My Family Vacation in Tanzania

Travelling with family (essay)

Last summer, I was lucky enough to have an unforgettable experience when my grandma brought our extended family on a vacation to Tanzania for a few weeks. While we did spend a large amount of the time watching wildlife in the Serengeti, the most memorable part of the trip for me was learning about the local culture. I was fascinated by how hospitable everybody there was. Therefore I want to describe my family vacation in this essay.

Whenever we rode anywhere in the ‘safari trucks’, the local children would, at the sight of the trucks, sprint to the side of the road to wave and shout “jambo”. I could tell by their huge smiles that they were genuinely happy at the sight of us, not just reciting how they’d been told to act in front of tourists. Anyone was happy to return a wave or a high five, too.

At one point when our guide was showing us around a local village, a woman came over and started talking to us in Swahili, which our guide translated for us. The woman wanted to show us the baby rabbits that she was raising. “Karibu,” she said, welcoming us into her house. I was very surprised by this. I would never think of inviting a stranger off the street into my house back in the United States. But here, it seemed like the norm. The woman was so hospitable and kind, treating us as if we were family.

After we saw the super cute newborn rabbits, we continued through the village. At the next house, there was a family cooking fish over a fire for dinner. Our guide asked if he could buy some. While he ate his fish, the family invited us into their yard. Everybody’s attitude was so different than people back home, who now seemed boringly morose. Things that seemed so unusual to me, like letting strangers into my house, were completely normal to these people.

I was mollified by how hospitable everyone in Tanzania was. Even in the most remote areas, the people were so friendly, and it was clear that hospitality was ingrained in their culture. I felt a deep connection to the people there, and it was one of the few times in my life that I felt truly welcomed.

When the trip ended and we got back to the United States, I almost felt a closer connection to the people I met in Tanzania than people at home. I realized that we have so much to learn from other cultures and their ways of life. It was a valuable lesson in cultural diversity and the importance of being open to new experiences. It also made me reflect on my own behavior and how I treat strangers. It was a humbling experience that I will never forget.

In conclusion, my trip to Tanzania was an eye-opening and enriching experience. I learned so much about the culture and people, and it opened my mind to different ways of life. The hospitable nature of the people left a deep impression on me, and it was one of the most welcoming experiences I have ever had. I believe that this experience will stay with me forever, and it has changed the way I view the world.