En Route

Hands were shaking. Thousands of tiny sweat drops were racing on my back. I have never felt so worried in my life. First of all I have never been to Africa before. I had so many prejudices about that continent. Malaria, AIDS, starvation–things that I’ve never literally had to face before were now waiting at the end of 12-hour flight. Secondly I was scared. No, I wasn’t afraid of dying or getting sick. I was terrified by the thought that everything that I’ve experienced, everything that seemed like a problem to me was not real. I didn’t want to see the REAL life. But, ironically, life always teases you by bringing all you fears out. This trip was no exception.
Before this trip I never believed that travel agencies used real photos; I couldn’t believe that any place can look so miraculous without Photoshop. But once I stepped outside and I saw a golden sunset of Tanzania I realized that those agencies don’t lie; they don’t express half of the beauty of the nature as it can hardly be expressed in any language or any picture because it’s unexplainable.
Remember all the fear/prejudices that I’ve mentioned? Well those were gone the second I stepped into Maua school. The faces of children, their smiles and eyes full of joy… Once I came into the classroom/tent I felt that something was changing. You know how in movies the main character suddenly realizes that everything that he did before was wrong and he instantly changes his personality? Well, this was a similar situation. I realized that teaching is an amazing activity. It’s one of those things that make you see and experience the real culture and traditions; it’s what makes the world different. I felt that I was doing something great and meaningful. I was teaching in a tiny shaded area with dust and dirt around me and this is what inspired me-the children who are still willing to learn and come to school every day besides the conditions in school. I think all of us should learn from people in Africa how to be positive; how to still be optimistic when you don’t get what you want.
When the time for departure came, I had a new fear. A fear of never coming back. I gathered my thoughts and understood that all those prejudices that so many of us have are actually worthless. Africa is much more than just diseases or poverty and as I read in one article it’s “cruel...it takes your heart and grinds it into powdered stone - and no-one minds". I didn’t mind either and you wouldn’t too.