Two weeks ago, my plane descended over Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania. It is a coastal city blessed with some of the most sublime (and accessible) beaches I have ever stepped foot on.  The city center is a vibrant mesh of different cultures and is no less of a wonder to behold… A Masai woman selling tribal jewelry in front of an Indian café serving tea next to a mosque playing prayers over its loudspeakers which is the only thing drowning out the honking of dalla dallas (local buses) imported from China.  All the while, kangas, saris, burkas and Manchester United t-shirts color the streets…

But it is the warmness of the people that I find most appealing.  Perhaps bright lights and big cities have hardened me, because I find myself charmed by the bright smiles and big hearts of this country.  Harmony is not easy to achieve in a continent that has suffered through so many tragedies. But Tanzania, a melting pot of various ethnic groups, is relatively free from the tensions that plague so many other African nations.  This is partly due to the beloved Julius Nyerere, who won Tanzania’s freedom from the Europeans and became her first president. He tore down old ethnic and social divides and rebuilt the nation upon the notion of equality and unity:

“In Tanzania, it was more than one hundred tribal nits which lost their freedom; it was one nation that regained it.”

However, living with a Tanzanian family has helped me open my eyes to the everyday plights of  the people. It is hard to romanticize about a place, however stunning and exotic, when blackouts, water shortages and two hour traffic jams are real and frequent.  But I fully appreciate the authenticity of the experience, because it is so easy as a Muzungu (foreigner, usually a white person) to see half the story.

And so, it is against this backdrop of breathtaking visuals, humbling hospitality and demoralizing realities that I will carryout my fellowship…

ps. here is my first blog for Kiva