Thursday, February 25, 2021
Zion Hamashiach
Ordered for 10-day mandatory quarantine… Ouchy…
Getting this news after over 25 hours on planes and airports crossing from Africa, Tanzania over to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam over to Seattle, and finally, my last flight from Seattle into Maui, HI, was certainly exhausting.
All other airports and airlines were fine with the 2 negative Covid-19 test results that I had already invested into my return to Maui. My efforts to avoid quarantine were not enough since the 2 negative tests were not from an approved State of Hawaii laboratory. The OGG airport authorities insisted on a 10-day mandatory quarantine! Shocked and confused 😲… I asked for more information about their quarantine requirements.
There were 3 options given. The first option was to pay for my 10-day quarantine at an approved hotel (2 presented were Maui Beach and Maui Seaside) both costing from $159 to over $225 per night.
My second opinion was to essentially,
phone a friend, as I needed someone who would assume responsibility as my 10-day quarantine monitor.
The third option was simply put as, “Or go to jail!”…
Still not understanding exactly why there was not a better option for a Maui resident returning from another continent, I was given 2 hours to make a decision or the only option would be to go to jail.
As I sat having to explain the details to friends, such as jail time for me and a $5,000 fine for them as my monitor if I broke quarantine. I prayed and tried to hold on to my precious memories of Tanzania.
A Swahili saying that was often heard spoken throughout the Tanzanian Island of Zanzibar is, “Pole Pole”, It means, “Slowly slowly.” It’s about taking things slow and enjoying the natural flow of life. Practicing patience when things happen in our lives that seem to be unnecessary challenges.
An unnecessary challenge escape artist was my favorite work of art 🤓
…
Escaping the US government’s way of handling the Covid-19/Pandemic was a big part of why I chose Tanzania as my destination. The Tanzanian president John Pombe Magufuli had not announced high numbers affecting his country 2020. Instead, he humbly requested three-days of national prayers. There was no strict mask-wearing policy or prolonged shutdown and stay-at-home orders. Not even a Covid-19 test required to enter into his luscious rich country during the thick of numbers splurging in many counties serving the western societies. My escape was successful. But now, I was back to a different reality.
Finally, a friend I phoned had agreed to be my host monitor for the 10-day quarantine. Quickly another phrase in Swahili was immediately on my mind, “Asante sana”, a Swahili phrase meaning, “Thank you very much.” I was very grateful to have someone in my life especially upon my return to Maui who would agree to these challenging terms. In Tanzania, it was ALWAYS a requirement to give thanks for what had been provided, as it was sufficient for the day even if it seemed to be very little. More than words are what I brought back and would take with me forever from the many tribes of Tanzania.
Fading back into my current reality in Maui… Thoughts of things I would miss in Maui for the next 10 days covered me… No beach hopping, no long walks at sunset, and wait, no Maui vegan restaurants!!! How am I going to get food??? I had only eaten airplane food for the last 32 hours…
So much to figure out when all I wanted was a Maui beach sunset and delicious Maui vegan food…
Again, I used the phone a friend option. Blessed and highly loved, my good friend Jamir and website owner of Innerconnect, came to my grocery shopping rescue! Adorable and extremely helpful he went grocery shopping for me twice during my 10-day quarantine. He’s something like a life-saving Angel or something now for certain…
The rest of my quarantine was a breeze… As we say in Swahili, “Hakuna Matata” meaning, “No worries!” I would be back at my favorite Maui vegan restaurants and beaches soon enough.
I didn’t want to make this post a rant, instead highlight some of my Tanzania takeaways and new beginnings on Maui. As the Spirit of Love has always been gracious to me and especially with my return to Maui 2021.
The support I have received during my quarantine challenge has molded a new perspective and appreciation for what I have been blessed with experiencing in Tanzania and nowhere in Maui. It reminds me that we all have something to share whether it be a house, time grocery shopping for someone in need, or a kind & meaningful phrase from our language. Helping others during this huge universal transformation is a challenge we cannot escape. It is a requirement and very much a part of our self-discovery, self-healing, and self-love.
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