After lunch, we got in the jeep and drove out of Ndanda. Two years ago, after our epic bargaining with the wood carver (which ended with one of the carvers coming to Joe's house to apologize) we had driven out of Ndanda. I thought that there was not a chance in hell that I would ever be back to southern Tanzania. And yet, here we were.
What I am just begining to understand after spending a day with Peace Corp workers and ex-pat's is how normal Joseph's experience was in Tanzania. These American kids are plopped down in the middle of a totally different and foreign culture, with three months of rudimentary training. And the volunteers are young and resilient and at the top of their game. They take off; they implement ideas, and teach advanced level university courses, and teach and innovate like crazy Americans. The volunteers are also energetic in exploring new places; or keeping up with all the other volunteers. It really is a powerful American community overseas; and these individuals are the face of America to the world.
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