Wanderlustress

On Africa

Thought I’d share an excerpt of an email from PCVs in Tanzania updating us on life as a volunteer. Colleen and Christian are a married couple who have completed their three month “Pre-Service Training” (PST…be prepared for many more annoying Peace Corps acronyms). They have recently been sworn in as volunteers and are about to begin their assignment in a very rural village in northern Tanzania.

“We will be making the trip to Dar [Dar Es Salaam] again in March for In-Service Training (IST), and so that will probably be the next time we pass through Arusha. Otherwise, we will be spending our time in Lambo and the surrounding area trying to build a routine and a home. We are excited, but sort of intimidated, about our work in the coming months before IST. Some of our "jobs" are to get our house together (right now it is completely empty), continue our language study, begin assessing what kind of assistance our villagers need and want, and somehow get our bikes to site. Some of these things might otherwise not be a problem, but since we are located an hour walk from the main road, and our bicycles will be arriving a few weeks from now (unassembled), getting furniture, buckets for bathing, washing, etc, and other such necessities to our house quickly becomes a logistical issue.

Ruaha River, Tanzania 2002

I have a great love for Africa, and I tried to get placed with the Peace Corps in Tanzania. But since most of the programs there are in health, education, agriculture or environment, my worldly business acumen is better served in the “newly independent countries” (INCs), at least according to the Peace Corps.

One day I hope to be more useful to Africa and return in a capacity to affect some change. At a minimum, I’d love to reveal to the rest of the world the richness of the land, the joyful people, and the diversity throughout the immense land we know as singular continental Africa. In doing so, I would like to dispel the press strewn images of Africa as a quagmire of war, disease, poverty and hunger. By having a stronger appreciation, perhaps we can be more engaged to help preserve this forsaken place for the jewel that it really is.

(I guess I should start by continuing with “Africa Burning Part 2, huh Ana?)

Come Fly Away

Hot Air Rising - Namib Desert, Namibia 2002

Airborne - Namib Desert, Namibia 2002

Landing - Namib Desert, Namibia 2002

Packing Up - Nambib Desert, Namibia 2002

Packing It In - Namib Desert, Namibia 2002

Africa Burning (Part 1)

I've been expanding on this story since I first wrote it last year. It has appeared on OneWorldJourneys, but I've just dusted it off and infused it with more details. The first installation is here (bc I'm sleepy). More to follow.

My lasting impression of East Africa is of forest fires. I had witnessed miles after miles of fires along a 3,728mi (6,000km) expedition into western Tanzania. From a distance, smoke on the ridges of hills gave us a warning of the fires to come, but as we approached in our Land Cruiser, we could see that acres of the forest were actually burning. Along our route, we were sometimes blocked by fire and were forced to drive through the intense heat and flames, along the roadside. We would try to go off-road to detour around them, but sometimes there was no choice but to pedal-to-the-metal plow through. I wasn’t sure what risks the fire posed to our truck, but I was fully aware of the searing heat on my face and arms.

After being in the bush for three weeks, we had finally arrived at the campground along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, on the Zambia side. Approaching the site, we had just driven through miles of smoldering embers, and as we descended the hill towards the welcoming coolness of the blue water and open space of the lake, smoke was billowing from the hilltop above our camp. Over excited, we immediately immersed our grimy bodies from head to toe in refreshing, clean water. After living on dry baths, the fire went unheeded, as did the threat of crocodiles and hippos. We splashed around until we were revived of our senses, and quickly swam back to shore. Lying on my sarong, I could smell the stinging smoke and hear the crackling embers above. Later that night, as we were finishing our dinner, we heard a loud roar. This time, however, it was not the roar of lions we had become accustomed to while camping in the game parks. It was the roar of the inferno feeding itself on dry grass and desiccated trees. We ran out to find that the fire had descended almost half way down the hill towards camp…

To be continued.

THE One

I've lost faith a long time ago that I could ever be THE be all and end all for anyone. I have also stopped expecting any one person to be THE one, and only one, for me. So in relationships, I give everything I can, enjoy the journey for as long as it lasts, and accept the bittersweeet endings with a strong dose of self-renewal serum I always keep handy for emergencies. Sometimes I think I've grown to become so "whole" and independent that I hog up all the space where there should be room for two.

A Love for Africa

For some reason, Africa pulls at my heartstrings. It will never leave me. I am almost sad to be assigned somewhere else. Is it all happening for a reason? Should I insist on returning?

Sossusvlei Dunes, Namib Desert - Namibia