Letters from the fatherland: Where my life began…

‘Oyster Bay’ was the neighbourhood I lived in during my stay at Kibong’oto Infectious Diseases Hospital. The name comes from a famous and affluent neighbourhood in the city of Dar es Salaam.

Greetings! A few months ago I visited my old home in Moshi -- where my siblings and I grew up. For the first time since I came to Tanzania, I cried. Before my trip, I had imagined that landing at the Kilimanjaro International Airport for the first time would bring tears to my eyes.

Greetings from Tanzania – the land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar! I can’t believe that I’ve already spent over two months here and am finally getting around to sending my updates! I have so much to write about and can hopefully convey all that I want to say about this beautiful country through my letters.

I have to admit that I’m in love with Kibong’oto! That small village that first captured my heart when I stepped there in January. I enjoyed its beautiful and calming environment.

During my time in Tanzania, one of the things that I came to realise is that daily challenges in every country are different. Of course, those living in the country have a more enlightened perspective than I do. During my brief stay in Tanzania, I came to appreciate the challenges that come with daily survival. I learned to embrace the challenges with a smile; as a way to persevere in a different environment.

Recently I wrote about the Serengeti National Park. Now I want to describe my experiences at the Ngorongoro Crater, where I spent a full day on safari.

Coffee beans have a rich history in Tanzania. Coffee was introduced to local farmers pre-independence by the Germans. Since the 1890s, coffee became an important source of income for local farmers.

Over the years, I have realized the power of collective team efforts. Communities are a great example of the strength that lies in collaborative efforts.

This column is dedicated to my childhood group of ten. It was a close-knit group of friends from the community which actually consisted of more than ten friends.