Tanzania--Here I Come!

Hello Everyone!
This is the first of many updates I'll share with you about my upcoming experience in Tanzania. I have just one more day in this frigid Connecticut weather before I begin roasting under the African sun!
The weather channel reports a toasty 98 degrees compared to the brisk 31 with a wind chill of 22 back in my hometown.

Many of you might be wondering why I'm traveling to Tanzania in the first place. In response, I have only one word--Rotary.  This is an incredible organization that I've come to know quite well over the past couple years. I am the recipient of a Rotary Cultural Scholarship to learn about the life and customs in another part of the world. Their motto is "Service Above Self" and I truly hope to embrace this over the next few months. While learning the local language and traditions, I plan to partake in numerous service projects throughout the country. Specifically, I intend to work on projects involving sustainable water availability and purification which further promotes health and wellness for the people of Tanzania. I hope that my actions will foster peace and cross-cultural understanding. At the very least, I am confident that I will gain a sense of gratitude and a refreshing outlook, with some incredible adventures thrown into the mix.

Though you might think you don't know anything about Tanzania, the country seems to embody the standard American illusion of Africa. There's a good chance you've heard of at least one of the following well-known landmarks--Serengeti plains, Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Victoria, Zanzibar, Gombe National Park (where Jane Gooddall's Chimpanzee research continues), and Kalambo Falls near Lake Tanganyika--just to name a few. What I find even more interesting are over 100 distinct tribes of herdsman and nomadic people who maintain their traditional values and customs. I look forward to witnessing these incredible sights, not as a tourist, but as someone eager to walk among the people and live as they do.

After the 20 hour flight, with two hour layover in Dubai, I'll be picked up from the airport by my Site Coordinator (Samuel) and the greatest advisor I could ever ask for (Chris Johnson!).

I hope you enjoying following my adventures!
Usiku  mwema! (Goodnight)