In one week I embark on a journey of a lifetime. I have the privilege of traveling to the beautiful country of Tanzania. I am excited, nervous, and hopeful that this journey will be life changing and continue to spark my passion for social justice in education as well as “being a thread” to others in the states about my experience in Tanzania. To those who don’t know, Bee the Thread’s meaning is simply to bring awareness and unity to cultures and people who are different from each other. I firmly believe we are more similar than different, it is just we don’t always understand what we don’t know.
When I tell people I am going to Tanzania I get a few interesting responses. The first and most popular response is, “Wow, that’s awesome! This will be such a great experience and I am jealous of your journey.” Most people are super positive when I tell them about Tanzania and why I am going over there. It truly makes me so happy that most people are supportive.
Another response I get is, “Oh man that’s crazy, good luck. I admire you for your bravery but I could never do that.” Again, this response is mostly positive with a slight hint of “Larissa, you’re nuts but good for you.” It also is honest, which I appreciate because I am nervous but I know that the most exciting and life changing things happen when you go out of your comfort zone.
Lastly, I have had a few people look at me dead in the eye and say that I am a fool for traveling and they hope I return safely and not in a body bag, with Ebola, or sold into the sex trade. Most of these people think Africa is a country and didn’t realize Tanzania existed. These people in particular who gave me such a negative response also haven’t really traveled much or experienced things outside of the nice safe corn fields of the Midwest. They are unaware of the world that exists outside of their home which is fine, they just don’t know any better. I can’t expect everyone to understand what they do not know. A lot of the information people get about countries such as Tanzania, is little or if they do hear things it is negative. This is one of the reasons I am traveling. I want to show people that the world is beautiful and we shouldn’t assume the worse.
Now, I am not ignorant of the dangers of traveling. Bad things can happen. A lot could go wrong. I would be lying if I hadn’t thought of all the million things that could happen to me, but bad things can happen anywhere. I was hit by a semi a year ago not even 10 miles from my apartment and could have died. Am I still nervous every time I drive? Yes, but I don’t let that control my life. At first glance, the neighborhood I work in looks sketchy and “dangerous”, but I go to work every day because I know my kids need supportive adults who care and know there are some great families who live in that neighborhood. I run on the bike path, even though I have been harassed a few times by men, but if I stopped going they win. My point is, there are bad things and people everywhere. It doesn’t just happen in Tanzania.
We are scared of what we don’t know. The more we experience things outside of the safety of our own homes, the less fearful we will be because experiences combat ignorance. Whether that experience is traveling, talking to someone who thinks differently than you, or even just reading about a different religion or culture it can help create a bridge to fight stereotypes. I hope that when I return I can share my experiences and make people a little less scared of the unknown and more educated on the diverse beauty of the world.
Bee the Thread 