The Reader’s Digest condensed version of my first year in Africa…

I have been in Tanzania exactly 1 year and 8 days. These are the things that I know to be true….

• I miss my children, Kayce, Max and Zane tremendously!

• I am blessed with loving and caring for 69 children between the ages of 1 month to 14 years

• I have a huge Texas accent that makes my Swahili sound ridiculous such as when I say Kariboo it comes out like Cara boooooo

• I get sick a lot, but only with minor things such as Hook worm (4 times), Giardia (2 times), Diarrhea (52 times, that is very conservative) :0, Cold (1 time) 100’s of mosquito bites and thousands of wadodo (bug) bites, however I have never had Malaria (knock on wood), no ringworm and no funzas! I attribute my lack of Malaria to my consumption of boxed red wine ( just kidding)


• I have lost 38 lbs in the past year and continue to loose weight


• I have helped teach three children to walk


• Many children to speak


• One child to the ability to hug and love someone other than Mama India


• I have met and enjoyed over 140 volunteers and have come to love many of them, I have cried when they left and have formed a lifelong bond with a few


• I have laughed a lot and cried a little. The children think my laugh is hysterical, which then really makes me laugh even harder!


• I enjoy my day to day existence immensely


• I have become great friends with the Tanzanian Senior staff and they have taught me a lot about myself and the culture here in Tanzania


• I have learned to be patient and realize that Tanzanian’s don’t have the same sense of time as the Americans do…i.e. 20 minutes to a Tanzanian usually means 2 to 3 hours!


• There is no such thing as looking at something in black and white, here everything is grey


• I have come to know all 82 staff members by name and a lot of their stories. The mamas in particular. They are so special and work so hard, many of which have their own children at home.


• I am proud to say that not one pair of pants I have from America fits me and I even had to go to the market to buy second hand clothing, which is so cool.


• I have met people of all races and religions and especially different political philosophies and have realized that none of it matters here, because it is all about the children!


• I have worn makeup 6 times in the past year, 4 of which happened when I was in the states. What a freeing experience!


• I can drive beautifully on the “wrong” side of the road and haven’t hit a goat or cow yet!


• I don’t have many material things anymore, an am happier than I have ever been before with the exception of the birth of my children.


• I miss David, my parents, my sister Kimberly, my brother Paul and his family, I miss my friends from home, but somehow being here at the children’s village makes it all easier to deal with


• I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth and am in constant awe of its splendor


• I have come to realize that Tanzanians are a hearty group of people, there are over 120 tribes in this country and they live in peace. Death is an ever present part of life here and despite that, they are a very happy group of people.


• My sons, Max and Zane, are Marines and are both in the process of being deployed. Living here has taught me to appreciate even more than ever their sacrifice for our country and way of life. It has made me understand a little what it must feel like to live in a place where injury or death is all around you. I am so proud of them and know they are well trained and will come back to me again.


• I have learned how brave and selfless my daughter Kayce is and how much she has sacrificed and she does it all with a smile. She is such a good person and I am so proud of the women she has become!


• I have realized I have screwed up a lot in life and with my children, but in the end they have turned out to be wonderful people, accept my idiosyncrasies and love me regardless and unconditionally.


• And last but not least I have learned that I don’t need much in the way of material things, what I do need is to give myself and my love to those who need it, even those who think they don’t need it.

If the next year is anything like the last, then I am truly blessed, because this is the experience of a lifetime. My heartfelt thanks and love go out to everyone who has made this past year so spectacular and have supported me even though it may seem like it is a little “crazy”

I love you all!

Tracie

PS – For those of you who know me, I even get to watch Predator on my laptop in bed with a bowl of popcorn!!