If you ever get the chance to visit Tanzania, take the opportunity! It has so much of the iconic African charm. I have had the opportunity to go twice, and both times I felt like there is so much more to explore than what I have time for. On my last trip to Tanzania, I had worked out with a local outfitter a three day game drive for myself and a group of friends. This was an amazing experience because the four of us had our own driver and vehicle, and all the food and lodging was taken care of. We felt like we had the freedom to stop whenever we wanted without being concerned about others that might be on the game drive with us. Over the three days we visited the Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, and Lake Manyara National Park. Each park was spectacular in its own right, and while I know many people that would default to going to Serengeti National Park, these parks had spectacular animal viewing, but seemed to be more reasonably priced.

As you drive through Tanzania to get to these parks, you are driving through areas that are inhabited by the Maasai Tribe. This nomadic people group are known for their bright colored dress and distinctive customs. They raise cattle and tend to live in the northern area of Tanzania. The distinctive music and dance of the Maasai can be one of the most amazing cultural experiences you have when crossing through the areas they live. In some ways seeing the Maasai is like stepping back in time.

It was while we were heading to our first game drive that I had one of those moments in life where what I was seeing didn’t fit with my perceptions of the world around me. A herd of animals was grazing on the side of the road being watched by a young Maasai boy. Our vehicle had to slow down because of traffic, and this gave me a perfect moment to take a closer look at this young boy tending his flock. As I looked more closely, I saw him looking down at something in his hands: It was a cell phone and his fingers were busy typing away as we drove by. He had everything that was iconic about the Maasai tribe: Bright robe, stick in his hand, watching his herd of animals. It was the cell phone that made me laugh out loud. Now please understand, I think it is great that he had a cell phone, it was just the collision of his old culture traditions with modern technology that caused my brain to hiccup.

Everyday our world is changing. Technology is making our world smaller, and even in a deeply rural area of Tanzania, a young shepherd boy is using technology as a part of his everyday life. Old culture and customs intersecting with modern technology. This may be the best picture I can think of when I remember how much the world is changing. I will always have moments where reality shocks me again and again about how the world is changing. I am glad that I get to travel the world to see these changes.

My encouragement today is simple. With all the changes occurring, don’t miss out on the opportunities to see the amazing peoples and cultures that inhabit our planet. The reality is that travel is more affordable than we tend to believe. Don’t go through life experiencing the world second hand through someone else’s eyes. See the world for yourself and the simple joy that comes from seeing a shepherd with a cell phone…