The Beginning of the End

It’s been nearly two months since I last posted an update, and it’s hard to believe that my time in Tanzania is now drawing to a close. One week from today I will be on a bus, making the journey from Dodoma to Dar es Salaam for the final time in my 8 month stay in Tanzania. These last few weeks have flown by, and the fact that I really am leaving hasn’t quite hit me yet. Yesterday was my final day in The Carpenter’s Kids office, and my anxiety about leaving the small, crowded, and sweltering office that I have enjoyed so much during my time here induced an onset of fever and infection! Though I am merely joking about anxiety causing these symptoms, I did indeed come down with something yesterday, and a 103 degree fever, a pounding headache, and an aching body made for quite a miserable last day. After urgings from my colleagues I finally went downstairs to Mackay House Medical Center for a Malaria test. A finger prick and a fifteen minute wait later, I discovered that I thankfully do not have Malaria. My test did reveal, however, that I was suffering from a case of Leukocytosis, or in laymen’s terms, an elevated white blood cell count. Though my fever stuck around for long enough this morning to keep me home from my last Carpenter’s Kids distribution, I think the extra rest has done some good. My fever is slowly dropping, and I hope to be back to normal soon.

The last couple of months have been fairly uneventful, which explains my lack of any recent postings. Work has continued as normal, and newsletters, emails, and putting together a Dodoma-based website for the program have filled my days. Parish distributions resumed at the beginning of March, and it was wonderful to be back in the villages and interacting with the children and their families. This last month or so has been spent tying up loose ends and training my replacement, New Zealander Scott Wheeler, who will be taking over my responsibilities at the beginning of the month. He been an avid learner and has amazing patience in dealing with my perfectionism and attention to detail, and I’m sure he’ll be relieved not to have me checking over his shoulder after I’m gone! (Photo: Showing Scott the ropes!) He already gets along great with the rest of the team, and he, Callum, and Noel make quite a dynamic trio. Poor Liz will be the only female in the office upon my departure, a fact which I don’t think she is too thrilled about. She frequently says that I really am not allowed to leave, swearing that she’s going to perform a raid on my house to steal my passport or inform the U.S. Embassy that I shouldn’t be allowed to leave Tanzania! Thus far, my passport is still in my possession….or so I think!

Other exciting news on The Carpenter’s Kids front is that my home parish of Grace Episcopal Church has joined the program! I received a call from my dad a few weeks ago after his reading of our most recent issue of the newsletter. He had learned that one parish in which the program had been implemented was not yet linked and expressed an interest in becoming their link parish. Myself and the rest of the staff were thrilled to hear the news, and Grace Church is now linked with Chifutuka, becoming the first parish in the Diocese of Atlanta to establish a link. Chifutuka joined the program in September of last year, and I was able to attend the distribution. I even mentioned the visit in a blog entry, as the children seemed as if they had never in their lives seen a mzungu. To this day I have not visited another parish like it, so it’s wonderful to be linked with a parish that I so clearly remember. Though I have always had plans to come back to visit Tanzania again in the future, the fact that I now have a link parish to visit makes the prospect even more exciting.

Though it was sad to see Maaike and Lianne leave Tanzania at the beginning of February, it was not long before others arrived on our compound to fill the void they left. Two young British girls named Charlotte and Leila arrived in early February, both of whom are 19. They graduated from high school in July and are taking a gap year before attending university in the fall, and their 11-week stay in Dodoma is just a start to their travels. After flying out of Dar es Salaam the same day as I do and returning home for nine days, they then depart on a three-month long traveling tour of Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and San Francisco. It sounds like an amazing trip and one that I am very jealous of! They have proved to be great company and a lot of fun, and they seem much older than their 19 years. We have spent many a night watching movies at Leane’s and hanging out on weekends. They have been teaching at CAMS during their time here, and their age has made them quite popular with the kids. The three of us will spend a few days in Dar es Salaam together next weekend before leaving Tanzania, and it will be nice to have their company in my final days. (Photo: Charlotte, Linda, & Leila)

Linda, another Brit in her late 20s, and Corietta, and 18-year-old from Holland have also moved into our compound and are teaching at CAMS. Linda is planning to stay for 2 years, while Corietta’s stay is about three months. Though I haven’t really had the opportunity to get to know Corietta in the few weeks she has been here, I am continually impressed by these young girls coming to Tanzania. Being here has been a definite challenge for me at 22, and I can’t imagine doing the same thing when I was 18! Maybe there’s just something about us Americans!

Though I haven’t really had so say any goodbyes yet, my first official goodbye party was held this past Thursday. Magi had arranged earlier in the week for a few people to go to her house for dinner as an informal farewell, but little did I know that there were more intricate plans developing! Magi, Callum, and I had spent all day in a village on Thursday observing a community health education program, and our late return to Dodoma meant that Magi would have little time to prepare. She made the executive decision that we would just go to the hotel instead, and said that she would return to pick me and Leane up a little while later. At 6:30, Magi, Laura, Callum, and Liz came to pick up Leane and I at our compound, and we headed into town. I was confused when we drove past the hotel and stopped outside of Rose’s Café, which was closed. Magi asked if I had ever eaten at the hotel next to Rose’s, and said she thought we’d give it a try, adding that last time only three people got sick! Despite her jesting, Magi headed down a side alley next to Rose’s. As we turned a corner I saw there was a long table set up outside and spotted Pastor Noah sitting at the table. The entire Carpenter’s Kids staff was there (even Willy, whose wife had a baby less than 24 hours before – which Liz and I named!), in addition to Sandy and Martin McCann. Not long thereafter, Bishop Mhogolo and his wife Irene arrived, Irene having just returned from a month in the U.S. the night before. Rose and her mom (the chef) had stayed open especially for the party, and they served us a huge meal of rice, naan bread, and either fish, beef, or chicken curry. This was followed by a cake that Rose had made, and I insisted that Liz indulge me by letting me perform a Tanzanian tradition. It is typical for the guest of honor at a party to feed cake to their guests, and everyone got a laugh out of Liz and I doing this! Magi served as MC for the night, reading off kind notes she had gathered from Carpenter’s Kids staff and friends in New York, Atlanta, and even a note from my parents. Liz bought several “Send Off” cards that were signed by the staff, and they also presented me with two kangas (pieces of traditional fabric). The whole night was a huge surprise, and I was very impressed they were able to keep it under wraps! I couldn’t imagine a better way to say goodbye than with my Carpenter’s Kids family, and the night was truly wonderful. (Photos: all the attendees & Magi and I with Rose and Mama Rose)

Other than a fun day-trip to Cetawico (an Italian-run winery about an hour outside of town) in February, a few more climbs up Lion Rock with Charlotte, Leila, and Linda, and usual work business, not much else has been happening in exciting Dodoma! My last couple weeks have been spent hanging out with Scott and Josh, an American from Michigan who works for the Mennonite Church here. Scott’s wife had to return to New Zealand for a few months, and he moved in next door to me upon her departure. He also bought himself a motorcycle (or “pikipiki” as they are called here), and quickly made friends with Josh, who also has a bike. Since then there has been a permanent mechanic shop outside of my door, and every afternoon the boys are outside working on their bikes. (See photo!) Spending so much time with them has also meant that I have the opportunity to ride around with them from time to time, and one Sunday afternoon we went on a four-hour ride through the beautiful Tanzanian countryside. We’ve also adapted quite a convenient routine for our evenings, as Scott and I will combine resources to make dinner, which either Josh or I usually cook. It’s been a bit of an adjustment to go from spending so much time with girls to being constantly surrounded by Scott and Josh, but we’ve had a great time!

As my departure grows ever nearer, I find myself with mixed emotions about going home. Excitement at seeing friends and family, joy for the wonderful experience I’ve been so fortunate to have, sadness at leaving so many great friends behind, and uncertainty for what lies ahead. It will be difficult to say goodbye to everyone this week, and I’m not sure that I know how. I feel I’ve grown up so much over these past 8 months, and I know that I’ve become a stronger person. This time has been challenging, enriching, heart-wrenching, and amazing all at the same time, and I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to come here. As I told my friends and colleagues at my going away dinner, The Carpenter’s Kids and Tanzania have made themselves a permanent place in my heart, and I will not ever forget them. I have no doubt that I will return here in the future, and I hope that time isn’t too far away. My thousands of photos and blog entries will help me to remember the details that I may forget over time, but I will never forget the kindness and hospitality of the Tanzanian people, the smiles and laughs of our Carpenter’s Kids, or the stunning beauty and rugged appeal of this place. I will leave here with a full heart and fond memories of all I have done and seen, and with the knowledge that I have been forever changed.