Week 8

Reflection:

As my time in Tanzania comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on how much these past two months have shaped me. I think what I value most is the little life I was able to build here—the routines, the familiar faces, and the relationships that slowly turned a foreign place into something that felt like home. There’s something so different about coming to another country with a purpose beyond vacation. Being here to work and learn gave my days structure, gave me reasons to connect with people, and created opportunities I never could have had otherwise. It’s that sense of purpose that makes the experience special, because it pushes you to grow, to stretch outside of comfort zones, and to build something meaningful from scratch.

Leaving Iringa was harder than I expected. Goodbyes always carry weight, but here they felt particularly heavy because of how genuine the connections were. At the same time, I feel so grateful to have had the chance to say those goodbyes, to express appreciation, and to take one last look around the town that shaped so much of this experience. We closed out our final days by traveling to Zanzibar, and that shift was almost surreal. After weeks of speaking Swahili daily, it felt strange to suddenly be treated like we only spoke English—to slip into the role of a tourist after having worked so hard not to feel like one. I even laughed at myself a bit, realizing how much I didn’t want to lose that sense of belonging I’d found in Iringa.

Still, Zanzibar was breathtaking in its own way. The colorful streets of Stone Town, the history etched into the walls of the East African Slave Trade Museum, the quiet rhythm of a woman walking home from school or a man cutting potatoes into chips—it all offered a new perspective on Tanzania. Sitting on Jumbiani Beach, journaling with the sun on my face and watching the kitesurfers dot the horizon, I felt both deeply present and already nostalgic. Those final days gave me space to process, to look back on everything I’d experienced, and to let it all sink in.

I’m leaving Tanzania with countless memories—sharing Indian food on the coast, wandering through artistic alleys, saying a heartfelt goodbye to Erick in Dar, laughing when we found “pretend this is a bajaj” written in car decor and finally being welcomed home at the airport by Ellie. But more than the snapshots, I’m leaving with gratitude for the lessons, the people, and the growth that can only come from immersing yourself in a place so different from your own. This chapter has been unforgettable, and even though I’m sad to close it, I know it’s only the beginning of how these experiences will continue to shape me moving forward.

1) A photo outside the East African Slave Trade Museum 2) Outside the bath houses 3) Man cutting potatoes into chips 4) Woman walking home from school 5,6) Artistic streets 7) Shop owner 8) Jumbiani Beach, capital for kite surfing 9) Sitting and enjoying the sun 10) View from our beach spot 10) Lots of journaling done at the beach 11) Indian food is great on the coast 12) Saying goodbye to Erick in Dar 13) Ellie picking us from the airport 14) "Pretend this is a bajaj" car decor!