A Family Reunion in Dar

Just finished up a wonderful two weeks with the Family Ford. School had a midterm recess and so during our week off we travelled north to Arusha where we went on safari to see the wildebeests and other wild beasts of this fine land. Despite the draught the country is experiencing due to the late arrival of the BIG rains, the wildlife was magnificient.

After four days in the north we headed back south into the heat of Dar es Salaam. In Dar, I was able to share with my family both the work I have been doing over the last year and my life outside of school - my friends, the neighbours, the boys who run the dukas. Watching my family interact and meet these wonderful people who have so warmly welcomed me into their lives and who extended the welcome to my mother and brothers and sisters provided a gentle reminder of what a grace this experience has offered. I was overwhelmed by the generosity we witnessed, whether from my sixth grade boys who performed a wonderful skit poking fun at my classroom demeanour, or the sixth grade girls who together gifted my mother a khanga, or our friends, the Mtengas, who kindly opened up their little home to share an afternoon meal with us.

In meeting my friends and their families we had everything from family sit-down meals to singing and dancing at Gonzaga to late-night chips followed by a photo bonanza with our host, a mama who late arriving after coming from a town hall "meeting" at a local watering hole. And through it all, as my family bravely trooped through sunrise wake-up calls and squeezed into dala dalas, always with room for one more, each gathering in its uniqueness helped shed light on the time between family reunions.

Sometimes, I was able to appreciate areas in which I have grown as I shared eating lessons with Anthony or washing lessons with Gina or language lessons with Lucie. Other times, and perhaps more importantly, the light exposed areas where I still have much room to expand my horizons and ask question and explore the roots of my Canadian tendencies as when I found myself waiting impatiently for food with Michael, wondering how the operation might run more efficiently or when pondering some of the social injustices with my mother.

After having said goodbye this past Saturday and through a brief reflection of the last 13 days spent in close company, I look back and feel genuinely blessed and rejuvenated by their visit and the time shared together and look forward to having this as a backdrop for further conversations upon returning northward.