Unexpected Slice of Paradise

In the summer of 2011, I could be found pre-university, somewhat daringly plonked in the small town of Tabora, Tanzania with not a friendly face in sight. It had been my plan to volunteer and travel in my "gap yah", but this was volunteering with something of a twist. Being the revolutionary that I thought I was at the tender age of 19, I was determined I would not be volunteering with a large organisation; I had read a number of articles about "voluntourism", written a couple of my own, and probably thought I was quite the radical in wanting to do things my way. Perhaps a slight arrogance which I now look back on with the slightest hint of a cringe. However, do it my own way I did, and decided to volunteer for a miniscule children's aid charity set up by a distant friend of my father's whom I had never met, Margaret. I was incidentally paired up with Margaret's granddaughter of my own age, and the first time we met was boarding a plane to Tabora. Or rather, a plane and an 8 hour bus journey, during which if you dared to exit the vehicle for a urination stop, you ran the very real risk of being left on the side of the dusty road. In spite of my perhaps questionable moral take on not wanting to conform in my experience of third world aid, I could not be more thrilled I made this decision. I was enchanted, besotted with Tabora. It became my home from home; there was a literal taste of the air which I have never, try as I might, been able to quite put down in words. I yearn for it constantly. It is the most beautiful place I have ever been, and never have I met such humble, incredible people in my life. The main thought which struck me whilst I was there was - why are we so preoccupied with pitying these people, thinking we need to swoop in and save them, when they have so much of life more sussed than we could even hope for? It was the most humbling experience, and not something you will ever find in the guidebooks. Yes, I painted a school room, yes I caught malaria whilst on my trip - all of those cliche things you expect on such a trip. But I am grateful to my naive yet headstrong teenage self that she decided to try something different. She gave me the most incredible travelling experience of my life, & I hope to spread this message far and wide so that others may experience this little corner of the world, not to leave their mark on it, but so it may leave its mark on them.