Pole Pole

In Tanzania there’s a common saying that’s used in a variety of situations- Pole Pole (pronounced Poe-Lay, Poe-Lay).  It can mean anything from “slowly” to “slow down,” to “calm down,” to “chill out” and anything in between.  It basically is a way to say, “there is no hurry, so why rush.”  It’s also a good way to describe the way of life in Tanzania.  There is no hurry for anything, and people always tend to take their time when doing basically anything.  Coming from the United States, where everyone seems to be in a rush, this has been one of the aspects of Tanzanian life and culture that I’m still getting used to, and even my fellow Tanzanians are noticing.

A good example was the other day I was saying hello to one of the fellow Mzumbe teachers and he said to me, “Mr. Matthew, yesterday I saw you constantly in motion.  You seemed to be very busy.”  I laughed and shook my head a bit and just told him that I probably wasn’t particularly busy, but that it’s just typical American behavior.  He smiled then told me, “In Africa, it’s always Pole Pole.  We work a little, and relax a lot.”  I told him that I’m learning to adjust to that lifestyle, but as everyone knows, old habits tend to die-hard.

It’s funny to think about how in America, even when we’re not busy, we tend to always make ourselves busy.  Here in Tanzania, people enjoy their time, their days, and the company of others as much as they can.  There’s no time like the present, so there’s no rush for anything.  As I’m adjusting to life here, I’m still learning to enjoy each day and each moment as much as I can, even if I’m not busy with “something”.  As they say- Pole Pole.