What it was!

Well the time has come to depart from Tanzania and this great tour. Today was a really slow day for us. It really only involved one TV commercial we made that was very amusing.

As I ran this morning I pondered about what I learned and experienced during these past four weeks. My run lasted an hour and then I swam for 20min. I mention this because it gave me ample time to really get my thoughts together about this wonderful place called Africa. The first question I know I will get when I return is would I ever do it again? The answer is, for sure! Everything Americans see on television about this Continent is a misguided perception. People are people everywhere you go. Yes people here wear ties and suits, Yes people here wear Miami Heat jerseys and timberland boots. Yes people eat cooked chicken and lot of it. Yes people go to school and many of them speak 3 languages with ease. Yes people are nice and go out on weekends to party and relieve stress from the work week. There are so many things that you have no clue about to make a presumption with out doing your homework is just wrong about anyone or place. Now there are areas that are undeveloped to but you can find that in the Unites States as well. As a band we have made some life long friends that we are sure to see in again in the near future. Anyone who really wants to see a wonderful continent you need to come here. The people are open and are looking to expand their horizons probably even more than you. It is a big jump to get on a plane and fly 20 hours to a different part of the world but it is worth it for sure. You can not gather all your information from the American News because if you do you will only have a one sided view of the world.

I have learned that I could live here and be more than comfortable because they have all the comforts of home. Yes if you want to go to McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell you can. If you want to go dancing at a club or find bar that has very civilized people it is all here. I have spent everyday personally examining the city via my runs. Just seeing the average person get up at 4:50am to start their day is amazing here because it is not only one person but the city is up and thriving by then. It is a gift to travel and to love.

In a few hours we will be back on the flight trying to get back to our significant others by 3pm Thursday December 21st. I love being out on the road and anyone who knows me knows that, but it is time to go back for Christmas and share our experiences for the holidays. This band has grown by leaps and bounds via personal relationships and musically. I always think about something that Jahah said to me on the flight over and it went something like this. “It is a blessing and a gift to be going to Africa. It has always been a dream and now it is a reality of mine. I never would have thought, out of all the people I know I would have been going to Africa with you guys but here I am. I don’t know why I am here with you guys but this is an experience I will never have with anyone else and only you guys will really understand the feelings and sentiments I will experience out here on the road. I guess this is what a band is about” I, Richard Johnson could not have said it much better myself. This is when the true magic happens out here on the road. When you have to spend 20hours a day with three other people the music will just come out of your pours like water on a humid day in Tanzania.

I will return one day, someday, any day, but for today, I must return home for a short while so I can let those know who go no where, because their scared, to get out and experience the world first hand! It is truly up to you how far you can take it to make it!

First International AFAR tour Done!