I sit on my chair, gazing at the stars, I think back to when, as a child, I only found myself in these situations when I was anticipating a tasking day or an impossible assignment and attempted to map my way to solace somewhere in the stars. I think to the months leading to my departure, the nights throughout the duration of the predeparture intensive that led to the creation of the “Perfect Storm”. Truly, as I always assumed, the picture of the sky isn’t really that different from either side of the world. Thankfully, this feeling connects me with the guardian angels back in US America whose prayer songs serenade me late in the night and into the day. Except well, here, there aren’t as many stars waving their torches to the tune of my heart. But that’s okay because all the same, I think of you and my heart is full.

If, for a moment, you could imagine yourself erect, gently swaying to the soft heat cloaked breeze with a complimentary brush on each check from mother nature’s makeup kit of minerals and sedimentary particulate matter. You have only 20,000 shilling ($10.00USD) in your right pocket, but that doesn’t matter to you, that can last you a week here. We joke about how great that would be in dollars, with enough shilling we could be millionaires, right?  Well, we can dream. Now, lift your eyes to the sky, to Mount Meru, she is beautiful, isn’t she?

Thought so, karibu.

‘Mambo Rafiki Angu’

‘What’s up friend?’

*cough* ‘wewe sasa sema poa.’ *winks*

‘You now say cool.’

You okay there? *laughs*

Look, the sun is setting to our right…

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But now, picture a night sky, black as sin on one side, but with the most innocent demeanor. Picture, yourself, still, on the dusty beaten path of Ngusero, facing the sleeping beauty of volcanoes, Miss Meru and throw the stars to the right. Now, you too have seen the world in which I live, to some extent. The land that is now my second home, Tanzania.

To be able to sit here at 11 PM and just gaze at the stars is entrancing bliss.  Here, I have found a peace I’ve never known. I effortlessly procure a laugh. I even would venture to argue that I sleep with a smile on my face. Perhaps not, but I dare say my mind is defying all laws of physics in respect to gravity. In the days I find myself dancing, yet, even Anna Bennett can tell you from our adventures in Madagascar, that is not my prowess. But, often, I can’t help but ask myself, ‘How did everything become so simple, so straight forward?’  ‘How did I get so lucky?’

This time last year, I would be starring at my ceiling hoping to secure comfort in the success of a band performance or college acceptance. Now, those things seem so small to me. Here there are two phrases, two codes, essentially, the first and last chapter to the guidebook for survival in Tanzania and they are as follows:

1. Pole pole-

• Verb or adjective depending on context: slow or to go slowly slowly.
• Origin: Tanzania

Once, a few weeks ago (the days blur together here), I was running as fast as I could (without making myself noticed) to get to the music shop where I would be having my ukulele restrung. I darted through the daladala stop with ease, no one took one glimpse…Or so I thought.

As I slowed my pace to approach the turn that lied before me, I heard the soft echo of an elderly man’s voice in my ears, “Slow down, pole pole.” He called. I laughed at myself. ‘What was I doing?’ I was only a few minutes away from the store, it would be there for me. But I guess I still have this ancient mentality from my youth, in which I always assumed it’s best to be 10 minutes early. That if you are late, panic is the remedy that will light your path to achievement.

Now, that isn’t true, especially not here. I have lived here for five months, but yet I still manage to act as a tourist, I cannot believe it.

I know, you are probably asking yourself, why does any of this matter, what is so significant about this little instance? Well, let me challenge you.

Grab a pen, or well, a metaphysical one if need be. Paper too. Now, write down three of the most important things you have to do or have done today. Now, think of the things you would loved to have done today, don’t say them out loud, I don’t need to know. You may say, I took a test, I spent time with friends, and I cooked dinner for my family. Some adults may say, I dropped off my kids, I went to work, and later I will cook  dinner. But others may even say, I don’t know, this is weird and I don’t know where she is going with it.

My point is, when we recall these moments, I venture to argue that with most events, aside routine, we don’t take a second glance at the time.  Even for the things you enjoy, or wish you could have or be doing. The duration, the placement, I bet you didn’t write that in your personal schedule, and if you did, that’s okay.

Either way you go about writing your schedule, about planning your life. What you complete, what you did or didn’t do, all these things will be measured in moments, not time. I venture to argue, years from now, you may remember the day, but the hour, the minute, the second? No, probably not. But, you may remember the sensation, the feeling, that overwhelming sense of joy, achievement.

So, how does your schedule and mine intertwine? Well, I’m certain that we both share some common goals in life. Most of us want to achieve, to excel, to stand out, to have a life that meant something. Most want a life well lived. And reflecting on my childhood, one of the greatest regrets that I have is not making enough time for the things that I wanted to be doing. I didn’t make enough time for my friends, my family, sports, art, music. But, that was because I had a schedule that was so packed with academics that there was no time for anything else. Now, in the time I have been traveling through Tanzania and Madagascar, I have learned that I don’t use most of what I spent hours studying for. I do use the basics of English when I’m speaking, I use the basics of writing when I’m speaking to you. On occasion, I use math when converting from liters to gallons and kilometers to miles. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for the standard education I received. But, in all that learning, I seem to have failed to live in the present moment. That is not to say I don’t have great  memories of the drives to and from athletic events, or the joy of victory and the uneasy comfort from friends in our defeat. But in each of my memories, I am  constantly studying, consistently emphasizing the academic aspect of my schooling. During those moments, instead of watching my school’s team, my eyes would strain to wrap themselves around the glossy white, blinding pages of a textbook. Although I have been provided immense opportunity as consequence, I think I missed something.

Even though in studying I was able to go to bed earlier, and perhaps performed better on my assignments, I never made time to enjoy what was happening around me. I missed out on the victories of the teams, because then it didn’t matter. But now, when I look back, those are the things I remember the most. Things I wish I knew more about. Nevertheless, we cannot rewind the clock, grandfather time will not lend seconds to his grandchildren, no matter how anyone pleads. But, as each second passes, a new moment arrives, and I believe that even though there are things I wish I could change, I shouldn’t focus on them. I must look forward, and embrace the moment I have while its here. I shouldn’t rush ahead anticipating the future, because I will reach those moments in due time. So, when I hear “pole pole.” that’s what I feel, and that’s what reminds me I can control the pace at which I take my life, but if I go too fast and miss something, if I look too far ahead, I may miss the sensations around me, the meaningful memory in a moment.

Now, I don’t stress when I am running late, because well, that isn’t something I can control and I shouldn’t beat myself up about it. In fact, remember my tale I attached to the phrase, “pole pole”? Me rushing with baby Luna for her fine-tuning? Just as I slowed down, as I let the clock I was chasing race ahead, I heard the voice of a small child. She called to me, in a soft, angelic song, as Boo would call to her, “Mike Wazouski”. My heart bubbled over with warmth, I felt like the Grinch of it all. I dare say my heart even grew a bit. I teach children everyday, why was this one any different? In looking back, I suppose this is simply because, I knew there was a great opportunity I could have lost in my hurry. I could have carried on with my day, but I wouldn’t have had the chance to bring a smile, and earn one for myself. When I looked into her eyes, I immediately ran to her side. Her mother and I joked in Swahili a bit. Suddenly, I went from being her Mzungu, to her friend named in her mother’s words, “Mary, mother of Christ.” Her daughter, the beautiful angel pictured below, is named, Iesha. Iesha and I talked for a few moments and listened to music on my phone. By this point, I had entirely forgotten my prior obligations.  Although I did eventually head on my way, I left with a smile on my face. As I continued on, I turned to look back at her at least five times and with each turn about, her and I yelled, “BAAAAIII!” And shared a wave.

Now, I don’t live by time, because when I die, even the doctor won’t ask how I spent the seconds I lived, I will be pronounced based on the minute in which I died. Which, leads me to the next phrase I have adopted, which most of you have already heard, if not from me, from Disney’s, “The Lion King”.

1. Hakuna Matatta- No worries.

• Noun, life style.
• Origin: Tanzania / Lion King.

Sometimes, it’s easy to allow ourselves to worry about the seconds left on the clock. Often, that is understandable and in this day and era, is appropriate, in the United States at least.

However, in viewing the world through a different lens, I have found something different, something contrary to the notions society placed at my feet. Remember when I told you not to worry about the money in your pocket, well here, even those who have none, still find time to smile, to laugh and always make time to be with family. Why? Because everyone knows how short life is, and that we should make the most of the time we have been given. That isn’t to insinuate that people do not work here, I have encountered some of the hardest working individuals I may ever meet in my life.

But still, everyone finds time to smile, and how? Still, I am not quite sure, anytime I ask, I am just given the phrase, “TIA, Hakuna shida.” (Or something similar). Through the duration of my time here, I have tried to conjure the meaning to the phrase, and I think now, I somewhat have the right idea.

Hakuna means, without and shida simply means, problems. I know this language may seem a bit confusing, and this took me a while to decipher. However, I now realize, the meaning is simply that This Is Africa (TIA) so no problem or no worries. Everyone knows life isn’t perfect, but that isn’t what my friends are shooting for anyways. They want happiness, and peace. How do they do that? They appreciate what is given, take everything as a blessing. No one only focuses on the bad, because that devalues the good. Everyone takes life slow, and attains a more adept sense of rationality.

Personally, this mentality fascinated  and terrified me at first. How can anyone ignore the trials they are going through like that? Such a mentality is pure insanity.

I now realize, it isn’t about ignoring the toils and snares, but acknowledging them without emphasis, without detracting from the things in life that can be controlled, the moments and memories that equate to tranquility. Which, I think is something we all can learn from.

Had I not worried about my timing, I would have started the day slow, and perhaps been less sweaty when I wrapped my arms around Iesha in a great embrace. Had I not worried so much about my assignments, my achievements and my acceptance in school, I would have taken time slow and appreciated what I had before me, the people and moments that could have grown with me and shaped my matriculation and my development.

Remember the start of this anecdote? The part where I mentioned I had never allowed myself to relax, to reflect? Well, that’s because in my little world, I thought I had no choice if I wanted to be successful, to be happy.  I thought that I would be stronger and wiser, well-shaped for the mold I would fill in college and into society. Personally, I didn’t ever really like the way that cookie cutter image fit around me. I was never truly content…There was always something I was missing and I never quite knew what it was until I traveled here and lived through the pages of this guidebook.

But, I don’t think the little world I live in is that small after all. I have no doubt that you, like me have stressed over the inevitable, cried at the thought of the impossible and scoffed what’s too plausible. I have shared this account with you because well, as I mentioned earlier, you are here with me, and every traveler needs a guidebook. Of course, Mine isn’t perfect and most of the pages are withered and torn, and by no means is it hot off the press, there is still much work to be done, but I think I am off to a good start. In harnessing the two phrases I have garnered here, my life will be different. Perhaps better.

Now, when I reach the end of my life’s journey, I may never recall the days or seconds, but I will remember the feelings, the sounds; that glimmer of stars in the night sky, the beautiful song Iesha’s words were to me, and the joyful voice of the shop owner asking how my day had been as the woman relieved my Uke from my shoulder.

No one is made to fill one specific mold and no one guidebook is for everyone, but hopefully the words I could decipher for you here have taught you that you don’t have to focus on the second, the minutes you spent working towards something, but the feelings the experience instills. It’s okay to take life slow and take down worry. Stress can be healthy in small doses, but it should never define your daily life. It’s okay if you run too fast, but never forget to slow down, live in the moment you have and find time to appreciate the stars in your life.