I’ve been home for just over a week now, but in one way, life hasn’t changed much since Tanzania. I was offered an extension of my internship, continuing my work with NEST360 full-time for the next five weeks before I begin my Fulbright grant. That made saying goodbye so much easier! I’m grateful to still collaborate with my mentors, Christine, Hannah, and John, on this important work a little longer. And the journey doesn’t stop there. Our summer project has been submitted to a conference and we’re already working on the first draft of a manuscript for publication. Even after this full-time extension ends, I’ll get to author my first paper and occasionally step back in for revisions over the next year as we receive feedback from journals. It’s surreal that this has become my first job out of college and that I absolutely love it. Nothing makes me happier than knowing I’ll continue working with these wonderful people for some time to come.

This summer has been transformative. It’s deepened my interest in using my analytical background to make a lifelong impact in the public health sector. I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of data science, statistics, and social impact areas like education and health, but this experience has pushed me firmly toward public health. I credit the incredible team I worked with, people who are not only passionate about their work but about their relationships with each other. I have never felt more supported, and I know I will be seeking that same combination of purpose and community for the rest of my career. Over the next year, I’ll begin applying to graduate programs that bring together data science and public/global health. That decision alone reflects the profound impact this program has had on me.

The in-country experience opened my eyes to a part of the world I never imagined I’d have the privilege to witness. Zanzibar, Stone Town, Ngorongoro, the Serengeti, along with countless other wonders of Tanzania, have been a highlight of my 22 years of life.

I fell in love with the freedom of boda boda (motorcycle) and bajaji (auto-rickshaw) rides, experiences I now cherish even more in their absence, because they were moments unique to Tanzania and this unforgettable chapter of my life. As I shared in my introduction post, I hoped to embrace the culture that emphasizes pole pole (slowly, slowly) and by the end, I truly felt I had done just that. I no longer sought to fill every hour with work or activity. Instead, I simply sat and enjoyed Tanzania, whether on a beautiful beach or around a dinner table. Those slow moments, just as much as the grand adventures, are what I’ll take with me.

Learning to navigate such an unfamiliar environment has strengthened my confidence as I step forward, beyond the Rice bubble I called home for four years, and into what’s next. Thank you for reading my blog. Asante sana, kwaheri!