Living and traveling with purpose is rewarding. I encourage anyone to branch-out beyond “just going somewhere to relax” and dive into a local scene with the intention of learning more about another way of life. So often, people travel to a destination, take a car to a walled-off resort, then get shuttled back to the airport, never really having stepped foot in the place.
Grating fresh coconut the Ecuadorian way: sitting on a wooden board with a toothed metal scraper on the end. A tray on the ground to catches the shredded meat. Similar tools exist in other tropical cultures around the world.
“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” ― G.K. Chesterton
The purpose of a trip can be to find relaxation, as many seek when they travel, and can be even more enjoyable with a focus in mind, such as an activity or project. Checking out the cuisine, surfing the waves or helping with a community project are ways I have gotten to know people, a place, a culture.
Stepping outside the comfort zone also helps me appreciate home a little more. We are so fortunate to have been born in this country, with safe drinking water, quality education and a social safety net to catch most who fall. We are rich in freedom, resources and conveniences beyond belief.
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
Traveling can be an education in life, whether a quick weekend trip or long journey with no specific destination. I have learned volumes from many teachers along the way. Change is good, and when you’re on an adventure, you often try new things and learn a little more about yourself.
Much of what I share on west is about experiences in places I spent enough time to get to know the place, whether working in a kitchen or catching a few waves.
A very common roadside scene in Tanzania. Small trees are cut and burned to make charcoal for families to use for cooking fires. Some pack grass around the charcoal to keep it dry, others forgo the grass in favor of stacking the bundles higher. It is amazing what gets hauled around on bicycles (photo essay coming soon).
Recently, I traveled to Tanzania with my partner, E, and enjoyed a mix of work and play. E was there to contribute solar knowledge and time to a huge education and IT project with USAID. I tagged along to take some pictures, write, and take quick trips away from our base in Dar es Salaam.
The primary school students, especially the boys, loved posing for photos, then seeing themselves on the instant playback. They would point to the screen and excitedly say “mimi,” which is “me” in Kiswahili.
One highlight of my journey was traveling with E to Mtwara, Tanzania for a system installation and grand re-opening of a Teaching Resource Center. It was a big week for the TZ21 project and an opportunity to explore another region of the country. Mtwara (pronounced mm-TWA-ruh) was really hot and dry, with contrasting bursts of color here and there. Mango trees loaded with ripe fruit (3 varieties!), brilliant blues in a wide bay, Christmas trees in full bloom, drastic tides, dusty earth, fresh cashews, bicycles, baobabs and curious children. For the full story, click here.
I love sailing and life on or near the water. The local sailboat is called a dhow and comes in various styles, which I enjoyed seeing as I visited various parts of Tanzania. Here, a dhow cruises into the harbor ringed by mangrove and baobab trees.
I gladly returned home to a comfortable, mosquito-free bed, cooler temperatures, friends, my dog, my kitchen, home. While generally an avoider of most-things-winter, I am actually enjoying the weather and slow pace of life in the Pacific NW during this time of year. It is a breath of fresh air compared to the hot, rowdy city. Riding the bliss of a good adventure, I am carried through gray days filled with gratitude. It also helps to have an early-spring surf trip on the horizon….
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