Hujambo! Mambo! Sikamoo! Welcome to Tanzania.

After 30+ hours of traveling, we finally arrive. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania is nothing like I expected...but to be honest, I really had no idea what to expect. Immigration was not only simple but well organized and the officers were kind, a shock for me as I expected a system similar to what I experienced in the Philippines or Mexico, long waits and confusing officers providing conflicting information on the necessities to enter the country.

 (Photo credit: The amazing Eric Lafforgue...my hero and inspiration for photography. Check out his works at http://www.ericlafforgue.com)

Upon walking out the door into a humid cloud of heat, we were greeted by our incredibly friendly driver from AMREF, Hezron. As we joked about the immense amount of clothes the two of us girls had packed, we piled into the jeep and prepared for the long journey into the city. I'm sure this drive would take no more than 20 minutes, but with peak hour traffic, congested streets and the no rules of the road driving, it took us closer to an hour and a half to reach our hotel.

I was shocked to see how developed the city is. Granted we have seen a very limited amount of the city, I have only seen one person of "destitute" status, sitting on the side of the road and have only been referred to as "mzunga" on a piece of paper for my new cell phone.

What we have been blessed with so far, is the incredibly amazing Tanzanian friendliness. Open and welcoming, the Tanzanian people go well beyond the call of duty to make you feel at home. While we have yet to meet our coworkers at AMREF, we have already experienced the utmost in hospitality from the friendly desk workers at our hotel to the amazing family connection we have from a friend back in Canada.

I greatly look forward to the next 6 months in Tanzania, exploring the culture and the scenery. I'm kicking myself for not having brought my camera, but I just couldn't stand the thought of losing it.

Kwa Heri,

iGlobal Citizen.