The beauty of Tanzania from sunrise to sunset is mesmerizing. Ascend forty minutes off-road to a seven-acre village surrounded by lush forest and fertile land with coffee and green beans longing to be harvested. You will find me embracing Tanzania’s beauty and listening to the soothing songs of birds. In every direction, hilltops sketch into the skyline, creating a breathtaking backdrop my smartphone camera can’t replicate. Most days, I can not believe the opportunity I have to live in a natural wonder in a region of Tanzania that the Great Rift Valley passes through. A unique geological system spanning from Lebanon, through the Red Sea, down into East Africa into Mozambique. It is home to countless wildlife species, active volcanoes, and periodic shifts of the earth’s foundation. What a sensation to feel the ground beneath you sway, left to right. I was surprised to learn that tremors and aftershocks are typical in this area. I guess I overlooked that bullet point in the new employee orientation packet.
Friends, although Tanzania’s endless natural beauty surrounds me, my time in the office has been less than enjoyable. I am having a tough time transitioning into my new workplace. For weeks, I struggled to understand this dissatisfaction. I could not understand why I was so unhappy. I’m living abroad in a beautiful country, my coworkers are great, the benefits are sufficient, and the food is delicious. As weeks passed, I recognized it was culture shock! It took me by surprise because I naively assumed my experiences in Zambia prepared me well enough.
As a volunteer in Zambia, I was exposed to an unfamiliar but understandable value system like Tanzania’s. It developed persevering patience in me, often tested by administrative indecisiveness and interpersonal strife among coworkers that predated my arrival. Even still, I did fantastic work with my coworkers, and resistance was minimal. But here, in Tanzania, I swim against a cultural current that exhausts me daily. By 10:30 a.m., my patience has depleted, and I have a temper and want to burst into a dignified rage. Thankfully, with enough self-control, I excuse myself to the soccer field for a 15 to 20-minute walk. By 1:00 pm, you will find me walking again. So, my strategy to survive the duration of my contract is to work within the culture, not against it. There truly is more than one way to do a thing; maybe it’s a less efficient way, but it’s still another way, and I’ve learned it can be the preferred way.
jess•make•room 
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