In the midst of such a strange and difficult period for many, I feel blessed to have an opportunity like this. I was introduced to Gasica, the man spearheading these operations, and the director of Zanzibar Learning for Life (ZL4L) and Heroes Community Academy (HCA). His passion was transparent during our phone conversations and very soon I knew I wanted to be a part of his vision.
I landed in Zanzibar and immediately sensed its people had a soothing energy. Dazed in the massive heat, I was soon calmed through a series of ‘Hakuna Matata’s’ and Gasica’s warm welcome. The vibe of generosity and kindness has been a constant throughout my stay and it has really helped me to settle in. I live in the Zanzibar Learning for Life (ZL4LF) institution with some young natives who have been my personal tour guides around Zanzibar. It is clear that the Zanzibar people view themselves as an interconnected family. The value of family is a predominant feature of life here and everyone has helped in making me feel part of it.
I noticed a difference in the attitude to learning once I’d started teaching at Zanzibar Learning for Life. From my own experience of school, I remember students could be a challenge for teachers to control due to poor attitudes. This has been far from my experience of classroom behaviour here. Instead, I found that students entered lessons with refreshing enthusiasm. This has made teaching far easier and more enjoyable for me, but more importantly, it taught me a lesson along the way. I feel as though ones education is treated as an absolute privilege out here and it taught me to appreciate and be grateful for access to my own academic studies. I perhaps overlooked these opportunities in the past, but this experience has allowed me to take a renewed, introspective view of myself.
I quickly became accustomed to hearing “Mambo Mzungu” from passing Zanzibaris. A colleague explained that the term of address refers to Caucasian tourists who come to visit or travel the island. I later read that its literal translation is ‘wanderer’, and it is widely adopted even among locals as a term of respect.
The kids at HCA seem particularly curious of me, and particularly of my hair. Just recently I was planning to get a haircut here but reconsidered when I thought the pupils would be upset at this decision. Everyone inside and outside the classroom has a universal fascination with ‘wanderers’ and the vibes are always of love.
The collective achievements of Gasica and the entire HCA and ZL4LF family are remarkable. As HCA embarks on its second academic year, there are several new project proposals in the pipeline. I’ve been particularly taken by the determination of Gasica to not only sustain this fantastic project, but to build and expand on it. For instance, we’re currently discussing the possibility of creating our own allotment space at both institutions. Remaining ecologically sound is an ethic Gasica and I want to foster and we believe this new project will be beneficial to our sustainable goals and vision. New ideas bounce around every day, and it’s been a pleasure to be involved in these exciting developments.
