Trek to Tanzania

Today I began my nearly 50-hour trek to Mwanza, Tanzania. I am thrilled that this dream of mine is finally coming to fruition. As my parents drove me to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport once again for a new destination, they tried to hold back their "happy tears", I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. I was prepared for and expected to have some "nervous" butterflies, but instead I am feeling content and confident as I am about to depart for Africa. This journey to Africa has been a long time in the works - nearly 10 years. My desire to travel and work in Africa began with a chance encounter with a Kenyan man named Erick Omondi Okoth when I was a reporter in Newport, Rhode Island. Most of you who are reading this and following my 10-week journey to Tanzania this summer are familiar with his story and how meeting him changed the course of my professional career and general outlook on how I wanted to live my life.

I recently finished my first year of graduate school at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. One of the reasons I chose to attend this school was because of the International Public Service Project (IPSP) requirement in between the first and second years of the program. I knew I would find my way to Africa 10 years ago, but I did not know at the time how I was going to make it happen. I have been busy in the interim with jobs as a reporter, grant writer, and then traveling more than halfway around the world to serve two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kyrgyzstan. All of this to say, I believe without a doubt that those experiences have prepared me well for my work this summer with Wesley College in developing a servant leadership training manual.

In the next 50 hours, I will travel on three planes and have a 21-hour layover in Abu Dhabi and then about a 7-hour layover in Dar es Salaam. Though it is not ideal and I would love to explore, I will likely be sleeping in the airport in Abu Dhabi because it is the Holy Month of Ramadan and much of the activity is suspended during daylight hours because people are fasting. I have always enjoyed people watching so I am guessing there will be no shortage of that in an international airport.

I am looking forward to documenting my experiences this summer on a new continent and learning about Tanzanian culture, trying new foods, and learning to speak some Swahili. I know that 10 weeks will go by in the blink of an eye and I want to take full advantage of all the opportunities presented to me.

It is almost time for takeoff and I feel as if I am living in a dream. Only approximately 8,159 miles until I wake up and start living this dream in Africa. Thank you to those who have stood by me and encouraged me to keep this dream on my radar.

xoxo CM

Chicago ----> Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates ----> Dar es Salaam, Tanzania ----> Mwanza, Tanzania