Tuesday, May 20th 2008..."American Soil" and Tanzania's Ted Turner

Today's events started at the US Embassy and we all celebrated as we touched "American soil" again. They had clean bathrooms and it was such a great change from the last couple of days. It is amazing what you get homesick for. Ambassador Green eagerly met with us and it was so nice to finally hear American English again without having to decipher through a Tanzanian accent. He talked about what Americans have been doing in the country as far as aid and health programs. The US is the largest donor to TZ (over $660 billion) and thanks to American efforts against Malaria ( PMI, the President's Malaria Initiative) Malaria is no longer a public health issue in Zanzibar.

Ambassador Green is creating initiatives to brand and promote giving from the American people instead of just federal agencies and it is nice to know that he acknowledges that these gifts come from hard working taxpayers with big hearts. He helped host President Bush in TZ for the longest stay in Africa of any American President, quite an accomplishment in a country that was socialist just two decades ago.

We couldn't take pictures, but I snapped these before we went in. We took a tour of the compound and it really is a little city inside of those walls. Some of the improvements came because 10 years ago the American Embassy in Dar was bombed. This is a very new facility and now that relations with the country are good, they feel much safer here.
Our next stop was to meet at Dar es Salaam's nicest hotel for lunch with one of the country's celebrities. There were two different television stations and a half a dozen newspaper reporters there to report on our arrival.
That attention can also be attributed to our guest, Mr. Reginald Mengi. He is the Ted Turner of TZ, owning 11 newspapers, 6 radio stations and 4 television networks in East Africa. He also owns the Coca Cola bottling company that we visited earlier in the week. He was by far the most motivational person that we have spoken to on the trip. He spoke about viewing obstacles in life as challenges not problems, this puts a positive spin on our work and pushes you to reach for more. He also advised to have vision for the top and to only strive to be the best. "To shoot for #2 is to lose." He spoke of self-confidence and believing in yourself..." Wake up every morning and say, 'I can, I must, I will'" Then he went on to inspire us with R Kelly's "I Believe I can Fly" ( This may sound a bit cheesy, but the speech was moving and most people were ready to go out and change the world.) Finally, he spoke on the need for integrity and faith. These two things spoke to my heart and are definitely personal goals in the coming years of finding my passion and career. " Success in business goes to the man who has integrity and you can trust his word."
Mandy gave him a little card that had this poem on it. I am in a mood to spread the inspiration, so I'll put it here for you.

If you think that you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don't;

If you like to win, but you think you can't

It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,

For out in the world we find,

Success begins with a person's will

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed you are,

You've got to think high to rise,

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But sooner or later the one who wins

Is the one WHO THINKS THEY CAN!

Sorry if I forgot to fill ya'll in, but we have a new hotel now and I thought I would give you a picture of it... it's nice, AC is the best perk for sure.Today for dinner, we were back at our hotel, relaxing around the pool and doing our classwork for our Speech Communications class. We get to chill again for the next couple of hours and work on our business plan for Mama Zara. Hopefully it will turn out really well. We have been blasting James Taylor and Jimmy Buffett as we took in the amazing weather and cooling breeze. Africa has been good to us. We are learning so much about the intersection of business and government in a nation that was socialist just a decade ago and is now trying to spread its wing in the world. It is the responsibility of the private business owners to create jobs for those in poverty and the government to remain stable so their enterprises will succeed. Enough poli-econ lecture. Hope you all are doing well.

Please keep my friend Michael Demperio in your prayers, he tore his ACL and he is going into surgery today. I am crossing my fingers for a quick recovery and rehab.

And...Happy Birthday to my AOII lil sis Annalise Peters... big 20!

Don't forget to check out the groups blog at ugaintz2008.blogspot.com

Miss ya'll...have an amazing Tuesday!!! Britt