Homestays (with lots of photos!)

            Lesson of the day: you don’t need a whole lot to be happy or feel at home. This homestay experience was one to remember for a lifetime even though it only lasted a matter of hours. I was paired with a student named Germanus who is actually from the area and is a part of the SFS program because he has a degree in wildlife management from one of Tanzania’s universities. He speaks Swahili and Iraqw (the dialect of the people we were staying with), which made my life a lot easier, although I did get by with my Swahili! It was the Iraqw that I needed help with. And apparently the Iraqw language does not come easily – Germanus told me it takes years to understand and learn even when you are from an Iraqw-speaking family!

            We stayed with Mama Regina, a wonderful, joyful woman who lived only a few minutes from the camp site. She and her 16 year-old daughter Martina (Tina, for short) were the only ones home (Mama Regina’s husband was already out in the fields away from the house by the time we arrived in the morning). Immediately after arriving, we were given chai tea and I was given a traditional ‘kitenge’, which is a cover-up skirt that many women wear to protect their clothes when they are working around the house. I was also given a head wrap, which Germanus proudly told me “made me look like a traditional African woman”. It was such a warm gesture and I was honored and truly thankful for such kindness from people I had just met. But remember the lesson of the day and all of these moments will make sense.

            After getting the proper attire, I was put to work with Tina to sweep the front of the house, wash dishes left over from breakfast, get food for the cows from a sunflower field down the road, feed the cows, and then start lunch. I’ll tell you first hand – a woman’s work in an African household is no joke. Although the father or man of the house may be away earning money in the fields, an office, or any other employment, the woman is the rock and core of the family and its survival. While I was doing all those things, Germanus was taking pictures for me because he had very little to do. I told him he was the designated photographer because I was not going to let him get away with doing nothing! He did chop some firewood, but it still wasn't nearly as much as what I was assigned!

            Tina and I made conversation throughout the day very easily. She is in secondary school, and at that level, all classes (except Swahili) are taught in English. We talked about the differences between life in Tanzania and life in America (what kind of jobs there are, buildings, homes, animals, school subjects, etc.). She told me she loved biology and that she wants to be a community doctor, which I told her was a great idea.

            Lunch was delicious! It was made with produce and things that the SFS staff had bought for us to give to the host families – rice, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, carrots, cornmeal, oil, salt, sugar, and meat. We cut the vegetables, made the rice, and cooked the meat all in a small hut that consisted of two little cookers, a few stools to sit on while stirring, and some firewood. Out of that tiny kitchen came a comforting, home cooked meal that the four of us enjoyed (with chai tea, of course!)

            After lunch, we rested outside for a while and chatted. Mama Regina spoke little English, but we understood each other perfectly. In a situation like this one, all you really need to know is ‘please’, ‘thank you’, and ‘good’. All of which I knew and didn't need Germanus' help with, so Mama Regina was very pleased about that! When we had rested enough, we took a walk down to another house, which I was told was the home of Mama Regina’s husband’s family. Again, we were welcomed with tea and warmth – in both senses of the word because the sun was out in full blast. At the husband’s home, coffee beans, corn, and nuts were being harvested and collected. When we had finished our tea, we walked around the area for a bit and played with a few of the younger children.

            Returning to Mama Regina's, it was almost time to go back to camp. Tina and I finished doing dishes that were left over from lunch and talked again about our lives – as much as we could compare them! Later on, I took out my notebook and drew some pictures of the outline of the U.S., what skyscrapers looked like, the names of my parents (baba yangu and mama yangu!), and in the end I made her a paper crane, a house, and a box using my handy origami skills. She and Mama Regina were very impressed! After another cup of chai, we took a few more group photos and then it was time to leave.

            We, as a whole group, debriefed our experiences back at camp after dinner, talking about how everyone’s day went and some of the funny and unexpected things that had happened. Again I’ll say, and I cannot stress this enough, that life here is so much better than life in America. The cultural dynamic is one of a close community that is supportive, generous, and loving – which is probably why I fell in love with Africa the first time and why I keep coming back. It’s refreshing to be in a place where you are welcomed no matter where you have come from or what your status in the world may be. And in this household, where they had one bedroom, two cookers, four cows, three chairs, and a table – I felt like I belonged there. It was an unforgettable experience, and it has truly made me appreciate more than ever what it means to be part of a wonderful family and part of a loving community. 

Cleaning up the front area of the house with Tina

Tina and Mama Regina milking the cows to make the chai tea

Attempting to gather the cows' food the way Tina showed me to!

... And then feeding one of the baby cows!

Sorting through the grains of rice - while discussing favorite school subjects!

The final products of our cooking!

Coffee beans being collected at the father's family's house.

One of the cuties I found in the family's kitchen!

Tina with the paper crane I made her (one wing says "Tina", the other "Tess")

A picture with Germanus and Mama Regina - so thankful for her warmth and hospitality!