Eyes Unveiled: When Following a Dream Leads to Your Destiny

by Nadia Murphy (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown Tanzania

There I sat, a mesmerized eight-year-old; watching the movie Sarafina in awe and wondering if South Africa truly existed. I was captivated by the music, dancing, languages, and vibrant colors. As I got older, I learned more about the complex history beyond what I saw and understood on the television screen, and my fascination increased. I vowed to visit one day. When I entered college, the study abroad program sparked my interest. I was focused on spending a semester in South Africa. Unfortunately, my parents refused to finance a semester abroad, particularly to a country that they were not familiar with. Though I did not have their approval, during my final semester, I decided to inquire about this course. I ended up in an information session surrounded by strangers and practically salivating as the professor discussed what I thought was a trip to South Africa. When he announced that the official language in Tanzania was Swahili, I thought to myself, “Tanzania?” Unbeknownst to me, I was in the wrong room. The session on South Africa was down the hall. The Tanzania course was scheduled to commence in a month. However, my interest was piqued, and I decided to stay until the end of the presentation. Once it ended, I spoke with another student and found out that she was at the wrong presentation as well. However, she also became interested in Tanzania, and we decided to abandon our previous plan and take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to us. It was a scary yet exciting decision. This journey opened my eyes and made me want to see the rest of the world. The next few weeks were spent making arrangements for our departure. When we arrived, we were taken to a community center created by former civil rights activists from the United States. The center was established to assist the community with job opportunities, computer literacy, and English classes. It was a humbling experience to serve in this capacity. As a form of gratitude, on the final day, we performed in a talent show for the community. For the first time, I shared some of my poetry with others. Afterward, I was invited to perform at a concert the following evening. We spent the next week at a hotel in the city of Arusha. While there, I was able to experience urban life, and we were able to provide a low-income school with an improved septic system. The smiles on the children’s faces melted my heart. Part of the course involved raising money for this before our departure. During the third week, I took advantage of an opportunity to spend a few days with an indigenous ethnic group called The Massai. One of my best memories was sharing my bed with a baby calf. The Massia were extremely protective of their cattle as it provided them with daily sustenance. We were told that it was also used for currency and important rituals. I felt as if I were in a dream the entire time. During this week, we also spent a day with an indigenous group of hunters and gatherers called the Hadzas. We were able to observe their daily routine and partake in some activities such as hunting. Our fourth week was spent camping in tents on a safari. I fell in love with all the animals I saw. All except the Hyenas. It was especially scary at night because we could hear them cackling due to their proximity. We ended the week doing a partial hike up Mount Kilimanjaro. I had symptoms of the flu that day, so it was a challenge, but in the end, the summit was worth it. This course was designed for us to experience living amongst various economic classes, cultures, and landscapes. It caused me to be more open-minded when making life decisions, and since then, when faced with challenges, I often found myself thinking, “If I can climb Mount Kilimanjaro with the flu, I could get through anything.” Tanzania will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I will always share this experience with people who desire to explore the world but are hesitant.