October 17, 2009

“The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want. And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself. And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself. And the only way to be yourself is to listen to your heart.”
-Mike Dooley, submitted by Cheryl

How do I begin describing Dar-es-Salaam? The colors, the people, the activity. I guess it began at the airport. Off the plane and down a flight of stairs led me to a throng of people filling out H1N1 health questionnaires, visa applications, and pushing their way through customs. Outside was hot, bright, and crowded. The cab driver spoke of history, freedom, and football.

At the hotel I met Muhammad. He works for Global Volunteers and will be driving the team to Ipalamwa. He took me to an outside café where I met Pam, a fellow team member. This is her second trip and she’s full of past stories and present anticipation. It wasn’t long before we were joined by Rich and Cheryl, a brother and sister traveling duo. They had just got back to mainland Tanzania after a brief visit to Zanzibar. Cheryl has been to Romania with GV but this is Rich’s first volunteer outing. As someone who shares the same condition, I feel we’ll be asking a lot of questions during the upcoming car ride.

As for what’s going through me head: excitement, hesitation, shock, expectation, and jet lag. I can’t wait for Ipalamwa. –Ben