A bit of Compromise

I am in Dar es Salaam for the next two weeks for a workshop on academic writing - sounds exciting right!

Well, getting here was at least exciting.

The title of my blog is 'Found in Translation'. Translation is essential for living cross-culturally. Not just language translation, many different types of translation, including the ability to translate unexpected circumstances as an adventure. This type of translation allows one to enjoy an experience rather than get frustrated.

Following a week of getting plane tickets rebooked following a flight cancellation, I was ready, on Saturday, to fly out of Musoma rather than the originally scheduled Sunday departure.

• I received a call a couple of hours before the flight to inform me that the Saturday flight was cancelled. But, the airline had arranged transportation for us from Musoma to Mwanza to catch another flight. I thought it fitting that COMPROMISE was written across the windshield of the daladala that ferried us to Mwanza. (We left Musoma at 5:10pm)

• We made a 45 minute pit-stop half way to Mwanza due to tire problems. I took the opportunity to grab some dinner. I got some mishkaki and chips (kebab and fries) on the side of the road. They were delicious.

• The airline staff-person ferrying us to Mwanza apologized for the delay and offered to buy us dinner. Upon arrival in Mwanza at 10pm, we stopped in a guest-house for our promised "in-flight" food. The driver still fully intending to get us to an 11pm flight.

• At 10:40pm we were rushed to the airport. We spent a grand total of 10 minutes inside the airport before we had tickets and were sent to the plane.

• I don't know what flight they put us on, or if they just created the flight specially for us, but, the 11 of us spread out luxuriously in this plane for our two-hour flight. We arrived in Dar at 1:25am.

Now, one might say that we arrived in Dar 6 hours later than expected. However, since our flight was originally scheduled for Sunday, we kind of arrived 18 hours earlier than expected. It is all about perspective. I encourage you all to go out and see unexpected events as an opportunity for adventure today. You may just find yourself with a whole plane pretty much to yourself!