Well, the time is growing near. I leave for Tanzania in one month. I am up to date with all of my inoculations and I just turned in the last payment for the trip. Now it is time to prepare mentally and to practice Kiswahili (or Swahili) - the official language of Tanzania. I have been to Europe a couple of times, but it was when I visited Thailand a few years back that I was a minority in a foreign country for the first time. In Europe I was able to fit in, but in Thailand I was an obvious outsider. But, with the Buddhist ways of the Thai people, I was welcomed with opened arms. I hear that is the same with Tanzania - that they treat their guests with the utmost respect and hospitality. Of course I will look like an American or a European, but I am preparing myself as much as possible by learning local tradition, culture do's and dont's, and general conversation in their native tongue. To be able to walk on the African soil, to speak with indigenous tribes, to visit schools, to beat drums with the locals, and to share laughs and personal stories has been a dream of mine for quite some time. Reality is starting to kick in - I will be touching ground in East Africa in four weeks....
You are going to love it and come back changed. I can't wait to hear all about it. I know in W.Africa it is an insult to eat with you left hand. They actually don't use their left hand for anything except to clean themselves after they go to the bathroom. Being left handed, that was a challenge for me, you might want to check that out.
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