Wapenzi jarida- Dear Journal

Wapenzi jarida,

I’m not really sure what I am supposed to say about him. I cannot even attempt to capture his character into words. He is so hard working- or I suppose I should say was. He was so hard working. Every morning when I woke up at sunrise to pray he would be heading out the door. I can not recall a single morning where my father did not hug me goodbye. He is the person I strive to be like everyday. He has showed me how life is supposed to be lived. It is supposed to be filled with laughter, love, hard work, and studies.  

Laughter

Not everyone saw the hilarious side of my father. When we went out in public he was a serious and respectful man. You could see how wise he was by simply watching the way he walked. Confident with his head held high, My Dad could have been perceived as humorless.  

Although this was not the case at all. In the evenings he would burst through the door sweating from work. I could always expect to see a grin spreading from ear to ear. Eager to hear about my day he would not stop asking questions. I would tell him all of my stories and he would laugh at all of the parts that were (supposed to be) funny. He would give advice about my problems. Most importantly, though, he would just listen to me talk about my life. Every night before bed he would make up these silly stories that put me to sleep laughing.

Love

I know that my father loved me. He would look at me with his huge brown eyes and smile. He never had to say it, but I knew. I knew that my Dad loved me and I do believe that he still does. He worked for me. Every single day he would walk 6 blocks to work in the kitchen at the U.S. Embassy. I have only seen him work once but it looks like a difficult job. When I asked what part of his job he liked best, he always told me he loved the feeling of working for others. Not only did he serve people in the kitchen, he also worked to provide for my mother and I. When he worked to help me, he made me feel appreciated and cared for.

Hard Work

As I have mentioned earlier, one of the most admirable characteristics about my Dad was the way he worked. He would never give up, whether it was fixing something at the house or maintaining a relationship with my mother- he persevered. He was born into a poor family but he worked hard at school and even took culinary classes. His work ethic was the primary reason he made it all the way to the U.S Embassy kitchen.

Studies

My Dad worked so hard in school. His parents were illiterate and he had to give up many of his meals so his parents could afford to send him to school. He loved reading. He he would read every word he saw and say it over and over until he was confident he had it memorized. He read everything from signs, books and maps, to menus and food labels. His reading ability put him far above all of his classmates in school. He got the opportunity to take several culinary classes at the University of Dodoma. He has encouraged me in my school work. He has read to me since I was very young. He also pushed me to learn English because he spoke it so well. He helped me develop an even greater appreciation for the school I have access to.

He was truly a beautiful soul. And now he is gone. August 7, 1998 that is the day he left me. I don’t know exactly how he died and I will never understand why. But he was working when the car bomb exploded and I will never get to say goodbye. But he is gone from my life and I must accept that. It is not fair and I don’t understand. Why does Al-Qaeda hate us so much? What did my father do? Why do I deserve this? It is not fair and will never stop trying to understand.

Now this is not me- not even close. Although, if I were a child living in Tanzania in the late 1990’s, it could be my story.  I was writing from the perspective of a 13 year-old girl who lost her father in the Al-Qaeda car bombing bombed at the U.S Embassy. The explosion killed 224 people and wounded over 5,000.  She spoke swahili and the opening line “Wapenzi jarida” translates into “Dear journal.” She was Islam; I attempted to allude to this when I wrote that she prayed at sunrise. She felt very fortunate to go to school and understood that being respectful was very important. These are parts of the story that are non-fiction and are found frequently throughout the country of Tanzania.

Although this girl I wrote about was a fictional character, I believe that some people in Tanzania have had experiences similar to the one I described. I think that some of the children I will be working with this summer will have gone through very rough times just like her. I know that the country we are traveling to is one of the poorest countries in terms of income per capita. I can infer that some children will be sacrificing meals, new clothing, and family savings in order to attend school. This is part of the reason I am so excited to be a part of their learning environment.

Last summer, I witnessed many amazing things in Cambodia. One of the most stunning things I observed was that all of the students were so excited about school; they were very eager to learn. I am looking forward to meeting more students who inspire me to be appreciative for my education. The children we worked with were so excited to participate in the classroom games and asked question to make sure they pronounced every word correctly. This makes teaching so enjoyable. I know that the things we show them will help them in many ways and could greatly impact their future. That knowledge is enough to make me want to teach. Although, when I see that the kids are interested about the information, it makes me more passionate about the subjects. I am confident that the children in Arusha will have the same attitude towards learning as the students in Cambodia did. I can not wait to stand in front of another classroom full of students who are prepared and thrilled to learn.

Fundraising is going very well. I have just finished raising 50% of the money required for this experience. I have worked dog walking, dog sitting, and babysitting in my spare time.  All of my work has been worth it already because it has helped me improve my time management and accountability. I am very excited for this trip and know that it will help me grow in many ways.