The 30-Minute Walk

Thirty minutes ... it feels like a lifetime some days. I get lost in my wandering thoughts. That is how long it takes me to walk from my home in Mwanza to Wesley College. I have been doing this walk for about a month now and every day it is a little different.

I grew up in a suburb about forty minutes north of Chicago in an area where practically everyone looked the same. I went to school with mostly white kids who came from middle to upper middle class homes. We had a few Asian and African American students in our classes, but I always found myself in the majority. It was not until I went to college in Boston at Boston University that I was really exposed to people from around the country and around the world. That exposure has made all the difference in my life and is one reason I have never looked back. I have always had a natural curiosity about people that come from other places and are different than me. I have always wanted to learn from them and understand their cultures and belief systems.

I learned from the folks I worked with and the community I served while working at the Bay State Banner - the African American newspaper in Boston. I learned from the Kyrgyz and Russian people when I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kyrgyzstan. I learned from my colleagues and the community members at Saint Anthony Hospital on the Southwest Side of Chicago. All of these professional work-life experiences have helped me to understand our world on a deeper level - the importance of listening, the importance of showing up, the importance of finding human connection despite our differences.

Tanzania is no different. I am learning something new every day and trying to process those things on my 30-minute walk daily.

On this 30-minute walk in Mwanza, Tanzania, I am often the only Caucasian person walking on the streets. There is no blending in here which can be uncomfortable at times. Most days, I will be greeted at least 10-15 times during this walk. The greetings are too many to mention here, but some of them include: "Hello", "Mambo", "Jambo", "Good morning, good afternoon or good evening", "Madame", "I love you", "How are you?", "You're beautiful", and "Mzungu" or white person.

In the first few days, it was difficult to communicate at all because I did not know any Swahili. If the local people spoke English, I responded in English. If they only spoke Swahili, I politely smiled or would wave. Now that I know more Swahili, I can appropriately respond with a few words or short phrases. Sometimes the locals are surprised when I respond in Swahili. Then they get excited I know a little bit so they start asking some more questions or want to have a deeper conversation of which I am not yet able to have, though I wish I could.

There are days this 30-minute walk has been the best part of my day and then there are days that I wish I was invisible. I have been in the minority before, but it is different here because I am literally the only white person walking the streets most days. Many of my interactions on the street have been pleasant; yet, there have been a few that have definitely taken me out of my comfort zone.

I am grateful to be here and do acknowledge my privilege in being able to have an experience like this as part of my graduate studies. During this walk, I often find myself wondering what people's perceptions are of me as I walk down the street. I know some people are naturally curious. I know some people assume I am a wealthy American. I know some people would prefer that I not be here. I have studied and read about the history of colonialism in Africa and more specifically in Tanzania, but will never know its true effects because I have not experienced it directly.

What I do know is that at the end of the day - we are all humans and require the same basic necessities in life - food, water, clothing, and shelter. There are also things that many of us want - a loving, supportive family, love, and freedom. I also know that it is possible to connect across differences - sex, race, language, and culture. I know this because I have been able to do this at different stages in my life. In order to connect across those barriers and build bridges, I recognize that simply being a good human being comes first. It is necessary to build rapport by showing interest in another person's life by listening, observing, and asking questions. This cannot be faked. People can tell when you are being disingenuous. It must come from the heart.

My daily 30-minute walk to and from work allows me time to reflect on my experiences here in Tanzania - the people, the culture, the work - everything. Sometimes I get lost in these thoughts that I accidentally forget to greet someone because I have so much noise in my head. Like when I was in the Peace Corps, I remind myself that I am representing not only myself here in Mwanza, but also what it means to be an American. I hope I am doing my friends, family, and country proud.

When I move to a new home next week for the remainder of my stay, my walk will be extended to 35-40 minutes so I will have some additional time to think on these walks as well as greet more people every day with my expanding Swahili vocabulary.

xoxo CM