The Journey

Sunday January 15, 2006
Allison Graham
Board of Director
One World Youth Project

I checked out of the hotel at ten in the morning. It was my turn to go to the airport. On our way the Perfect Brothers brought me to the Cultural Heritage Center with its beautiful artifacts and arts and crafts. We also visited a mine were people mined the rock with hammers alone, back breaking work. Sadly, Abdu spoke about how many of the people who worked there had no future plan and where barely living within their means. It was another reminder of the different ways people all over the world struggle to survive, and why the work these kids are doing through the One World Youth Project is so important.

Finally at the aiport, I waited for a later than thought flight. It gave me plenty of time to reflect on my experiences and record those reflections in this journal. There are so many details I didn't write about, so many emotions I felt. These memories will stay with me forever and I will share everything with my family at the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School. We have an amazing sister school and I look forward to our continued partnership with the Perfect Youth Group, and strong commitment to OWYP.

Thank you to the One World Youth Project and the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School for allowing me this opportunity. Thank you to Jessica for all of her hard work, dedication, and friendship. Thank you Abdu, Joseph, Gloria and every member of the Perfect Youth Group at the Dr. Herman Wrice Community Center. You have all made my dream come true. It was perfect!

-Allison

Saturday, January 14
Allison Graham
Board of Directors
One World Youth Project

Five a.m. arrived quickly, and if I weren't so excited about our day's plans I may have slept through the alarm, but NO! The alarm (well actually it took both of our alarms to wake up) went off and we got out of bed, dressed and got to the lobby as the sun rose. Abdu and Joseph arrived and introduced us to our safari guide, Mike. We picked up Gloria and began the two hour ride to Manyara National Park. It was a great opportunity to see more of Tanzania. On this ride I began to see more and more birds. Without my bird guide in front of me, it's tough to remember all the names, but suffice to say my life list of birds was getting longer and more varied than I ever could have imagined. The birds' plumage reminded me of all the kaleidoscope of colors I noticed on my first day. For example, starlings ... Starlings on the Cape, while beautiful in their own way, pale in comparison to their African relatives. These Rufus-orange bellied birds with electric blues and greens on their back are nothing like the black/brown sometimes white-spotted birds so common on Cape Cod. I did not speak much on this ride, content to watch the passing landscape, looking for birds and enjoying the voices of Abdu, Joseph and Gloria. Their melodic cadence of the Swahili they were speaking was the perfect soundtrack to the images passing before my eyes. I've fallen in love with the sound of Swahili.

As well as birds, we passed traditional homes, goat herds, donkeys, Masai men, women, and children, some of Africa's many species of acacia trees, beehives hanging from those trees for honey and much, much more.

The vast grassy landscape seemed to go on forever before reaching the mountains of the Ngorongoro highlands in the hazy distance. Small streams had carved there way through the land making some areas look like miniature canyons. We even passed an Ostrich! Now I can say I've seen the world's largest bird, wild and free.

We stopped in a small town to buy some lunch supplies (soda and chapati bread), kept moving, and were soon at the gate of the Manyara National Park with the top off the Land Rover, ready for anything. We entered a magical wilderness that I have only seen in movies and books, or studied with Mrs. Haines in sixth grade science.

The first part of the safari brought us through a forest of different trees, the most unusual being the Mlegea, or Sausage Tree. Yep, you heard right, it was an enormous tree with what looked like sausages hanging from it, and then my heart stopped. Right before my eyes sat a Baboon, and then I looked around realizing he was not the only one. All around there were adults, adolescents, infants, some playing, some resting, some grooming. The sights just kept getting better and more unbelievable as we drove on. Here is a short list of what we saw: Black Monkeys, Blue Velvet Monkeys, Baboons, Giraffes, Silvery Cheeked Hornbills, Impalas, Bush Bucks, Diki-Dikis, birds, birds, birds, and a lot more! We witnessed a battle between two groups of Baboons. They were viciously screaming and attacking each other, and we were feet away from them!

At one point during the day, I turned to Jess in a loss for words on what we were seeing and she said, "It's they way things are supposed to be." I don't think I could have said it any better.

And then, through the trees, I saw the beautiful bulk of the animal I have dreamed of seeing. We came out of the forest face to face with a large family of Elephants. They moved along with a peaceful grace, a softness that seems unimaginable for such large creatures. Babies moved between the adults, secure and protected. At no time during the trip had I felt more connected with my Uncle Pete. He had spent so much time with these animals, studying them, living with them, and it's entirely possible that this family of elephants was one my uncle had known. After taking a minute to honor him and these majestic animals he so loved, I looked beyond them to the sweeping vista before me. The vast open space was peppered with Zebras, Hippos, and hundreds of birds. I could go on and on about this but let me just say, I have never seen anything as wild and magnificent as Africa's natural environment. I wondered if Abdu, Joseph, and Gloria would feel similarly if they were seeing a Humpback Whale, breaching off the coast of Cape Cod, for the first time. What a beautiful planet this is.

The final stop on our safari was a hot spring. Steam and the smell of sulfur permeated the air. Here we ate lunch while looking out over Lake Manyara with its pink cloud of Flamingos. Water Buffalos watched us as we examined, and showed respect to, an elephant skull, but it was getting time to get back to Arusha, Jess had a plane to catch. The laughter and fun we had on this adventure had been as enjoyable as the sights and sounds. There is something so powerfully bonding about, together, experiencing the intense beauty of nature. I wouldn't have wished to be in the company of any other people.

As we drove Jess to the airport, the full moon rose over Mount Kilimanjaro, as if in celebration of the time we had spent in Arusha. It was breathtaking.

Goodbyes to Jess were difficult, she was on her way back to Georgetown, to immediately begin classes. Leaving the airport, the silence in the cab betrayed the feeling of sadness felt by our hosts. Jessica is well loved by everyone and she should be so proud of how her vision has become such an important part of so many children's and adult's lives, all around the world. I hope she realizes how positive an impact she has had on all who meet her.

-Allison

Friday, Jan. 13
Allison Graham
Board of Directors
One World Youth Project

Jess and I set off for our third and final day with the students of the Perfect Youth Group. We needed to finish the students' articles for publication, finish and film their statement to the congressional reception, finish and film individual statements of poverty for the documentary, and complete and document our dramatic production. It was a lot of work, and coloring it all was my sense of sadness that this adventure was drawing to a close. What made me feel better though, was knowing that CCLCS and the Perfect Youth Group will collaborate for years and that the bonds forged are going to last lifetimes -- and that what we are doing will change the world. There was no time right then for reflection, and while the congressional reception group and documentary group finished their work, Jess and I set up and tested our film equipment.

One at a time, 20 students sat in front of the camera and shared their thoughts on poverty. They expressed sadness, anger, passion, and hope. They shared personal stories and stories from all over Africa. Most important, they voiced and recorded concerns that are shared by people all over the world. I was stunned by how insightful these young people were and by how eloquently they shared their insights. The congressional reception group was equally articulate and passionate. I know that their voices, combined with the voices of students at CCLCS, will send a message that cannot be ignored.

Once filming was completed, it was time for something Jess and I had been eagerly anticipating! Ugali! We were going to be treated to a traditional meal, cooked in the traditional fashion.

As the students gathered around to build a fire and cook this dish, made from maize flour and Mlenda (I'm not sure on that spelling), a vegetable that is dried and powered, we couldn't help but smile at the laughter, joy and happiness of this place. It was a taste of how life should be for everyone -- celebrating each other and our time spent together. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much, being in such joyful company. The meal was wonderful and the experience more so. I can't wait to cook this for myself and everyone at CCLCS.

After lunch we began our last drama workshop. Working in the same topic groups, students took their skits and recreated them for the third time. This time they were to tell their stories in five tableaus. We photographed these tableaus to be used in an exhibit. While the final product was one of visual art, the process was living, dramatic action. It will be beautifully expressed through these photographs.

Our last performance from the students is something I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life. As they sang and danced, the skies darkened, rumbled and opened up. As the audience scattered to a window or door from which to watch, the students danced on with even more joy. They raised their arms and voices in celebration, and for a moment the connective energy of the elements of nature to the human element was palpable. It was a feeling I have never felt before and doubt I ever will again -- a moment that made me glad to be alive and on this earth.

The group performed a goodbye song with words to Jess and me that meant more to me than I think they could have imagined. I felt so lucky to be there with Jess, and these people that I will forever think of as friends.

It was now time to say good-bye to the students -- a very difficult and emotional thing. I was presented with a cultural exchange box to bring back to CCLCS, but I will bring back so much more, so much.

On our way back to the hotel, we had the privilege of visiting Abdu and Joseph's home. It was a special and unexpected treat and I feel honored to have been invited.

-Allison

Thursday, Jan. 12

Allison Graham
Board of Directors
One World Youth Project

Back at the center for our second day, we jumped right back into action. Jess worked with a group of youth journalists on their personal articles. The rest of the group observed this process with interest and patience. Each student in the group chose a topic from yesterday's list and wrote the first draft of stories reflecting first-hand experiences. Once written the students shared their stories and listened to feedback from their peers. Jess worked with them on writing skills and focusing their stories. It was a productive workshop and each student finished with the beginnings of what were already powerful articles. While Jess worked with the students, I had the chance to email home. This was very exciting because I would be using the internet connection that students at CCLCS had helped raise funds for in our first collaborative project as sister schools. The sign hanging on the door, reading "Internet Cafe Open," was proof of the success of this collaboration; a testament to the positive effect the One World Youth Project is having making connections around the world.

After another ride in a Dalla-Dalla and lunch at the Quick Bite Cafe (I think that was the shop's name), we returned to the center to continue the drama workshop. Following some fun and entirely entertaining warm-up exercises, students again broke into their topic groups. Today they were asked to take the skits they'd created and recreate and perform them without using dialogue. This can be difficult and the students rose to the challenge, performing skits that again delivered their messages powerfully.

We took a quick break, then all of the students from various activities came together. We split into two groups. A small group worked on writing the statement for the congressional reception with Jess, while the rest of us worked on the CCLCS/Perfect Youth Group documentary on poverty. Students wrote essays on how they'd learned about poverty, how it effects them, what some of the causes of poverty were in Tanzania and all of Africa, and what could be done to eradicate poverty. It was a long day of work and yet the students were still working as hard and diligently as they had at the beginning of the day.

Finally Jess and I were treated to another spectacular demonstration of the kids' talents. Their singing drumming, and dancing touched me as deeply as it had the day before. We went back to the hotel for a late dinner and much needed rest.

-Allison

Wednesday, Jan. 11
Allison Graham
Board of Directors
One World Youth Project

I awoke in a world new to me. Jess and I were to meet The Perfect Brothers in the lobby of our hotel, The Royal Court, at 10 a.m. We walked through the calm quiet courtyard into the hustle and bustle of daily life in Arusha, Tanzania. The rhythmic sound of Swahili, so foreign to my ears, was delightful. The colors of the place were spectacular: women wrapped in Khangas with intricate patterns in reds, oranges, purples, and all colors of the spectrum, walked along the road. The movement was like a kaleidoscope. Masai, dressed in their traditional Rubega, also moved among the crowds. Abdu and Joseph arrived in the taxi to bring us to the center.

The sights as we drove continued to amaze and excite me. Color, color everywhere set against a backdrop of earthy tans and browns -- it was beautiful. We finally arrived at the Doctor Herman Wrice Community Center where students of The Perfect Youth Group waited with a banner welcoming Jess and me. Here we met Gloria, and Joachim, both teachers at the center. Inside the courtyard a table covered in a white cloth embroidered with scarlet flowers stood at one end. The students sat along the walls, waiting for us to take our places, like guests of honor, at the table.

We were formally welcomed by a speech, given by Joseph, describing the progress the center had made since joining the One World Youth Project (OWYP) and the hopes and dreams for the center's future. Every smile, every word, every touch was warm and welcoming and I thank everyone at the center for this amazing reception. After Jess spoke and described our plans for the stay, I passed on the greetings from the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School's (CCLCS) community. It was time to get to work.

Through writing and drama workshops we hoped to produce a declaration for the OWYP congressional reception, being held in April, describing the students ideas on how the US government could try to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), personal articles written by youth journalists for 3 publications, a dramatic presentation to be used to educate people about poverty and other issues that the center's community faces, and footage for a collaborative documentary (with CCLCS students) based on our assigned UN MDG, to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty. We started by doing a team-building exercise that I also use at home with the charter school students. It was extremely exciting to be doing this with students from a different culture. Abdu and Joseph's translations made the language barriers disappear and we were soon talking, laughing and working together. Next we moved into a classroom where Jessica led a discussion that culminated in a list of topics to be used for the rest of our workshops. These topics included poverty, hunger and drug abuse, as well as other topics specific to Tanzania. Our first drama workshop began with two exercises called "The Machine" and "Freeze and Justify." Both exercises went extremely well, and in the latter, students yelled out "ganda" with as much enthusiasm as students at CCLCS yell "freeze." Students then broke into groups and created and performed skits based on the topics they’d listed earlier. While I couldn't understand the dialogue, the skits were so well done that their messages were clear. I was so impressed with the passion and sincerity underlying these young people's work.

We ended the day with the first of many experiences I would call the best in my life: Students performed traditional dances, songs, and drumming for Jess, me, and an audience of children from the surrounding community. It is difficult to express how this performance made me feel, but let me try: honored, emotional, alive, excited, hopeful, and so thankful to have met these people.

We rode in my first Dalla-Dalla to get back to the hotel and after a quick meal in the room, Jess and I went to bed, looking forward to the next day.

- Allison