I am Mama Lucy

My Gratitude

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:17:02 +0300

Dear Stacey & Sanjay,

It has been four days now since I arrived home safely from the trip of my lifetime - Europe and US. Since I left US, after saying goodbye to you, I’ve been digesting about my whole trip. I’ve been thinking deeply on a warm welcome from you and all people I met, different places I visited, support from different people across the globe towards our school during TweetsGiving, so many things I’ve seen, well prepared program of my trip to four States - NYC, Florida, San Fransisco plus Washington DC and last but not least, the way you treated me like a Queen. Finally, I said to myself - ” What a miracle on my way! A woman from the village, so many miles from US, meet amazing people doing extra ordinary things.I wish I could have goods words to explain how thankful I am. I wish I could open my heart to show what it holds”. I couldn’t find any, except - “Thank You SO Much!”

When you came at first to our school and community as volunteers on January 2007, the only things I saw in you were - good people, hard working and so helpful ones. I didn’t expect SO much from you after you left, as many were coming and left with promises without turning back. You have proved to be totally different from them. You are TRUE friends. It has been a blessing to meet and work with you.

No one at our community can talk about the progress of our school without naming you. You mean a lot to me, my school, community, country and the world as a whole. Your Organization has proved to meet its goals within very first years. You are doing great job on changing the world to be a better place to live for many. Having so many supporters all over the globe shows that, what you are doing is incredible. The fruits will continue be enjoyed by many for so many years to come.

The way you’ve introduced me to many friends, has opened the doors to more brighter future of our school. A friend like Jen Lemen who did a lot to make my trip possible is incredible. Rebecca Self of ESGT opened my new page on interaction with people across the globe. Avi’s work through fund raising activities is amazing. The whole team of party organizers across the globe did wonderful job to make TweetsGiving successful. All friends who joined us during TweetsGiving made Thanks Giving 2009 more meaningful.

Once again, Thank You SO Much! Long live Epic Change, Long live America, Long live our friendship. God bless you all.

Happy Holidays!

Much love,
Mama Lucy

This is Amazing! I’m still enjoying being in US. To me,...

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:06:37 +0300

Fireworks at Epcot

Stacey, Sanjay & me at Spaceship Earth

Stacey & me with mouse ears

Epcot at night

Enjoying food at McDonald's

Stacey & me at the beach

The poster the students made me

A special cake with my photo

I can't ride this thing

Speaking with students at Satellite High

This is Amazing!

I’m still enjoying being in US. To me, this trip gives me great opportunity to meet different people and share a lot. It has been good that I got chance to see things that I could not see anywhere else. Every place in the World has its pride. Everyday I’ve been tasting different types of food in different places plus having fun with my hosts.

I visited Satellite High School here in Florida last Friday. The school which some of the students are pen pals to my students in Tanzania. I met Ms Kelley (a teacher) and her students awaiting me. We were all happy to see each other. The big poster with names of students signed, plus a nice/big cake is still in my mind. I had chance to meet other teachers too. The tour took me the whole day, and I was very happy to see how they do different things. It was a good lesson for me too as I’m running the school.

I’ve heard about Walt Disney from my friend Stacey and Sanjay when they came to Tanzania, but I couldn’t get the real picture as always seeing has much more than just hearing. My tour at that park made me feel like I was dreaming. I started at Spaceship Earth - learned a lot about the past, present and the future. Then we proceeded to Soarin - where we were able to travel to different places of US within few minutes. It was awesome! We then move to The living with the land on Boat voyage through amazing greenhouse and a fish farm. We then board another boat and visit undersea pals on a quest to find Nemo. It was very interesting! We made another tour to different countries and experience their cultures. The countries are represented with the houses made as if you’ve visited that country. There’s no way you’ll not enjoy being on such a tour. We made second trip tour in Soarin. Then we went to Test Track - I’m glad that I got chance to experience how the cars really go fast.:) It’s fun!

After our dinner we waited for the last session of our tour - Fire works. I’ve never seen such a beautiful night. The lights and flames gave heart more hope and harmony as it was accompanied by nice songs touched anyone’s heart.

Thank you Sanjay and Stacey for sharing with me so many beautiful things in your amazing country.

I’ve great time with my hosts here and I’m learning...

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:21:28 +0300

Have Fun with Stacey's Family

Stacey's mom (Pan) with her big dog

Shopping for groceries

Fruits & vegetables at the grocery

I am Corn at the Corn Maze

I’ve great time with my hosts here and I’m learning a lot!

Most of the things here are quite different from my home Tanzania. Very big supermarkets, huge buildings, low prices of so many things, very good roads, clean environment - just few to mention. The BIG question in my head is: what makes us (Tanzanians) NOT so committed on making our environment so clean. Does it need anything that we do not have?!?! We need to find the way :)

On the other side of a coin, I’ve noted some things which I think we’re better than here (US).

The way the young kids can just call by names the elders and they’re not greeting the elders like our kids do. For our culture, this we can call it’s misbehaving. The way our kids respect elders, is awesome!
The way people here (US) they treat the old people is NOT good at all. The members of the family are taking old people to live far from them. For me I think this is not good. After the whole tough job they (parents) did to their children, to raise them up now they see and consider them as a burden to them is NOT good. To me, I think the old ones need special care and love as children do.

Now I agree with what someone wise once said: No one is perfect - even though sometimes in my country some people are thinking the US is so. It is certainly wonderful, but nothing is perfect.

One final thing I noticed, as I visited a certain family, I realized that one child here is having toys more than what he/she needs. A room full of toys for one kid, while in our country whole schools are not even have quarter of that - it’s amazing.

Then another question clicked in my mind: What makes others having much than what they need while others are not? We are living in a same planet, then why?

Hope one will help me on this - Thank you!

I am so proud of this video because the kids were expressing...

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:57:48 +0300

I am so proud of this video because the kids were expressing their feelings about what they’re grateful for.

My first trip to Europe and the USA. November 2009. So far, I...

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:49:23 +0300

Me with @StaceyMonk & @maggiedoyne

European Summit for Global Transformatio

From my hotel window in Rotterdam

Me with Christmas tree at Schipol

So many ppl at TweetsGiving in New York

Mama Lucy in Times Square

Enjoying ThanksGiving Dinner in the US

My first trip to Europe and the USA. November 2009. So far, I attended European Summit for Global Transformation in the Netherlands, visited New York City and attended a TweetsGiving party. We came to Florida and attended ThanksGiving party at Panala’s house with the family.

Epic Change

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:29:18 +0300

Epic Change:

Epic Change has brought hope to our community.