Everything changes

I had every intention of heading to Kigoma by today, which lies in the far far west of the country. Then I discovered that it is not advised, and quite nearly impossible to venture the thousand miles by road. And the train route is only for those 'who value not their comfort, nor their possessions.' So, I decided to fly. Air Tanzania is the only airlines who makes the flight to Kigoma and had not been operating for over a week because of heavy rains. I heard this through word of mouth, since the ticketing office number was out of service. So, I went there today and discovered that there are no flights until the end of the week.
Everything changes, and so must I.

Luckily I felt inspired by a beautiful interaction with some students today. It was the first school day I have had since my arrival! Finally all the beautiful kids out in their pressed uniforms, white shirts and pleated shorts/skirts. As I was taking the ferry into the city I met three girls who go to Kigamboni Secondari, they must have been about 14. At first they were shy with me, but slowly slowly we began talking opening in a mixture of Swahili and English. Soon, we were friends. The motto at their school is 'education is freedom,' as written on the pocket of their school shirts, beneath the emblem. One of the girls began excitedly telling me about her view on her country, the corrupt nature of the government, problems of poverty, the need for education. She tells me the definition of 'absolute poverty' in perfect rote recollection. She wants to be a lawyer and I am already convinced that she is able.

I don't know much about the current Tanzanian government, but I am beginning to hear things. I hear that it isn't very different from the last one. And from my brief time here thus far I can see that there haven't been great infrastructural changes. For example, as I am talking to these girls we are on a ferry. For more than 10 years there has been plans and funding available for a bridge to be built over the small waterway that separates this peninsula from Dar Es Salaam - however there has been no headway. So, these girls, like the thousands of other people that cross the water using the ferry - spend a great portion of their day lining up and waiting to cross for work or school. It is just one small example of unrealized government-backed development. But now, crossing the ferry in the sun, talking to the girls about their views on education I am also grateful that we have this time shared together to talk.

As I cannot go to Kigoma this week, I will go to Arusha tomorrow to see an old friend in the foothills of Mount Meru. I look forward to talking to more students there.