The people in Tanzania do not see many white people. In the tourists area they see many more and for the most part try to get those folks to buy their art, or visit their sister's shop. When you travel away from the tourists streets of Arusha and go into the neighborhoods, or if you travel into the mountains (where the schools that I am teaching are at) then the presence of white people gets fewer and fewer.
The people in these areas view seeing and meeting a white person as good luck and love to stop and talk with you. The Tanzanians are very demonstrative people. Boys and men will hold hands and touch each other frequently. Little girls will walk together in a small ball. The children will yell "Mzungu, Mzungu." They love to hold my hand and walk with me. The parents enjoy watching their children with me and are not fearful or threatened by you interacting with their children. In fact they will let you walk away with their children in tow and know that their children are safe and will be home sooner or later. The Tanzanians are very open hearted, loving, passive people. The children are a giggling mass of love. I did meet some children who had never seen a white person before and they were actually afraid of me. They would stare and drop whatever they had in their hands and not move. I think if I had made a run at them they would have died of a heart-attack. I took my responsibility as an ambassador seriously though and only smiled and said, "Jambo toto." Meaning "Hello children".
If the people of the world could have a little of the Tanzanian loving spirit within them the world would be a better place.
The people in these areas view seeing and meeting a white person as good luck and love to stop and talk with you. The Tanzanians are very demonstrative people. Boys and men will hold hands and touch each other frequently. Little girls will walk together in a small ball. The children will yell "Mzungu, Mzungu." They love to hold my hand and walk with me. The parents enjoy watching their children with me and are not fearful or threatened by you interacting with their children. In fact they will let you walk away with their children in tow and know that their children are safe and will be home sooner or later. The Tanzanians are very open hearted, loving, passive people. The children are a giggling mass of love. I did meet some children who had never seen a white person before and they were actually afraid of me. They would stare and drop whatever they had in their hands and not move. I think if I had made a run at them they would have died of a heart-attack. I took my responsibility as an ambassador seriously though and only smiled and said, "Jambo toto." Meaning "Hello children".If the people of the world could have a little of the Tanzanian loving spirit within them the world would be a better place.
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