Traditions
Last night we went to Carols by Candlelight...a Christmas service at the church Sharon and her family go to. Peter and I sang in the choir and we tried to create a Christmas service...it was weird though, didn't feel right at all. First off, I think it was hard for me to enjoy because I was thinking about home. I wasn't expecting the holidays away from home to be so difficult, but I have realized this week how important that time really is to me. Throughout the service I was thinking to myself, that is how it's supposed to be done! I also definitely missed my church family at First Lutheran.... I think that will be one of the hardest things in the next couple of years, finding a church home that actually feels like home.
The service was also weird though because of the attempt to create x-mas in Tanzania. I just have a hard time with trying to replicate America or even Europe here. IT's weird, I mean we sang a song about "still, still, still you can hear the falling snow" and I'm looking around at all the sandals and people sweating thinking, this is ridiculous! It's also hard to sit in a service that is primarily white people in the middle of Tanzania. It seems that the church community sort of excluded themselves from the culture and tried to create home in a new place. It's hard because obviously people want to keep traditions, but how do you keep traditions while still fitting into the local culture? I guess from my point of view, inclusion is key. I wish that the service and after party would have felt more Tanzania instead of feeling like America. I mean, if I'm going to go to a white service and have a Christmas party with cookies and sandwiches I'd rather be in South Dakota. Fortunately, I think it will get better in a few days when Peter and I go to Dar es Salaam and stay with friends from the University. It will be much more like the Tanzania I remember and will hopefully satisfy my desire to get back in the culture. I'll be posting pictures soon so keep checking back. In the meantime, Merry Christmas! I miss home and snow for X-mas, but I will think of you all as I go swimming this afternoon. Kwaheri!
The service was also weird though because of the attempt to create x-mas in Tanzania. I just have a hard time with trying to replicate America or even Europe here. IT's weird, I mean we sang a song about "still, still, still you can hear the falling snow" and I'm looking around at all the sandals and people sweating thinking, this is ridiculous! It's also hard to sit in a service that is primarily white people in the middle of Tanzania. It seems that the church community sort of excluded themselves from the culture and tried to create home in a new place. It's hard because obviously people want to keep traditions, but how do you keep traditions while still fitting into the local culture? I guess from my point of view, inclusion is key. I wish that the service and after party would have felt more Tanzania instead of feeling like America. I mean, if I'm going to go to a white service and have a Christmas party with cookies and sandwiches I'd rather be in South Dakota. Fortunately, I think it will get better in a few days when Peter and I go to Dar es Salaam and stay with friends from the University. It will be much more like the Tanzania I remember and will hopefully satisfy my desire to get back in the culture. I'll be posting pictures soon so keep checking back. In the meantime, Merry Christmas! I miss home and snow for X-mas, but I will think of you all as I go swimming this afternoon. Kwaheri!
posted by Scott D. Meyer at 1:09 AM
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