Ten months down the line since I made my community my home. One of the things that had me both excited and terrified was being deployed to a new community. I did not know what to expect, and my guess was that the community members did not know either. In the back of my mind I always wondered if they would like me or accept me into their community, and luckily, they did! They always make me feel welcome into their homes and share with me their culture, experiences and happiness.
I have learnt so much about culture and tradition here that it still gets me excited. Every time I am around family and friends I always try to squeeze in a story or two about my community, hoping it will get them as excited as I am. I remember telling my sister about a traditional dance ritual done in my community known as Gule Wamkulu. She got so into the story and made me tell it to everyone we knew, even her workmates! Her enthusiasm made me so happy because it’s not just about the stories, but she is also very supportive and eager to hear what I have been up to with my community.