Keep moving

After my departure, it was time for me to move on alone. I had an exciting trip with a 12-hour bus ride, ferry crossing, searching for a taxi, and finally reaching the hotel we had been longing for! Yes, after living with a host family in a 4-bed room for 10 weeks, it's time to recharge.

And let me tell you: I'm in paradise!

'Sometimes, a retreat is necessary to protect the heart and soul.'

I got out of the car and saw the turquoise blue sea, a kilometer-long white sandy beach, and a cozy little hotel right in this dream setting!

It was a feeling of finally being able to take a deep breath, let my soul relax, and be grateful for this situation. I was very happy that I managed my time in Iringa well and now I am taking this week to recharge what my work in Tanzania has taken away from me.

But you know me. Spending only 1 week in a hotel resort without going on an exploration feels strange to me.

So, I want to share my experiences and thoughts with you.

I always believe that when you travel, you should always take a look at the culture of the country. And by that, I don't just mean the most touristy points. But the real lives of the people of the respective countries.

Recently, I read about the 'Human Development Index'. It creates a ranking of countries based on their indicators of prosperity. Financial situation, education, and life expectancy play a big role in its creation.

Of course, I suspected that Germany ranks high and Tanzania ranks a bit lower.

Germany: 5th place

Tanzania: 154 out of 189 participating countries

That's quite a difference.

I have felt this difference many times during my trip, and in the eyes of the people here, we are generally considered rich.

I can't really accept that because we have a completely different system, different expenses, and insurance to pay, and educational paths to complete.

However, being 'poor' in Germany (for example, if you live as an unemployed person receiving benefits) cannot be compared to here at all.

In short..

Zanzibar is very touristy, and when you walk along the beach, you see a series of beautiful, well-maintained hotels and think everything is fine.

Those who live here live in paradise, or so it seems.

But if you take the time and a little bit of courage to look behind the scenes into the real lives of the island inhabitants, you will find poverty faster than you think.

I walked 50 meters behind our hotel and immediately found myself in the middle of a village. Broken houses, mud huts without windows, children playing in the dirt, animals scattered around providing food for them (eggs, milk, and sorry to the vegetarians - meat)

I don't even know what I expected when I walked a bit further.. but I somehow didn't expect such an extreme difference in such a short distance.

Of course, many people here benefit from tourism. After all, it also creates jobs. However, most of the hotels here are owned by investors from Europe, and we know nothing about their wages and working conditions.

Now, I go to a small market in the village every day to buy drinking water and some food.

That way, I feel like I'm really benefiting the people who live here, rather than just the hotel owner.

As a thank you, I see many smiling children, shining eyes, and waving hands on every tour.

One day, I walked along the village for an hour and only saw one white couple - nothing more.

This shouldn't be a call for anyone to do anything different.

Just a little reminder that even from paradisiacal impressions, there is another side that shows us which country we are actually in and ultimately enriches us with very different, non-touristy experiences.

I can only be grateful to have been born in Germany and to have so many opportunities and not have to worry about lacking a roof over my head.

'One should not constantly think about what is missing, but rather appreciate what one has!'