We have all had moments when we wished we did not have to go to school.  I thought this all the time when I was younger and did not understand the importance of attending school.  But now I understand and no longer question the U.S. education system.

Although I was only ten years old, I still was able to tell that my trip to Tanzania was a life-changing experience.  I learned so much on that trip, especially about being thankful.

After already being in Africa for five days, I had seen many children in need of improvements in their lives.  I never really thought about what a child’s education was like in Tanzania, before actually visiting a schoolhouse nearby.

Prior to coming to Africa, everyone who would be attending was asked to bring any extra school supplies that could be given to the schoolhouse.  My mother helped me pick out a bag full of old Crayola crayons and some other supplies we had just laying around my house.

We piled onto a rusty, old bus with our bags of school supplies.  Our tour guide told us to be excited and play with the children because they have been looking forward to our visit.  He talked about how these children are few of the lucky ones because many children in Africa do not even have the opportunity to go to school.  After a twenty-minute ride, the bus parked near a building that looked almost like an abandon shed.  The tour guide said eagerly, “We’re here!”

We all hopped off the bus and waited for the guide to walk us into the schoolhouse.  The tour guide ran into the schoolroom and told us to wait here.  I noticed that there was almost nothing outside for playtime.  No playground or swing set to play on.  No jump ropes or chalk to play with.  There was nothing except for the few ripped soccer balls that were covered in dirt.

The tour guide came out again and signaled us to come into the schoolhouse.  Everyone felt a little nervous and not sure what to think.  We slowly walked through an archway, which was the school’s door.  I assumed that the teacher took away the door to keep the room from getting overheated.  Guilt took over as I stepped inside the building. Their classroom was probably smaller than my own bedroom back home.  There were over thirty-five children in need of an education with only one small room.  I knew that a building this small, without air-conditioning, in ninety-degree weather, was not an acceptable learning environment.

The children could not speak any English, but I could tell how delighted they were to have us with them.  It was so amazing to see how something as little as our company made them so happy.  The teacher requested us to hand out our items to the children. As I passed out my Crayola crayons and some pens and erasers, the children beamed with joy.  Each of them gave me a huge smile with their yellow, rotting teeth.  How in the world could children be so excited to get school supplies? 

  As looked around the room more, there was not much there.  I thought at my school back at home and how the teachers and students complained because not every classroom had a Smartboard.  I felt guilty as I looked around the classroom: just a chalkboard and one map.  How was one map of the world supposed to teach thirty-five children about all of the counties and all of the events happening around the world?  I knew the answer; it could not.  The teacher knew some English and said thank you over and over again.

Visiting the schoolhouse made such an impact on me even at such a young age.    Learning the importance of education is a topic that needed to be emphasized more.  Not only will it make people reflect on their education and remember how lucky they are, but it will also inspire them to want to take action and help others.  It took ten years of my life to learn how essential an education is and not to take it for granted.  After visiting the schoolhouse in Tanzania, I push myself every day in school to work hard because I am lucky to be able to have teachers and tools to give me a good education.