Finding the "You" in Ugali

My biggest fear coming here, above the language barriers, potential illnesses and being eaten alive by mosquitos, was the food. I am an admittedly picky eater and ever since I was little have flat out refused to eat many things. I told myself that when I was here I would just “suck it up”, I really didn’t want anyone to find anything I did disrespectful. The first day of eating was manageable. Pasta with sauce and meat for lunch, rice with sauce and meat for dinner, and toast with peanut butter and exotic jams (red plum and pineapple) the next morning for breakfast. But my stomach dropped the second we got back from town and Kenya announced “It’s Ugali time”. My first reaction: I can’t do this. Kenya’s supportive words of “It’ll be fine” do very little to relax me as I walk over to this cake like looking object sitting on the dinner table. I cut myself a slab ‘o dat, made myself a cup of tea and nervously sat down. The girls at my table had already started attacking their pieces, digging at it with there hands and dragging it through the sauce. I hesitantly ripped my self off a small piece, smothered it in sauce and put it in my mouth. To my surprise and the surprise of anyone who knows my eating habits, I actually enjoyed it. The horror stories I have been told were all wildly exaggerated. With Ugali under my belt I was ready for whatever else Tanzania would throw my way. I ate my dinner of a beans, chickpeas and corn combination like a champ and have never been more proud of my taste buds. I have concurred my biggest fear and am now completely prepared to one hundred percent focus on my reasons for coming over here: to make a difference in the lives of the kids at the orphanage. I am so excited to go and visit them today and to finally start working on the school room tomorrow.

-Natalie Webb