Julie Anderson, Volunteer in Tanzania

Julie Anderson, 34 years old, Volunteer in 2011

What did you enjoy most about your Quest experience?

This was a fantastic experience! The head teacher William and his wife Mary who I worked with in Grade 2 were EXTREMELY supportive! They were like our lifeline to Dar es Salaam when we couldn't communicate with our host family. They helped us plan our trip to Moshi and Arushi, took us to buy our bus tickets, and texted us on our trip to check-up on us and make sure everything was okay. Mary took us to church in Sinza with her too. They were our go to people for all our questions in the beginning and throughout our visit.

If I can make a request, I would like any of my program fees for donations to go to Grace Primary School and these individuals. I would love for fees to go towards an opportunity for these individuals to come visit school here in Canada in the future. They are so eager and open to learning more about our education system. I would like to stay connected to them and help them in any way I can. They were EXCEPTIONAL, as was the whole staff at the school. I have never had such a fantastic farewell, as what they planned on our last day. It was more than my school in Canada after working there numerous years! The allowed us the opportunity to talk to the staff as a little workshop too.

The host family with Justin, Maria, and Nelson were so friendly! Although we could not communicate well, as they knew very limited English, and we knew limited Swahili,they were so welcoming and friendly. It was difficult to ask questions in the beginning to things we weren't sure of in the house, but otherwise, it was a lovely house to be in. Maria called us in Moshi to check-up on us and when our taxi was mixed-up on directions back to the house after Zanzibar, we called Justin and he talked in Swahili to the driver. We were in a traffic jam down the street from the house, but we didn't realize it because it was dark. Justin told the driver he would be there in 3 minutes, and he walked over to take us home. We were so relieved to see him! I said "Asante sana!"

They took us out on the town one night too and to visit an adult school. The 3 of them took very good care of us and we both wanted to learn from each other. The sister/mother did not return until our last Monday, but it changed the dynamics in the house. It had felt like we were a family or roommates together....as Nelson was 18, Maria 22 and Justin 35, with Caitlin 28 and myself 34 together. We would play cards/our game with Nelson in the evening too. We were hanging out together and it worked well. It was difficult getting to know someone new in the last week, but we did settle a little more with the sister/mother later in the week when she offered to take us out and around....and to get our nails done.

Thank you for the wonderful home, great bedroom and kind family!

Tell us how you feel overall about your experience.

My Tanzania experiences was both challenging and enlightening. The new environment was a huge challenge, but the people and my cultural experiences taught me so much about life and those that the Western world may see as having very limited resources, have so much joy and faith within them, they rise above their circumstances.

We could learn a lot from our fellow human-beings and I think it is about finding a balance of each world in this life. We are more alike than different. It seems that they feel they have so much to learn from us, but who is to say our world is better - as I told them, it's just different. A local said they are 'upside down'. Are they? Maybe it's about a balance being their faith, and our health and technological advancements. We have so much to learn from each other....if only we could all recognize that. In this world we are all more alike as human beings, than different. The people made my experience! Thank you to Tanzania and Dar es Salaam, and every local that warmly welcomed me each day on my journey to school. It was a huge change when I got there, but the people were wonderful! Thank you.