Sunday, October 21, 2012

Two years past, One yet to come

So, as my posts show, I am not very good at this posting thing. I think my last post was almost more than a year ago. Fortunately, I still have one more year left. So the first two years will definitely be different from this upcoming year. It's really interesting how my experience in Tanzania has changed over the two year. My first year was definitely a learning curve, figuring out how I, Megan, fit into the Tanzania culture, making the transition from student to teacher, and learning how to make it. The second year was mastering or getting better at what I had learned the previous year and expanding the life I built the first year. I finally feel I have a handle on so many things and feel apart of my community. So many times, I walk down the street and I can greet a person and stop to have a quick conversation. I think this is one of my greatest joys. As many of my fellow peace corp volunteers are headed home and summing up the amazing times they have had, I decided to take a quick opportunity to do a quick remembrance as well.

I remember my first day at site like it was yesterday and wonder where all the time has gone. The first year was definitely one of the greatest challenges of my life. I have to learn all these new ways of doing things. People think you can't do anything. My school wouldn't let me go to the market alone because they were afraid I would get cheated on prices, and I always had to go with someone. You feel a certain way but don't know why. You feel like no one understands you. You get so frustrated all you want to do is scream. II remember so many days I came home, blasted music singing along because I was so frustrated. People don't understand what you are trying to say because you have the language skills of a 3 year old.  Overall, it tests your ability to adapt, be flexible, learning to be patient, and you have to pick and choose your battles. I met some amazing people who have kept me sane and I don't know what I would have done without them. Some of them were fellow volunteers and many were Tanzanians. These Tanzanians are my family away from my family. I know I can go and ask for advice, get cultural understanding, and just have someone to visit when being by myself was enough.

I think some of my favorite memories from the first year was making pizza with my Tanzanian Family, joining the local choir and becoming a more apart of the community, visiting Dodoma for Easter and "helping" cook, taking my students on a trip to the national parks even though I couldn't go in and had to come back early, and so many other things. It was really the little moments that make this experience amazing. This year I learned a lot about me and what challenges I can face but also my limits.

Into the second year, I think is more like reaching a slight peak in the mountain. I mean I can't say that I ever really feel that my mountain ever stops but you definitely get better at trekking though the small things and feel more confident going through the difficult. You definitely still stress out. I felt more confident in my role as a teacher and as resident of Tanzania. My school has become my home. The neighbors know me, and I know a lot of them. My students know me and give me the same respects as the other teacher. I learned how things are run better at my school and how to get things done better. I feel like I am similar to other Tanzanian teachers. I finally feel established in my community.

Some of my favorite memories from my second year include the Kili Half marathon, dancing the night away at Glaciers with friends, getting to show the wonderful country and its people to my sister and two of my best friends, traveling to more places, my daily interactions with my students, the weekend visits with the Mwadumas (who are like family), seeing my first true class of students graduate and talk to them about their dreams and futures, and getting new friends.

As these two years come to an end, my fellow volunteers move on and I remain, some may wonder why I remain and why I remain at my same location. I know it seems silly or illogical, but it just feels right and my time at this school is not done. So as the two years comes to an end and my last year begins, I look into the future with excitement as my Form 6 take their exams in February and another class hopefully go on to fulfill their dreams and change their country, my Form 5 turn into Form 6, and I get a new incoming class of Form 5. I don't know if I have made a difference (I like to think so even if it was one person), but I know these people have definitely changed my life. So moving into the next year, I think I might try a new post each week but with pictures to help show my life in Tanzania. I saw the People of New York which shows the people of New York through portraits. I think it might be interesting to do the same. Well, I think I will leave it at this, because this is a rather long post.  

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