very common to see people throw things out the bus window, drop wrappers and plastic bottles on the ground while walking and just leaving paper and other garbage lying around.

We need a smiling photo too!
Plus the kids think I look like Jesus. 
Too funny.

Supposedly the army will be put to use in making sure people are actually cleaning. Soldiers will patrol cities and enforce the mandatory cleaning.

This was prompted for many reasons, but one was because of an outbreak in cholera. Cholera is a terrible disease that causes a person to vomit and diarrhea many times. This leads to extreme dehydration and usually death. Cholera and other horrible diseases are caused by bacteria contaminating the water and food supply. Garbage is an obvious way for these bacteria to enter the supply lines and so cleaning the environment will do a lot of good.

To add quickly, this topic of disease made me want to mention one thing I left out of the list in my last blog. I was speaking about what things we need to be thankful and grateful for and I forgot to mention our health and clean environment. How great is it to live in a clean and well maintained area? I love it and even if you don’t (which would be a little strange) be thankful that it helps you stay healthy.

This past week a friend of mine sent me a quote that made me sit and think. I would like to just take a minute to discuss it because I feel it could lead to some deeper thinking.

"Aren't you, like me, hoping that some person, thing, or event will come along to give you that final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don't you often hope: 'May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.' But as long as you are waiting for that mysterious moment you will go on running helter-skelter, always anxious and restless, always lustful and angry, never fully satisfied. You know that this is the compulsiveness that keeps us going and busy, but at the same time makes us wonder whether we are getting anywhere in the long run. This is the way to spiritual exhaustion and burn-out. This is the way to spiritual death." (Henri J.M. Nowen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World, p. 30).

I have never read this book and I don’t know the author, but I like this quote. I don’t necessarily agree with it 100% though I do like it.

I am adding this quote with hope that it ties well with what I wanted to mention – boredom. We all have been bored at some point and you may be so bored right now that you have found yourself reading my blog. So be it (I’ll take what I can get).

The majority of my time in Africa has been filled with one thing or another, but there has been some downtime where I have found that I am bored. Being bored is usually taken as a bad thing. I guess it isn’t very good, but we can make it better than it has to be. What does boredom usually lead to? For me, it leads to lots of thought. Usually those thoughts are on what I wish I could be doing at that moment or on my life and what I have been doing that has led me to being bored.

I do not think anyone enjoys being bored and I am the same. It may be a stretch, but the reason I tie this quote and the topic of boredom together is because both are in search of something more. The quote is all about fulfilling this lack of well-being or desire and I feel boredom is something of the same. Boredom helps us identify what we want and rather than brush that off we might as well learn from it.

A quick example, once when I was bored I remember just thinking about all the good times I have had with my brother; really funny, cool and special moments. What this tells me is simple. It tells me that I would like to be able to spend more time with him and that I would have a lot of fun doing so. Guess what I plan to do in the future? Spend time with Thomas.

I have thought of many of which involve my family and friends and so it is obvious that my relationships are important to me.

These little lessons and insights into what you want happen every day. Let them guide you.

Just like boredom, we can learn from this quote as well. Mr. Nowen’s quote is great food for thought, but I think I am finding it hard to accept because it seems as if we look at life in a different way. To him it feels as if life is a glass half empty. To me, life is a glass half full. Towards the end of his quote he gets all morbid and depressing.

That’s not cool.

If not all, there are many of us that are wishing for and hoping to find that special something that will bring us fulfillment and complete our deepest desire. That is no surprise.

A classroom at Coland.

We want it so damn bad that we attach this unobtainable object onto something obtainable. Then, we hunt it down. I feel so many of us are on this hunt for this lost piece that we begin to push and force the idea of it into something like a relationship, trip, idea or job. The problem arises once you have obtained that relationship, job, or whatever and find that it does not fulfill you. The thing you thought you needed so badly all of a sudden becomes…boring.

Uh-oh, what now? What I think is that we all need to stop hunting, relax and change perspective.

Unlike Mr. Nowen, the reason I see life as a glass half full is because I believe we all are able to grab that special piece inside of everything and every moment. That is because that special piece is our faith in God. God is in everything and our faith allows us to see that. The problem is that God is heavenly and what so many of us are searching for is something earthly.

It is no wonder all of these people are unable to fulfill their deepest desires. They are looking in the wrong direction.

Throughout my time here I have been able to pray. Through prayer and deep thought (which sometimes happens during boredom) I have grown deeper in my spirituality. These, along with all the lessons I have learned, have helped me see the blessings even in those moments of boredom. Yes, even those dry, rough and lame moments in our life. What I have discovered is what I really want and how special those things are to me.

Once we find this faith in God we are able to continuously fill our glass. No longer must it be half full (or empty). It will be full. It is for this reason why I disagree with the quote and the author’s idea on running around like helter-skelter. Our faith in God does not rest in one thing. It is in all. Our faith in God is heavenly and therefore your job, relationships, trips, ideas and all the others can bring you joy and satisfaction.

You all should know Phil Collins song “In the Air Tonight”. If not then I suggest you go and listen. The drum solo where he just breaks it down towards the end is definitely something that will add joy to your life. It may be short, but it is powerful. Whenever something wonderful happens that drum solo plays in my head. It is almost as if all things have a little Phil Collins jamming out on the inside. :)

Therefore, do not dwell on the negative, look for the positive and allow it to fill you up. Trust me, rather than death you will find life.

(To my grandfather) Doc, I have been reading through many of Dylan Thomas’s poems that you sent me and have found many of them transfixing. I’ll be honest, I have much to learn about poetry, but one poem I really enjoyed was A Winter’s Tale. The imagery in this particular poem is extraordinary. It may emphasize those bitter cold winter months you Minnesotans just escaped from and knowing that you are heading towards Minnesota’s scarce three months of warm weather you may not want to read it, but if you have the book around then let me know what you think. It sits two after one of his very famous poems, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. Two other great ones (that are much shorter) are In My Craft Or Sullen Art and The Hand That Signed The Paper. I felt that The Hand That Signed The Paper had a strong message and so I liked that one a lot. We can talk more over email and in person once I get home. :)

I will be in Mbeya on Saturday which means I will no longer have internet access. I will have to walk the streets of Mbeya to find an internet café in order to post my blog. I am sure there is one and so I am fairly confident in my ability to post, yet just know that there is a chance I won’t be able to.

In addition, I plan to continue my blog throughout my time in Europe. Seeing as I have never been to Europe I am unsure how often I will be able to post. My guess is that I will be able to find an internet source somewhere and so I plan on continuing to post each Wednesday and Saturday. We will see how things work out as we get farther into May. I also plan to write one last post after I arrive home. So, stick with me all the way into June! :)

Board Race at the Trade School.
(One student was moving which is why he looks funny.)

I noticed Donald Trump won the Indiana Primary and Ted Cruz dropped out of the race. Ted Cruz wasn’t much better than Trump, but to see him drop out means that Trump is well on his way to the Republican Nomination considering John Kasich has no chance. Yes, no one knows why he is still in now that Cruz is out. Anyway, America, you are doing it wrong! I have to come home just to make sure things don't get too out of control. 

If you were ever wondering how one person can instill fear into an entire country or world you no longer have to. Trump is doing exactly that. Rather than listen to Trumps (or anyone’s) rambling outbursts you first should educate yourself on the topics. Then you will be able to make the best decision when voting.

*I have just finished teaching my final class. It is a bit strange to have it all just come to an end after such a long time. I have said goodbye to my Saint Benedict students and I am going to say goodbye to my Trade School one’s today. Lots of photos have been taken, departing gifts have been asked for (money is what most people want ha) and my (and Thomas’s) phone number is being wanted (some of the girls have not forgotten the picture I showed them of Thomas – too funny). I will say goodbye to my sisters tomorrow. They are wonderful so that will be a bit tough. I suppose it has to happen at some time, though.

I hope everyone’s May is off to a great start!

Thanks for reading!

Refine: Remove Impurities or Unwanted Elements; To Make More Subtle and Accurate

On Thursday Valery asked if I would accompany her to the Songea airport where she caught a small 12-seater airplane to Dar (I’ll be flying out of Mbeya because it is less expensive). I did so along with Br. Cassian and Br. Nolasco. We stopped for lunch and then saw her to the airport.

After, Br. Cassian had to run some errands in town and so Br. Nolasco and I decided to grab a beer at the local bar in Songea. The Safari Lager is my favorite here so that is what I had.

Sitting down and speaking with Br. Nolasco had to be one of the greatest conversations I have had this year. This conversation was one that left me wishing I had recorded it.  Afterwards, I quickly jotted down a few notes on what we spoke about and so that is what I’ll write about today.

First, Br. Nolasco is a Tanzanian monk who was born in a village near Njombe, Tanzania. After joining the monastery he was invited to study in Washington State and then helped form a community in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He currently resides there, but is visiting the Abbey this week. Br. Nolasco has a master’s degree in psychology and the community in Oregon runs a home for people who have committed crimes but have been deemed psychologically unfit and after serving some time are sent there to be reoriented into society.

Br. Nolasco is also close to the Jesse-Theis-Nice. If you know Jess Theis then you understand what I am talking about. That guy is nice. Jess has to be one of the nicest guys out there and so it is obvious that if Br. Nolasco is like him in this way then he must be pretty nice himself.

The first thing I want to discuss is the change in life from Njombe, Tanzania to Oregon. I asked him how it was to be born in a small village and then to now live in the United States. He told me three things: it is hard, he is thankful and that it is much better in the U.S.

He said it is hard because of the culture shock and the loneliness. Even though he comes from Tanzania we must understand that this life is what he knows and what he grew up with. Also, his family is here and so just like I am alone in Tanzania he is in America. In addition, he had to deal with immigration just as I have which is always a stressful piece of business. We both understand why immigration is difficult, but simply understanding it does not make it fun.

A subtle reminder at the secondary school.

However, he is extremely thankful to be living in America. He cannot believe that he is living there after having grown up here. It is a dream to be able to have been educated in America (where the education system is much better) and to be able to reside in rural Oregon. He told me that if I ever hear someone complaining about wanting to go back to Africa then they are lying. “America is great.” This isn’t to knock Africa because it too is great. However, he expressed that the opportunity that is available to the people in the first-world is much greater than that of the third which makes it a much better place to live. I have also noted this because it is extremely obvious.

The children who grow up here know nothing else and so they are happy. Yet, once they are adults and find out about the outside world it can be a hard blow. In some cases, (emphasis on the word some) ignorance is bliss.

The people here head out into the field every day in order to pick maize, sugar cane, rice, bamboo or some other crop and then bag it in order to be able to sell it in town. This allows them to make enough money to eat (rice, beans, ugali) and that is it. They then head back into the field each day for the rest of their lives. There is not much else when the chance to grow and seize an opportunity is so low. While I was young I had a new dream job and image of what my life would be like every day. I cannot imagine how it must be to know most of those things are not remotely possible when living here. Be thankful for the opportunities you have been, are being and will be given.

As the conversation kept on he told me about his first experience with the noise of the highway and cars. He remembers writing to his family back in Tanzania and telling them how loud the highway was at night. He couldn’t believe the amount of cars. He remembers thinking that there must be more cars than people. In fact, in this observation he may be right.

Another factor that played a part in his culture shock is the wealth. He told me about how it was to be surrounded by so much wealth and not having any access to it. This is because he was both a monk and a foreigner on a visa permit which does not allow you to work, but it still is an eye-opening statement. It is hard for us to see and we tend not to think about it very much because we were born into it. This is what we grew up with and know; especially if you identify with the middle or upper economic class.

I am unsure how this view relates to the poor and lower class of America, but I would imagine it to be similar. African poverty is really on a whole other scale. It is extreme. Though, this isn’t to say American poverty isn’t poverty because it is. The amount of wealth that is stored, currently exists in and on display in America is substantial. To come from a village where you help your parents cut bamboo each day in hopes of selling it for some money and then to compare that to America must be so difficult. How crazy it is that 1% of the population controls most of the wealth when there are people who have none. It does make you think.

We do not need communism. No, what we need is to be able to create an opportunity for all.

As the conversation progressed I found myself trying to apologize or clarify some of the things Valery had said on the car ride to the airport. I was not doing so because her viewpoints were incorrect, but rather to just inform him that there is a large amount of misunderstanding which led to the comments that were being said, many of them in a strong manner.  

He laughed. He told me that he completely understands. He actually was very nice about it.

I will paraphrase some of what he said…

Man, she has her own views and that is great. What I like best is that she is honest and truthful. You have to remember that I have lived in America for quite a while now and have met many people with the same viewpoints as her. You are right, though, when you say much of it comes from misunderstanding. It’s important to refine your thinking. This is why it’s great you are living in Africa. You are able to get a better understanding of what life is like away from America. These things help you refine and improve your thoughts which help your comments and ideas become more accurate and intelligent.

In America, you can get just about anything you like. Not everything, but much more than what you can get in Africa, as you have seen. You want a burger, pizza, sushi, coffee, whatever; all you do is head to the grocery store or fast food restaurant. In addition, you have the opportunity to become something. Your education system allows for that. Your society and its structure are highly developed and so it is much easier. I won’t say it is easy, but it is easier. You don’t know anything else because you grew up here. You begin to wonder why the rest of the world, especially Africa, doesn’t do what you do. Well, your country has been continuously developing for centuries whereas ours is very new, only a few decades. We are still learning how this is all done. When we were at lunch this afternoon and Valery ordered chicken and commented on how long it was taking, becoming angry that they did not have the first thing she wanted and then made the joke about them killing the chicken in the back and cooking it up…well, even though she meant it as a joke, we all must be patient with how things are done here. They probably were killing the chicken in the back. In America, you really don’t know where the food at the super market comes from. You just know it will be there when you go. The convenience, simplicity and ease are wonderful. That is not here. To become enraged at the waitress is not going to do anything. This is because they obviously don’t have the item you want, she probably doesn’t understand most of what you are saying in your angry outburst and it is not easy to get all the ingredients that make up the item you would like. We are still learning.

The above passage is a mixture of his comments and my thoughts from what he had discussed. This is not an exact quote, but an accurate sample from what we spoke about. To conclude this conversation I have to add something he did say which I loved…

““Have you ever been in a conversation where you didn’t have all the answers? The person you were speaking to was asking you something and all you could say is “I just don’t know, I don’t have all the answers right now.” Well, that person who doesn’t have all the answer right now is Africa. America is developed; they know how to do things and its answers are concrete. Things are organized, well-documented and complete. So, when someone questions why Africans do things this way instead of that it is because we are still trying to figure out the answers.””

I thought this was a phenomenal example. It was as if someone had filled a pitcher full of knowledge and was pouring down upon me. It is conversations like these that make me so happy to have lived and volunteered here. Wow.

A few things we can take away from this conversation:

1. Each person has an opinion and that opinion has value.

2. Each person’s opinion is shaped by their experiences and understanding of the world around them which is why many differ from yours (sometimes by a lot).

3. Each one of us needs to refine our thoughts and opinions before angrily screaming them at our next door neighbor (or at a Trump rally). We MUST remove the uneducated and misunderstood layers and replace those with accurate ones. WE MUST.

4. Refining and improving our ideas and thoughts about the world is the only way we will be able to fully understand others and help each person and country grow and prosper.

5. Patience is a virtue. We must be patient with others. When teaching someone how to drive they will most likely fail their first few times. This is because they have to try it out first. You know how it’s done and so it is easy for you, but they do not. And even then, you are not a perfect driver. America is a good example. We know how to do many things, but must be patient with countries that are younger and need time to learn. It’s also good to know that even though America is great, it is not perfect and so we, too, must continue to refine.

Great roads constructed in Tanzania by America!

6. We should be grateful for what we have and I mean for everything we have. I am talking about much more than just the motorcycle that is sitting in the garage. We must be grateful for the things we own, of course, but also the ones we don’t. The Super Target, the phenomenal roadways (really, they are phenomenal compared to Africa - oh and traffic lights are super nice too), the massive sports stadiums, the police and their ability to keep order, the gym, schools, your job, relationships and many more.

7. Finally, we all just need to take a second to calm down. Short fuses and hot tempers are rarely needed. Some things just can’t be done the way you want them and to yell, scream and pout will only raise your heart rate and stress levels.

8. I wish Br. Nolasco could speak with each presidential candidate.

Why I love conversations and experiences like these is because they teach me things one cannot learn from Harvard, Yale or Princeton. You could have the smartest professor and best book, but it is the experience that will really shape and help you understand.

Have you ever watched the TV and found yourself saying “Oh, that can’t be that hard!” when you see someone perform a certain task. Well, you have never done or experienced it and so how would you truly know. Then, when you do try the task the reality of how hard it is becomes known and finally discovered.

I could use many different examples, but I’ll use one that is closely related to living in Africa – the lack of internet. This is not me complaining (it has become the norm and I am too used to it for complaints) this is just an example.

The scenario tends to play out as somebody reads about how different it is not having access to the internet for a long period of time and responding how easy it would be for them to go without WHILE they read the article on the internet. The point is not coming across because you have not actually experienced it and because of this it becomes hard to truly understand. Heck, you are using it while reading the article so how can you say it would be easy.

In the end it may be easy; however my point is how is it possible to truly know without trying?  I feel this is something that happens to people planning to volunteer in another part of the world. You really have to sit down and think it out. Considering you don’t experience it in America you should ask questions about how it will be without it in Africa. Whether that is internet, certain foods, friends, family, air conditioning, etc.

Then there are situations in which you truly cannot experience. For me, that is being a woman and how it must feel to give birth. I cannot do it and so before ignorantly and naively commenting I better think it out and try to better understand it. And for those who can experience something while others cannot – help the other understand rather than angrily throwing it in their face. I have seen so many fights over someone not understanding another. Well, let us help them understand so we can get somewhere rather than constantly fighting. Sheesh.

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Alright, time to wrap this blog up. Sorry for how long it has become. If only it was this easy to write my 15 page essays back in college.

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It is very common for people to take a bathroom break on the side of the road in Africa and so that is what we did on the way home from Songea on Thursday. All of us, after having a beer, had to go. One Safari Lager makes another – you know what I mean.

My love for the sisters here continues to grow. It is so fun to hang out with them because they will laugh at everything. We were watching Isidingo, the one TV show I’ll actually pay attention to, in the refectory yesterday evening when one of the characters was being a bit scandalous with another. I just leaned over to Sister Saima and said “Tisk, tisk…lead us not into temptation, am I right?” and she just lost it. Ah, it’s really too funny.

As my European trip looms closer with each passing day Christa has asked me how much am I here and how much am I traveling already. A good question that I feel each of us could be asked when approaching a trip. You know that feeling you get when a few days from traveling and your mindset is switched from ‘at home’ to ‘on a trip’. I’d say I’m at 85% ‘at home’ and 15% ‘on a trip’. Still very much here and that’s where I want to be right now. The problem arises when you feel closer to ‘on a trip’ and you still have 10 months of service left. Probably a main reason some decide to end it and go home.

I know I spent today’s entire blog on a single conversation, but I just had to. As for the rest of my week, it was good. The debate on Friday actually took place this week which was nice. My students did great. They are beginning to grasp the concept of my leaving and so it has become a bit harder to see them knowing each day is one less, but that is life and I must return home at some point.

The next three blogs will be posted from a different place. Wednesdays will be here in Hanga, Saturdays will be in Mbeya and then the following Wednesday I hope to post from Schiphol Airport (if I can get internet) which is located in Amsterdam. I’ll write that blog while in flight over Africa.

Tanzania has begun to load-shed again. The electricity is being cut off to certain parts of the country throughout the day to conserve energy. In addition, major flooding in Moshi and Dar es Salaam has caused problems. So, if you need me and I am not responding it most likely is because I do not have electricity and, therefore, internet. It tends to work best when I don’t need it and be cut off when I do haha J that’s life.

To conclude, remember to always refine those thoughts and opinions of yours. If you have trouble grasping this concept then just think about how you wash your car obsessively during the summer.

Remove the dirt, scrub it down, remove the dirt, soap it up, rinse it off and polish, baby. Polish till your heart’s desire…or until you find the small dent or scrape that your idiotic kid probably did while driving the other day. Then you can actually spend time refining those opinions you have about that kid and continue on polishing your car. You can always take it to Nova-Chek auto repair tomorrow. J

Happy May, everyone! Also, welcome WR Laquon Treadwell to the Minnesota Vikings!

Thanks for reading!

You Don’t Deserve Less, They Deserve More

“It is not easy to move back and forth between different worlds, but I have had to learn that the grace and generosity I share with my friends on the margins is equally important for friends and relatives at home. Just because they aren’t as regularly exposed to the tensions doesn’t mean they deserve less respect or love. My lifestyle needs to be an invitation, not a bludgeon, that helps others to choose simplicity and generosity because it is appealing.”

This quote comes from page 129 of the book Friendship at the Margins: Discovering Mutuality in Service and Mission (Resources for Reconciliation) by Christopher L. Heuertz and Christine D. Pohl.

I read this book for the theology class I participated in over the internet this year. I read this particular piece while in Zambia, but thought it would better fit in a blog towards the end of my service.

What a powerful quote. I wanted to share this because it targets a topic that brings forth a strong emotion as well as something I feel needs to be spoken about. The emotion and feeling I am referring to is frustration. Frustration tends to bring its friend Anger along as well.

Moving back and forth from the third world to the first can be and usually is difficult. I find myself becoming frustrated at others comments and complaints. I become angry that they can’t see or understand what I have and I am annoyed when my experiences and lessons are so hard to explain and for others to grasp.

However, then I reread this quote. The grace and generosity we show our family and friends should be shown to all and vice versa. The care I show the people of Zambia and Tanzania should be what I show to my family and friends at home. Just because my family and friends are better off doesn’t mean they deserve less. It’s just that these people deserve more. They deserve more than what they currently have and that isn’t much. This concept can become entangled in our minds and we can find ourselves becoming frustrated with others for having something we do not.

Thanks Phoenix Group!

We need to straighten our thought process. Is it good to hoard, follow greed, become gluttonous and focus on only ourselves? No, I would argue it’s not. Though, why I like this quote so much is that it helps us see that even though you are better off it doesn’t mean you deserve less. You and they are both beautiful creations which deserve the same. What we can see is that they don’t have the same and, therefore, they deserve more.

This is why I was very happy to hear from my friend Adam. Adam is the one I will be visiting in Europe during the month of May. Adam owns a company called Phoenix Group. He made a donation to my service and with that donation I was able to buy notebooks, pens, pencils, whiteout paste, scissors and mathematical sets for both primary and secondary school children. In fact, I bought so much I cleared out half the shop as well as made the largest purchase the store has seen. It made me happy to be able to bring this to both the public school in Hanga as well as Saint Benedicts. The kids were overjoyed. Thank you for your donation, Adam.

Once again, you don’t deserve less, it is they who deserve more. By providing school supplies for hundreds of children we are acknowledging this and helping.

Father Gregory, who I believe to be close to 100 years old though no one knows for sure (his birth year was never documented, but he tells me he was a grown up in 1928) has not only absolutely obliterated the life expectancy in Tanzania (50 years), but is one of the founders of Hanga Abbey. He enjoys speaking with me and constantly tells me that I am living a “life of adventure” and is happy to see me in Tanzania. The man is very kind.

Yesterday, he came to me and asked if I could help him. He is trying to create a path or road to the nearby waterfall so the abbey and villagers are able to access it for water and electricity. He is in need of $100. I know I said that I hoped to be done with traveling into Songea, but I think this reason is worth a trip to the ATM.

It can be difficult to admit, but I feel it is hard for many of us to give away our goods and resources to others because, well, we want it for ourselves. This is natural, but when we actually see what life is like for these people we are able to realize that they do deserve more.

Another great quote that I feel covers this well is, ““In response to the excuse offered by those with resources that they don’t know anyone in help, Wesley explained, “One great reason why the rich, in general, have so little sympathy for the poor is because they so seldom visit them. Hence it is that…one part of the world does not know what the other suffers. Many of them do not know, because they do not care to know: they keep out of the way of knowing it; and then plead their voluntary ignorance as an excuse for their hardness of heart.” Voluntary ignorance is as dangerous as it is easy. Choosing not to see and avoiding thinking about the consequences of our decisions or lifestyle do not make us blameless. Opening our eyes to the global realities and moving beyond our areas of comfort can become avenues leading to deeper discipleship, compassion and justice.”” (Heuertz & Pohl, p. 58, 2010).

Choosing to live a better more simple and wiser lifestyle can have great effects on the world and the ones we share it with. Choosing to visit the poor and to work alongside them can have life altering and worthwhile lessons we could not learn elsewhere. Choosing to give a small portion of your wealth (whether that is money, a particular skill, time, etc.) to another who is in need can do so much and help in ways you never knew. We are blessed and we should share that blessing with others because they too deserve the same as us.

On a walk to Nocagugu

As I mentioned in my last post, an older woman by the name of Kersti (pronounced Casty) has arrived. I helped orientate her to the village. On Sunday she asked if we could go on a walk and I said yes. As we were walking I found out two main things about Kersti. The first was when I was speaking about my Dad’s job. I told her that he works for the company Le Creuset which sells high-end cookware and is based out of France. Oh, she raved. She told me how much she loved Le Creuset and how she has so much of it back home. It sure is popular, Dad!

The next was when I explained everything my siblings were up to. She told me that my parents had instilled good values in us (which I agree) and I responded in my sarcastic and joking tone “Well, we are the Kerbers” as if we are super special. Kersti asked me to repeat my last name and when I did she just stopped and said “Well, the Kerbers are pretty special because I’m one.”

No joke, folks. I am walking next to this 67 year old German woman in Tanzania and we share the same last name. She spells it Körber, but she says it is pronounced the same. It’s obvious my last name is straight out of Germany.

To my surprise another woman showed up on Monday. Her name is Valery and she is from Miami, Florida. She is 32 years old, is a nurse, backs Trump 100% and does not have a favorable view of Minnesota because of the speeding ticket she received there a few years back. Even though I am not a Trump supporter and love Minnesota, I suppose we are all entitled to our own opinions. Valery told me she had climbed Kilimanjaro before arriving in Hanga and so I was excited to speak with her about it. Valery is a nice woman and I have enjoyed her company, however she has some very strong viewpoints that are…mm…towards the negative end of the spectrum. It was a little bit of a bummer to hear she didn’t enjoy the climb as much as I, but I suppose we all have different experiences.

I do not want to spend much of my time on negativity, but there are lessons to be learned. I have showed Valery around, taught her how to clean her clothes by hand and discussed the regular day in Hanga as well as all the need-to-know pieces to life here. I have enjoyed it all so much so to hear her complain about it was a little tough. “What did you expect,” kept entering my head, but I know the change can be hard. In fact, she dislikes it here so much she asked her boyfriend to book her on a flight back to the U.S. tomorrow. He did so.

Enjoying life on Kilimanjaro! 

So, her month long stay has been shortened to three days. I guess Africa isn’t for everyone.

While walking around she asked if we could go to the supermarket to buy some chicken breast so we don’t have to eat rice and beans. I told her there is no supermarket here like in America. She said that we must be able to buy chicken breast, though. I told her you may be able to buy the whole chicken. That is, the chicken which is alive. Ha, just being honest.

It hasn’t been all bad, though. We did have fun cooking dinner for the guest refectory last night. We decided to buy some eggs, tomato, onion and pepper and scramble it all together. It turned out to be quite good. The sisters enjoyed it as well. All the vegetables make for a colorful end product and so we named the dish ‘The Parakeet’. Parakeets are colorful, aren’t they? The others don’t know what a parakeet is so it also makes the dish sound super creative J haha. That was a lot of fun.

The one downfall at dinner was when Kersti and Valery were speaking openly about how they have been suffering through the rice and beans and lack of variety in food. They both have been here less than a week and they were complaining about how they miss their pastas, wine, pizzas, and all the other stuff one can get in the first world.

The reason I mention this is because you all must hear how this sounds, right? They are openly complaining about how hard their past two days have been in front of people who have lived this way their entire lives! I was thinking in my head “AHH am I the only one that hears how terrible and self-centered this sounds!”

I do not mention this to be critical, but rather as a lesson. We must open our eyes and ears to this and be able to learn from it. If we do not we will never be able to move forward in our help.

If you are blind of your own actions and your words fall deaf upon your ears then the struggle to learn will be much greater due to the inability of simply being conscious of yourself.

In helping others you will most likely face a challenge or two, but to be oblivious of the fact that there are others who have encountered worse is an unfortunate misstep in this process.

In addition, by being aware of your actions and words we should not become self-absorbed, but rather self-aware. In order to understand ourselves and situation better we must be aware of how we react and the things we say to better ourselves and the people around us.

I would agree that it is normal to focus in on oneself and it is easy to notice the change and hardships in one’s own life. However, when self-absorbed, your thoughts begin to turn inward. You begin to think about only yourself and quickly forget the others (the primary difference between being aware and absorbed). The result is that you forget the ones you have set out to help and fall into a world that is all about you. This is no good at all.

The quote at the beginning reminds us to show grace and generosity to our friends and family just as we do to the ones on the margin. I want you to know that I am and that I understand where they are coming from. However, the quote also states that our lives should be an invitation into choosing a life that is simple and generous. I guess my invitation will just come with some lessons attached to it (which I feel is best anyway. From these lessons we are able to learn about and achieve a simple and generous life). J

We must be able to open our eyes, ears, minds, hearts and hands. In helping raise others up we must first have the power to simply focus on them and understand their lives and the hardships they have faced. This will help us not only put things into perspective, but allow us to help them in receiving what they deserve – our help, love and care.

They deserve more so let us not inhibit our ability to help them by focusing on ourselves.

Cooking up a mean dish.

Yesterday, Tuesday, April 26^th marked the day Tanganyika and Zanzibar became one country. This took place in the 1960’s and when it happened Tanganyika changed its name to Tanzania. The day is a national holiday and so it was fun to have the day off from work. The past couple of days for me have been busy and so it was nice to be able to pump the brakes a little.

The past week has been a difficult one for the surrounding schools and monastery. Another student has passed from complications of what they believed to be either malaria or the flu. Another thought is that typhoid may be infecting the students through the water. In addition to the 13 year old boy a sister who I knew prior to Kilimanjaro passed. She was sent to receive treatment while I was away and this week she passed. She had fallen ill with malaria. It is very sad and hard to see disease run rampant and destroy so much in its path. The students out at Nocagugu are scared now because of this and many have come in to get tested for malaria. I hope the issue is resolved soon.

That is all for today. I am going to post this and then head into Songea in order to pull out some money for Father Gregory. Valery would like to search for some type of meat to cook on her last night here. I told her I would help. Cooking is fun so I look forward to that. Enjoy the end to your April, friends. See you back here on Saturday J

Thanks for reading!

The Role Gender Plays in Africa

The past couple of days have gone smoothly. If you read this blog frequently then you most likely understand my daily and weekly routine. Unfortunately, there were no major stories or events that happened in the past days. That’s quite surprising really. I suppose it had to happen at least once before I left and so here my experience becomes somewhat calm in one of my final weeks.

I spent time in the clinic as well as at Saint Benedict’s Secondary School on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Today, Saturday, I’ll work on getting this posted to the internet and then head out for a nice walk. You know how much I like those and a Saturday afternoon is the perfect time for one. It’s a sunny 70 degree day here in Tanzania so it will be nice.

As I mentioned before there is nothing overly dramatic or wild happening here. I did attend the debate at Saint Benedict’s on Friday. However, it was canceled after a three hour wait. The debate was to be about whether or not the students felt bride price should be kept in society. Three schools instead of two would go about debating this topic. Unfortunately, but not very surprising, one school just never showed up. The other school strolled in two and a half hours late and appeared unfazed and acted as if they were right on time.

I get that time is relative and I am very aware that things are taken much slower and easier here in Africa. I know that now better than most. However, if there is one thing that will always stick with me it is timeliness. I went out to see if the other schools were coming and noticed the boys just meandering and slowly walking towards the school. I told them they were late and better get a move on. They looked at me with a confused expression on their face. Almost as if no one has ever called them out for being late. In fact, they may never have been.

Stampede the door!

Once one of the schools had arrived we all stayed in the large classroom for another half hour until enough time had passed for them to just go ahead and cancel the debate. It’s funny because they take forever to get an event going, but once it’s over the rush to get out mimics a stampede. Like I mentioned in my last post, everyone is budging and pushing to get out only to find that there is nothing to rush out for.

It was also a bummer to hear the debate was canceled because I thought the topic was quite interesting. Bride price is still very much a thing here in Tanzania and most likely much of Africa. You are able to see a very small piece of it in our Western society, but it is not as prominent as it is here. In America, the bride’s family may pay for the wedding (which is a tradition that I believe has gone by the way-side in recent years – I obviously have no idea, though) and there is no paying the parents of the bride for their daughter.

In Tanzania, a man will offer a price and negotiate with the parents of the woman he wants to marry. At least, in this society, he should. That is how it is done. If the price is right then the marriage may take place. I have heard of prices going in the hundreds of thousands to millions of schilling. Since women are not property, many people are finally seeing the problems in this and feel it should be abolished, but others find it a part of their tradition and culture.

A good debate for young students to have, unfortunately, due to lack of punctuality, they were unable to.

One of my students who likes to play Frisbee with me during sports time is Blandina (pronounced: Blan-dee-nah). Her sister Monica is a year younger, yet takes full control during these debates I have mentioned. Monica is a great debater and I always have to laugh because at every debate she is a main speaker while a large amount of girls never attempt at debating the topic.

Noticing this, I asked Blandina to take me to Monica so I can commend her confidence and debating skills. I mention this because it is so funny how they react.

“Monica, you do such a great job debating. I love your confidence.”

“Ah, don’t tell me. Don’t tell me. Really?”

“Yes, of course. I think you do a very good job in these debates.”

“Ah, you are kind. You think so? Thank you.”

I just have to laugh at the “Don’t tell me,” statement and questioning of my compliment.

Now that I have complimented them they want to make sure that their friends know. I spend my time at the Trade School on Wednesdays and so I don’t see my Saint Benedict students then. So, on Thursday I’ll show up and the girls will approach me and state rather than ask “Joseph, I know you missed me.” They state this after just whispering to their friends which I can only imagine is a conversation on how they can prove I missed them or like them better than the other girls.

I, of course, act as if I don’t see this secret conversation happening right in front of me and always say “yes, I missed you very much.” This causes a roar of laughter and many comments of “see, I told you he missed me.” It’s really funny. By the age of 23 I am well aware of all these sly (or what they think is sly) tactics by girls. It is funny seeing how obvious it all is now and comparing it back to my middle school days where I couldn’t figure any of it out.

Girls are confusing J

After the debate was canceled there was a football (soccer) match set up for Saint Benedict to face Corant, a boy’s school from the village. I haven’t mentioned Corant much because I have only been there once and because it sits far back in the village. This was an exciting moment for all the students. They boys rolled up in these dala dala (Tanzanian mini-bus taxis) with the music roaring and a good portion of the boys hanging out the windows. They all filed out and got ready for the match. There is one form (grade) of boys at Saint Benedict even though it is a girl school. The boys played football and the girls faced off in netball. Netball being a game that uses a basketball rim with no net.

The boys showing up for the match.

I asked the girls if they could play football if they wanted and they said they could, but never do. It’s primarily a boy sport and netball a girls. It is evident gender roles are still very much a thing in African society.

The match ended in a tie. 1-1. Football (soccer) is called the ‘noble sport’ for being one of the only sports that allows for a match to end in a tie.

On Thursday an older woman from Germany, Casty, arrived for a short visit. I did not know she was coming. She is 67 and is a retired pharmacist. She is volunteering through Pharmacies without Borders. I swear, there are so many ‘… without borders’ programs nowadays. Doctors without Borders, Pharmacies without Borders, Students without Borders, Students without Frontiers. I’m surprised there isn’t Garbage Men without Borders. Hey, that would actually be a good idea. There is such a big problem with litter and garbage disposal here that they could use a hand with that.

I think these programs are wonderful, but had no idea there were so many. Anyway, Casty is here for the next two weeks. I am still king of my small rundown guesthouse over here. She lives next to Christa in the new guesthouse built in the last year or two. Being 67, she has many stories about her children and seeing that I tend to be the only one around able to speak English and willing to listen I hear lots about them. She has a daughter in Seattle, a son in Cape Town and her husband back in southern Germany. Casty has a very vibrant personality which leads to long conversations.

I have helped connect her phone and tablet to the internet, however somehow her tablet continuously disconnects. She contacted her son who told her to buy a router just for the tablet. After hearing this I just said, “Your son has come up with a wonderful first-world solution to this problem.” This was not meant to be mean, just honest. I have no idea where you are going to find a router, where you’ll be able to connect it and what internet source you’ll use. There is no way the connection and strength of the Trade School is strong enough for another router and it would be pretty unfair to all the other people trying to use it. I have given her the password required for the internet so hopefully she can reenter it.

Having lived in Africa for a long period of time now a number of my things are beginning to fall apart. Random things like my watch band and a small piece of my phone case (a flap that covers the speakers at the bottom) have randomly fallen off. Once I notice it I think to myself “out of everything, how does that break?” Anyway, I have been able to find super glue at the local shop. Who would have thought they would have super glue? It works like a charm, though. I’m a big fan of super glue. Works on practically everything and holds for a long time. Repair job complete.

I have heard the sad news of the death of music legend and icon, Prince. It’s sad to lose such a huge Minnesota rock star at the age of 57. The old TV with one channel that sits in the guest refectory is able to pick up BBC for one hour each morning and the press coverage of his death is enormous, President Obama and other celebrities chiming in. It’s also crazy to see downtown Minneapolis on the TV here.

*A very BIG Happy Birthday to my brother, Thomas. 27 years old and making the most out of life. It’s great to see. Thanks for being such a great role model and older brother. I look forward to seeing you a little more this year. I will try to visit the Air Force base in June.

Thanks for reading!

Being Victorious

Acknowledging the small victories is imperative when living and serving in Africa. In fact, it’s important wherever you are. There are many times when I feel as if there is so much that needs help and the task is overbearing. Then there are times when I wish I could do more to help. It’s a battle.

I have witnessed starvation and hunger, droughts and thirst, disease and illness, the uneducated and curious, poverty and the lack of funds and many more things while abroad. Witnessing these and others has the ability to make you feel inadequate and insufficient. Almost as if you were hired for a job working on computers only to find out you know nothing about computers.

What I mean is that there are times where I will just sit and think over the privations each person here faces far too often. The struggle grows from not knowing or being unable to completely eradicate the problem. Knowing there is a lack of clean drinking water and not being able to physically do something in helping create more is tough. The struggle grows when thinking of the corruption that has stolen so much of Africa’s wealth, the Panama Paper tax havens that allow billionaires to avoid contributing and the companies that create a fake vaccine only to fill their need for greed at the cost of other’s suffering. 

It’s a difficult hurtle get over.

Still, we can. 

The small victories in your everyday work are of a value that even the billionaire’s and their tax havens can’t buy.

Granting yourself a little bit of time to admire the work you have put forth can do a lot of good. Leading a game in class, helping vaccinate 50 children, building 20 desks or just being present at sports time may not be monumental or earth-shattering actions, but they do help. They are victories. To be victorious we must overcome something. We must defeat it. 

These are victories because we are overcoming the struggles of everyday life. We are laughing when we could be sulking. We are healing when we could be sickening. We are showing support, building up others and helping the one’s around us become better and lead healthier and happier lives. 

There are so many people who need help and so to think you alone will save Africa or the world is ludicrous. However, having ideas on how to help and putting these into action is a great way to start. These ideas and small ways of helping are what win the battles that will eventually lead us to winning the war. The small victories that are accumulated by so many volunteers are what help the most. This is what keeps me going forward. It’s easy to quit. The one’s who make the most difference are the ones who fulfill their duty and take it to the end. Too many things are left undone and so completing the job is best. 

One of my victories is using games in class. I could lead a strict lesson on English where most of the kids are lost and confused, but that would get us nowhere. Instead, I have found that teaching through games such as hangman, pictionary and a board race are much more effective. It is fun for the kids and they don’t even realize they are learning. It helps in getting them to participate which I believe to be the main struggle. One can incorporate quite a lot into each game and it allows the students to be creative. 

So many lessons can be learned from hanging a man.

The other students wait to see the picture their classmate drew, the word they want guessed or prepare for a race against their friend to see who can answer a question the fastest. It’s fun to take part in. Most of the students’ days are made up of sitting in class while listening to one of their teachers drone on. These games help spice things up. A game helps brighten their day and if that is the only victory I get all day then I am okay. It is worth it.

The students are required to attend mass every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. One thing I have noticed throughout my entire time here, both in Zambia and Tanzania, is that there is a mad dash for the offering and communion. I call it organized chaos. Organized because no one is talking and there is a place where the dash ends (the alter), but chaotic because everyone tries to get there first. This causes a massive pileup. In America, we all filter into a nice orderly line and things go smoothly. There is no such thing here.

It just amazes me that this happens because you would think someone would finally be like “hmmm, this doesn’t make any sense. Things would be quicker and smoother if we had a single line.” This thought has never come up, though. I just wait till the end to get communion so I’m not crushed into a pile of bodies. Everyone knows communion is over when the mzungu is sitting down.

The same goes for exiting the church. Everyone piles up at the door and squeezes through. You would think there was something exciting outside with how hard everyone pushes to get out. Alas, there is nothing. Everyone is budging and pushing for no reason at all. Once again, I just wait till I’m the last one out.

Last week I was battling an illness, however I am back to normal this week. I feel good. 

I was able to make it into Songea today in order to complete some errands I have been meaning to get to. I believe (and hope) that was my last time heading into Songea. It is fun to head into town and get away from the village for a few hours, but now that my time is wrapping up I don’t see why I would need to go there anymore. I also feel as if there is a target on my back whenever I do because of immigration officers. It’s just easier not having to deal with them and so I keep to myself in the village. 

Alas, they have found me here too. Immigration stopped by the monastery yesterday and so I was called into Fr. Novatus’s office. I had to show my passport, answer some questions and clarify that I am just visiting.

“Why are you here?”, “What are you doing here?”, “What do you do back home?”, “When did you arrive?”, “When do you leave?”

It’s getting annoying and a bit absurd. Immigration laws have been tightened because of illegals from other countries crossing the border without admittance. They should think about posting an officer at the borders rather than having them wide open…hmmm…I don't know...that could be an idea.

God Bless the hands that craft these scrumptious cookies.

There is a nearby village called Salla-Bon-Koo. I have no idea how it is spelt considering I have only heard the name read aloud and never written. It’s a popular spot for people to ride their bikes and there happens to be a small hill with a cross on top. When living in a village these things become major attractions. I think I will head there one of these days just for fun. Hopefully the rain behaves itself.

Quick shout out to Joyce who works at the small little shop in Hanga village. She whips up these mean cookies which are only 250 schilling (12 cents) and they are darn good. They literally may just be dough which signals to me that my taste buds are dead ha, but they are delicious. I’m going to be stopping by and snagging some of these for my last weeks.

Now that I am the only one in the guesthouse again Mamababy, the woman who keeps the guesthouse maintained, was like “ah, mimi na Joseph!” (Me and Joseph) haha so yes, it’s just us now. She doesn’t stay in the guesthouse, but she is the one who maintains it so I have gotten to know her well.

That’s all for now. It seems as if the Minnesota Twins have found their fire. I know they just fell to the Brewers last night, but it would be great to see them win back all those lost games.

*Google just let me know that my blog is at 4,985 views. This post should break 5,000. Thank you to all of you who continue to read and keep up with my adventure. I thoroughly enjoy writing this blog and you all are the great motivation that keeps me going. (I, myself, probably account for 1,000 of those views, but I'm feeling pretty good about my blog right now so I'm just going to forget that piece :) ha!)

Thanks for reading!