Sylwia Knapczyk is working as a Small Enterprise Specialist with the Zanzibar Institute for Tourism Development in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Funded by the Canadian International Development Agency’s International Youth Internship Program, she is employed by Algonquin College in Ottawa. A recent graduate of Algonquin College, in the Small and Medium Enterprise Management diploma, this paid internship has provided her with a unique opportunity to practice her business skills abroad and pave the way for her career.

By: Sylwia Knapczyk

As the holidays approach and I envision my family and friends decorating their homes and Christmas trees it’s hard not to miss home. When living in 30 plus degree weather, it’s tough to imagine, that at home, the first layers of snow have coated the ground; outdoor Christmas lights of various colors are framing houses and illuminating the streets, the malls are adorned with embellished Christmas ornaments and bustling with eager shoppers, and children are lined up to whisper their Christmas wishes to Santa Claus and pose for a picture. But, as the CIDA Internship comes to an end in two weeks, it has also been a time when I find myself reflecting on our experience in Tanzania. I can’t help but think of how bitter-sweet our departure will be; on one hand, we can look forward to seeing our loved ones, yet on the other, we must prepare to say our good-byes to friends we met over the months and leave behind what came to be home. There is no doubt that Tanzania holds magical landmarks which we were fortunate enough to visit – Kilimanjaro, the Ngorongoro Crater, Zanzibar and the archipelagoes – and have left a lasting impression on our minds.  But when we reflect on our experience as a whole, I think the day-to-day activities that were influenced by the people we shared them with will stick out in our minds the most.  

When I think of the Zanzibar cuisine, it brings me back to our first week in Stone Town. Mr. Mohammed, our landlord, made it a point to provide us with a Zanzibar breakfast, which we indulged in pleasingly, until we found ourselves confronted by Ashura’s, our housekeepers, disapproval within the first few days. As we sat around our dining room table indulging in our goodies, Ashura took one look at our display of andasi, chapatti, and sambosas, (fried foods) and nodded in disapproval, and, in her few words of spoken English, stated, “big problem, very big problem,” as she gestured towards our waist-lines and illustrated an expanding waist-line. Then, she proceeded to point us in the direction of the fruit and vegetable market, and needless to say, the ‘Zanzibar breakfasts’ soon came to an end. So, when tempted by fried foods, we often remind ourselves of Ashura’s ‘big problem’ phrase, and often enough, it keeps us in line.  

Work in Zanzibar would have been just another work day, if not for our co-workers, who continue to teach us about Zanzibar culture and provided us with endless entertainment. Within our first month at ZIToD (Zanzibar Institute for Tourism Development), we were introduced to a robust front office woman who cringed at the thought of pronouncing our names, but, within a minute, her expression turned to glee as she pointed at each one of us and christened us with a Zanzibari name. “You will be Aisha,” she said to me. I found myself adjusting to my new name by random yells of, “Aisha! Aisha!” only to have one, if not both, of my roommates remind me that I was being beckoned. Within no time, I found myself addressed as ‘Aisha’ by friends and locals. A shopkeeper even suggested that I keep the name when I return to Canada. I guess anything is possible.  

One of our first introductions to the Zanzibar lifestyle was in our first week on the island. We attended an ‘EU Tour Guide Program,’ and one of the requirements was for everyone to introduce themselves on the bus tour, so a pudgy man advanced to the front of the bus and announced, “My name is…and I am a polygamist! I have five wives…just joking, I only have three.” As you can imagine, the bus filled with laughter, and we joined in, only we found ourselves looking around and questioning whether or not he was serious. That was our first lesson on the practice of polygamy here. Yet, to this day, the truth about the ‘three wives’ remains a mystery.  

On what would have been a typical word day, a ZIToD teacher insisted that I join the tour guide course students on a visit to The Former Slave Market Site, in Stone Town. As I entered the gates of the Anglican Church Cathedral I found 40 to 50 students awaiting the tour, and within minutes, I found myself in center of a photo shoot; I was directed to pose with the students on the right, then left, then the middle, and just when I thought it was over, one of the teacher’s lead me to the center of the crowd, and announced that this shot would be for the brochure; ‘the mzungu (white person) with the students.’ When we were interrupted by Elvis, our tour guide, I found myself relieved at the thought of the shoot coming to an end; I thoroughly enjoy entertainment, but I prefer not to be the source of it. I guess you can imagine how surprised I was when Elvis used me as a prop to demonstrate the use of slave chains. There I was, in the former slave cells, with a weighty chain placed around my neck, which linked to Elvis’ and another student’s chain, adjoining the three of us by the neck. To top it off, he turned me around to face the students and announced that they have officially met the first ‘mzungu slave’ (white slave). As you can imagine, the cell filled with echoes of the students laughter and the flashes from the camera began to blind me. To my surprise, once again, I found myself at the center of everyone’s amusement. I find the phrase, ‘never a dull moment’ frequently reoccurring in my mind.  

One of our most profound experiences in Tanzania, was climbing to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Just the idea of climbing the world’s highest free standing mountain seemed surreal, yet to see its various scenic areas - ranging from a tropical rainforest around the base to a glacial ice field at the summit - gave us a sense of awe. It was our ultimate emotional, mental, and physical triumph. We covered eighty kilometers in six days, and in moments of weakness, our guides – August and Simon – repeated, “step by step,” to us, so that we could literally focus on the route one step at a time. And, in our moments of stillness – as the air got thinner beyond Kibo – we heard their encouraging chants, ‘you can do this…you are a dada wenye nguvu’ (strong sister). If that wasn’t enough to motivate us, they took the bags off our backs, took us by the hand and led the way to the ‘Roof of Africa.’ Now, just the mention of ‘Kilimanjaro’ automatically has us reminiscing about our journey with August and Simon.  

One of the things I treasure most about Tanzania is the people and their friendly demeanor. It’s rare to come across a place where so many individuals greet you on a daily basis. Whether I found myself wandering the intertwining Arabic-inspired streets of Stone Town or traveling to the rural areas, there were always numerous people welcoming me along the way. On one occasion, I had a group of eight to ten nursery school kids run up to me screaming “Jambo!” (one of the many Swahili greetings). I found myself surrounded by the children; their smiles stretching from cheek-to-cheek, as each one took their turn to shake my hand and then ran off to carry on with their day. The numerous experiences we shared with the amicable people we encountered in Tanzania are what completed our five month experience here. So, I hope that in two weeks time, we won’t be saying our good-byes, merely ‘tutaonana baday Tanzania’ (see you soon Tanzania).

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