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Hard to believe that my time here in Arusha is almost complete. Today is the last day of real work; tomorrow is dedicated to presentations, handshakes (the cornerstone of Tanzanian business dealings), and goodbyes. Friday is a national holiday. The team leaves on Saturday at various times to go back to their homelands. I’m staying in Arusha for the weekend to visit Mangola, a local village near Karatu, and tour a friend’s uncle’s coffee plantation. Next week I’ll head to Zanzibar for a few days, then it’s back to the States on Thursday, with a pit-stop in London.

I’m happy with what we’ve been able to acheieve as a team here, and I’m very happy with what I was able to accomplish by myself. It’ll be tough not having our daily team dinners and card sessions, or to hear Bakiri’s piercing laugh, or almost being blindsided by a speeding dala dala, but I think we’ll manage.

Hard to believe that it’s already departure time. Two months ago I couldn’t tell Tanzania from Ghana from South Africa. I’ve so much time reading and learning about Africa, a place I never fathomed I would ever visit on my own, let alone for work.

This afternoon I embark on 25 hours of travel, flying overnight from O’Hare to London Heathrow (9 hours), then to Nairobi (9 hours), then to Mombasa (1 hour). Last time I headed overseas I traveled in style. This time, I’m with the cattle in economy.

A friend passed this along as a going-away present. I leave you to bask in its awesomeness.

T minus 2 days and counting.