Talk about lost in translation. It's difficult to put into words what kind of place Tanzania is.

As soon as I stepped foot outside of the airport, I was swarmed by people (mostly men) who either wanted to greet me or offer me a ride to wherever I needed to go next. Luckily, I spotted a man with a badge who looked somewhat like a legit taxi driver. First impressions of Tanzania...there are absolutely NO traffic laws. I thought Washington DC was bad, this is a whole new level. There are no street signs and from what I saw, no traffic lights. Cars were driving on the sidewalk trying to cut in front of one another, people were walking on or alongside the highway, and bicycles shared the road just as much as the cars. I asked a Zanzibari man how often there are accidents and he told me that two months ago, seven people died in one accident. Bottom line, it is madness in the streets.

Although the city looks rundown and most of the buildings look deserted, it undoubtedly has a charming side. I'm currently in Zanzibar and Zanzibaris are so friendly, almost too friendly--I've been courted at least twice a day since I've arrived. As I walk through the streets, I try and practice my Swahili by greeting people. Most of the children respond with "mzungu!" which means "white" and then will pose for their picture to be taken. There are so many children here! I was talking to a Zanzibari man about my family and he told me that he has 8 brothers and sisters and that was considered an average family size...he said his friend has 18. They go by the saying "a rich man has money, a poor man has his children".

Markets are what make up the city. There are vendors on every corner and markets down every alley. Yesterday was my first time in the Stone Town market, I decided to buy a kanga which is an African fabric so that I could tie my hair up...it's the dry season here so water is scarce and I still have yet to shower since my arrival.

Today when my friends and I were walking around the market again, we ran into the same vendors that we bought our kangas from. They decided to take a break from work and hang out with us, they bought me and my friends our first cup of sugar cane juice and gave us a tour of all the markets. Afterward, they invited us back to their home and told us they wanted to cook a Tanzanian meal for us so we accepted their offer. Although I would never go back to a stranger's home in the states, I was quick to trust my new friends, Ahmad, Ahmud (definitely mixed them up), and Ali. The meal they made us was basically boiled bananas in coconut milk with onions, tomatoes, and peppers. It was one of the best things I've ever tried, no joke.

I've met many Zanzibaris since I've been here, for the most part they're all men. One of the men I met was wearing a UCLA hat and I asked if I could take a picture with him. I told him we were from California and he had no idea where that was. I then told him my school, the hat that he was wearing, is in California. He simply responded by saying he got his hat in Japan. Most of the Zanzibaris do not know where California is, however one man identified California as the home of Tupac. When my friends and I try and speak Swahili the Zanzibaris are amazed that American universities teach Swahili. They think it is "so awesome" as one man put it. I learned today that their slang for "cool" is "fresh" (shawari).

One last thing, aside from the craziness of the markets and the chaos in the streets, I'm awaken every morning at 5:30 or so (around sunrise) by a prayer calling. Zanzibari is almost entirely Muslim and there are about 50 mosques within Stone Town alone.

Tomorrow I will head to Paje which is a smaller beach town where I will be for the next four days before I head to Arusha to begin teaching.

Packing. Unpacking. Repacking. For the last four years, I have been in transit. Upon graduating from college, I decided that I was not quite ready to settle down in one place. As my friends continue onto graduate school and/or the working world, I decided (once again) to pick up my things and head somewhere new.

I began this blog as a way to document my life in transit. Tomorrow I leave for Tanzania where I will be for the next few months. Although I will only be overseas for a short amount of time, I think this trip will be one of the most meaningful experiences I have had. I tend to forget how I feel in certain moments in time or certain conversations, the little things that make up the whole. I hope this blog will serve as an insight to my life in a different place and provide some perspective for those seeking it.

I am going to Tanzania with a student-led non-profit called One Heart Source where I will teach HIV/AIDS awareness to children. When I leave tomorrow from SFO, I will fly into Dar es Salaam on Saturday where I will then take a ferry to Zanzibar. I'll be in Zanzibar for a week before heading back to Dar es Salaam where I will then take a 10 hour bus to Arusha and meet up with the other people of One Heart Source and from there, I will begin my teaching.

Bags are packed, goodbyes have been said. My next update will be from across the Atlantic!