You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Rotary’ tag.
I sadly left Tofo after 6 days to head to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, for a Rotary meeting. Maputo was a surprisingly nice city. I spent two days there; I attended a Rotary and Rotaract meeting, enjoyed live music in the evenings, and wandered around town with someone I ran into who I knew from Kiva (small world).
But I really missed Tofo. I missed Johnny. I missed not wearing shoes at all – even to the bars at night. I missed the tranquility of the town. I missed the beautiful sunrises over the ocean and sunsets over the palm tree forest. I missed the friendly greetings, conversations and laughs with the locals. I missed chatting with the kids selling bracelets on the beach. I missed the hammocks at Fatima’s. And I missed the friends I made who work in Tofo.
If I really pushed Jo’burg to the last minute, I had three days to kill. In Africa, with its vast distances, three days isn’t much. But the beauty of traveling by myself and with no itinerary is that I can be spontaneous (i.e. returning to Uganda) and sometimes even crazy. In this case, I missed Tofo enough to do something crazy – go back! We are talking an uncomfortable 9-hour bus ride that departs Maputo at 5:30am and arrives in Tofo at 2:30pm. And then, approximately 38 hours after arriving, boarding a bus at 4am to return to Maputo. Was it worth it? Absolutely! I’d do it again in a heartbeat. And to top it off, the following day I took a 10-hour bus ride to Johannesburg.
Teaching the kids how to use a camera. Not a bad shot, huh?
After 3 nights in Vilanculos, I headed a few hours south to Tofo. I was really excited to visit Tofo because there is a lot of hype about it and it is the place I was trying to visit four years ago when I got in that car accident.
My initial thought upon arrival was, “what in the world am I going to do here for 6 days?!?!” It is just a beach, and I get bored sitting around. When I asked other tourists how long they had been in Tofo, the shortest response was a week. After staying in Tofo for the 6 days, I understood too. I had to leave to meet with the Rotary club in Maputo, but I could definitely stay here for an eternity.
The View from Tofinho Point
The Hammocks at Fatima's Backpackers
In a quick decision just before Risa left, I sent home all of my stuff except for a backpack. Including my laptop, which is why I’m so behind in blogging. I wanted to be mobile in order to travel. Right when I got back from Zanzibar, I packed up all my stuff and said goodbye to Dar, my apartment and friends.
My apartment in Dar
Tuesday morning I took a 10-hour bus ride to Arusha. I spent a day there to attend a Rotary meeting and see John, our safari guide from when my family came to visit. On Thursday I was heading to Kenya. I felt a pang of sadness to be leaving Tanzania after spending the last 8 months here. I would miss the friendly “hellos” from strangers on the street. I would miss speaking Swahili. And I would miss living in a place I had learned to understand and grown to appreciate.
Tanzania can be frustrating. The people here can be frustrating. Because I don’t blend in, I’ve never made it through a day without being hassled, whether it is a sleezy guy calling me fiancé, or the conductor on the bus trying to overcharge me because he thinks I don’t know the real price. Just when I’m completely fed up with this place, someone or something redeems it. This time, it was the Iringa Rotary Club.
My funding for the year is coming from a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship. Rotary is a worldwide humanitarian organization that focuses on fellowship and service. As an ambassadorial scholar, one of my requirements (and my favorite part) is to present to Rotary Clubs in my host district.
When in Iringa, I had the opportunity to meet with the Rotary Club there. It had been a rough day, but when I arrived at the meeting my mood did a complete turnaround. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly! They gave me ample time to speak about the work I am doing in microfinance, and everyone joined in the discussion by asking thoughtful and challenging questions. Although a small club with less than ten active members, they have carried out projects that significantly help their community. For example, in collaboration with a Rotary Club in Sarasota, Florida, they opened an internet library that is free to all secondary students. It is clear that the members of the club are committed to Rotary and doing good in their community. Overall, I was impressed that such a small club can do such great things!
Presenting a Hightstown-South Brunswick [NJ] Rotary banner to Angelina of the Iringa Rotary Club
The Rotary sign as you enter Iringa
