Celebrating Service in Zanzibar

Today marked another day of adventure for us. We awoke in our stunning hotel in Dar es Salaam, and I found myself not wanting to leave. The drive was enjoyable, but as we approached the port in Dar es Salaam to travel to Zanzibar, I felt a bit overwhelmed. The porters were rushing toward our car, which made me feel scared and anxious. We had to hurry due to some transportation issues from the hotel to the port, which caused us to be late for the ferry. Initially, I was afraid to board the boat because of my history with motion sickness, but the ride turned out to be fine.

Upon arriving in Zanzibar, we embarked on a mini road trip that lasted about an hour and a half. The hotel seemed a bit sketchy at first, but once we entered the gate, the scenery was breathtaking. What I loved most about the hotel was its unique African art and culture, which provided a very welcoming experience. After settling into our rooms, my roommate and I quickly changed into our bathing suits and took a refreshing dip in the pool.

We then had lunch and returned to the beautiful beach. The soft sand, clear blue water, and perfect scenery made it an ideal place to spend most of our day. As we relaxed on the beach, a local tribe called the Maasai began setting up a display of souvenirs, including keychains, mini animal figurines, bracelets, and waist beads. I was thrilled to find the perfect souvenir to take home from Africa to my family.

After purchasing some items, we freshened up, put on nice clothing, and enjoyed dinner on the beach featuring delicious traditional African dishes. Throughout the evening, a friendly cat kept coming by, and I found myself quite fond of it. After we finished dinner, we conducted our interviews with the videographer and relaxed in the room while each person took their turn.
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The photographer then grabbed us to show that the water at the beach was actually 20 feet away from where we had been earlier. After that, we went to bed because we were exhausted from all the water activities we did today.

Emori Dennis
Cohort 2024