Day 1 in N'Gresi

My wife and I both agree that our first day in Africa was the best day of the trip.  Dominique, our driver for the week, drove us out to a small village just outside of Arusha called N’Gresi.  Henry came along for the ride as our village guide.  He lived in the village next to N’Gresi and knew the landscape and the people well.  Henry first took us to the chief of the village who spoke with us about their agricultural production and means of education over a cup of coffee.  The cost of our visit went to the building of schools, and he explained that after lunch we could donate more money to the cause. 

After coffee with the chief, we set off for our 3 hour hike through the hills of N’Gresi.  As you walk down the dirt road carved out of the lush green landscape, you can’t help but notice the sense of organization to the rolling green hills.  While much of the beauty felt untouched, a closer look revealed plots of land dedicated to coffee trees, peas, potatoes, bananas, and other produce.  The view was rugged, yet hinted at civilization without taking away from the natural beauty of Africa.  The hints didn’t come in an occasional car, either.  I never saw anything powered by gas, nor did I see much that needed electricity.  Instead, the hints came from parked bicycles, clothes lines, and unique differences that made up the homes which varied in style and size. 

While some homes seemed more modern than others, there wasn’t a poor area and wealthy area.  Huts made of mud and cow dung sat in plots of land right next to homes made of brick.  The idea of social classes takes on a new perspective in villages such as this.  People don’t unintentionally identify themselves as rich or poor as a way of grouping.  Instead, they lived in a way that showed solidarity.  They showed understanding of each other’s situations through living.  No matter the size of their crops, or the amount of their livestock, the people never revealed a sense of social hierarchy.  They only revealed a sense of survival that made them all equal.  And not the type of survival that comes from fear of death, but the kind that comes from a need to do what’s right for your family or else life isn’t worth living.

This type of survival wasn’t felt in the landscape, but instead felt in the interaction with the people.  The enthusiasm of the children was contagious, and the generosity and sincerity of the men and women was envious.  At times, it was embarrassing to think of our own social hierarchy and our own definition of survival, which seems to include a price tag.  Thinking of this gave me a feeling of inferiority and shame. 

In N’Gresi, America’s class system is meaningless.  Much of this meaninglessness is prevalent throughout Africa.  What about the video makes this evident? Comment on how the differences in Tanzania, Africa are different from where you live.