My Stories: Arcadia Summer 2008

There is little difference in People but that little difference makes a BIG difference. The little difference is attitude, the BIG difference is whether it is POSITIVE or NEGATIVE.
-W.Clement Stone-
During my participation in Arcadia Program in Arusha there is a lot of "good news" and "bad news" which happened to me when I was with the group of white student. But good news is that I want to change those Bad News into good news by trying to be very Optimistic on that.
I was the only Tanzania student in the group and this gave me the chance of being useful in different matters because it was asumed that I understand the environment, I am not regret for that..its nice to be useful.
I was required to make some translation due to language barrier to both foreigners and indigenous, to give reliable information for some places and sometime to help in bargaining when we make some transaction something which I became reluctant in the following days after suffer some quencequences. You will come to understand later.
I must adimit that I look different, both as the member of the group in the class because of cultural differences and as the black person among the group of white people outside. Some of the natives in Arusha they consider me as a Tour Guide (Arusha is a Tourist Centre in Tanzania).
I still remember when some business men in the Massai Craft market were ready to offer me 10% if my fellows will buy in thier stores, they did not consider me as customer even though I was there to shop too. Its just a stereo type which prevailling there that the natives are not interested in home crafts, we have a long way to go in case of domestic tourism, my Instructor from Arcadia Alex Otieno would say we need "capacity builiding on that".
Indeed, I explicitly faced racial discrimination, it hurts me because it was done by fellow Tanzania, a guard at the shoprite mail when I was with three white fellas. The guy ordered me to surrender my hand bag at the counter while leaving my fellows untouchable with their backpack, when I asked him WHY he was just using force and threat that I must do as he said. Its crazy kind of the thing but I explained to him that I am the legal customer like everybody in the shop and if he want me to surrender my bag, he has to do the same to all customers in the shopping mail. I added to him that he must be ashamed for himself for entertaining stupidy stereotype that black people hide the stuffs in their bags once they let them come in, and if it is the shop bylaw to surrender the bag in parcel point it must be applied for all customers. Another bad news is that he did the same to my roomate Dan from Uganda and thanks to him as he decided to report the matter to the management. I expect some positive changes.
Theft has no colours, its personal attitude and no race is free from theft since the world began its just depend on the intensity, this is what makes the difference.
To make this story short I have to commment on the following: Its a shame to categorise people on the basis of their race and generalised their actions, if you fall on this trap count that you are not safe from RACISM. God created people differently to see how we can accept each other and work together to face our global challenges.
Another thing is that I`m proud of my country but I am affraiding with this kind of stereotype which prevailling in our society of value people according to their races, its unhealth for us because we will be the victim of our own actions in no time soon. Most of us are now victims of this attitude.
However, I appriciate the way the white students treated me and my friend Dan, it shows the great achievement in self realisation, I felt very safe and free to be with them that any one could imagine. I know they faced some problems in daily movements such as troubles from petty businessmen, taxi drivers, bus attendants and local people who were shouting "wazungu, wazungu" means "white people" I assume this is just a social transition and Tanzania is still a safe place for Foreigners and Tourists. Welcome to Tanzania, welcome to Arusha, thanks Arcadia University.

Archieve- Arcadia Summer 2008

"All our dreams can come true..........if we have the COURAGE to pursue them"
-Walt Disney-

We all have dreams, nice dreams! I can also call them goals. But the hurt truth is that the majority of us do not meet or pursue our dreams by ignoring the inner voice which encourage us to work on our dreams. There is no miracle on that, those people who pursue their goals they choose to pursue them instead of making a millions of wishes.
I have dreams too and I am learning the best way to pursue them wisely and thanks God I`m trying my best.
One of the greatest opportunity to my academic life at University of Dar es Salaam was to be chosen to participate the Arcadia University Summer Program 2008 at Nyerere Centre for Peace and Research in Arusha Tanzania. I was the only one Tanzanian student from my University, do you think I am be smattest student from Political Science and probably faculty of arts and social science? you are absolutely wrong if you think so.
May be you might say that I`M LUCK as most of people said to me. Ooh yes I believe in Luck but the fact is I don`t know how it works so I decide not to bank on it and I`m affraid for people who do.
I believe in this kind of LUCK, "cause and effect LUCK", the luck which needs you to work on it and realising what is your opportunities and good strategies to harvest them.
What happened for me is that, in my campus life I dedicated my time to work for my department and for this purpose I volunteered as a Class Representative for International Relation subject. For this case I worked so closely with the course Instructor DR N. Kamata. Infact I was not suprised when he called me and tell me about that opportunity and if I`ll be flexible to go. I said Yes to him and quickly he connect me with the head of political science department DR Ndumbaro for further procedures.
However, I would appriciate if there would be a room for competition with other students but the fact is it was the end of the semester and students were already went for holiday. Then why he called you and not other students? The simple answer is that may be I was the first student he can think about because we worked so closely and I dedicated my time for that. This is kind of LUCK I believe.
This program was orgnised by Arcadia University and East Africa students we get access through Interuniversity Council of East Africa. Indeed, I can`t tell what I got from this program in a single page, the program was very fantastic and well cordinated.
I gained a lot academically from compitate Instructors, Alex otieno and Jennifer Riggan from Arcadia University. I made a lot of friends too from Africa, Asia, Middle East and America. I do believe after this progam LIFE CAN NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN as my roomate Dan from Uganda used to say...........
Well, for me I can call this a success, I banked on it and it changed my life for good. There is no miracle in this. You can`t win a rottery without buying a ticket. Work on your succcess and LIFE CAN NEVER BE THE SAME.