Tanzania: A Journey From New Jersey to East Africa

by Keishanna Rasin

Keishanna “Shanna” Rasin is a Brooklyn native who is on a mission to sprinkle kindness across the globe. As a career social worker and youth advocate in New York City, Shanna spent more than a decade selflessly serving her community before a traumatic event prompted her to seek renewal through the Hero Travel Fund. In November 2025, Shanna went on a solo Destination: Unknown Adventure to Tanzania, where she trekked with the Maasai, came face-to-face with elephants and lions on safari, floated in a hot air balloon over the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn, and took time to listen to her heart’s calling for the next chapter in her life. Shanna returned home with a rejuvenated spirit and a widened perspective for her social services work. Her dream is to create workshops, programs, and opportunities for youth to explore the world with open hearts. She said: “[The HTF has] given me a gift I can’t return, but will carry for the rest of my life.”

When I applied for a Hero Travel Fund award with Explorer X, I was only expecting to share my story, how I am helping my community, and how advocating for the youth brings me joy. What I didn’t expect was Tanzania! – a place that would change how I see the world, my role in it, and the way I want to inspire the next generation.

When it was time to sit down and start planning, I asked Explorer X to “Surprise me!” Well … I was beyond surprised when I ended up getting launched thousands of miles across the world to Tanzania. And trust me, it was the best “plot twist” of my life.

Travel Designer Robyn planned a very thoughtful itinerary! She was able to capture all of my interests and expose me to Tanzania in a way that I would fully enjoy. I love a good surprise, but when they revealed where I would be going for my Destination: Unknown Adventure, my jaw hit the floor. Tanzania? Me? Okay, say less! I packed my bags, whispered a prayer, and hopped onto a plane blooming with possibility. My mind said, “Girl, what are we doing?” but the seat was comfy, so I took that as a sign to relax. Little did I know I was stepping into a journey that would rewrite parts of my soul.

From the moment I landed at Kilimanjaro Airport, the warmth of the tropical air wrapped around me, and the first words I heard, “Karibu Sana,” meaning “You’re very welcome,” told me this journey would be unlike anything I had ever known. Tanzania wasn’t just a destination for me; it was an invitation to step fully into life.

Living Pole Pole and Feeling Every Moment

I learned that Tanzania moves at a rhythm all its own. Pole pole is slow, soft, and unhurried. It’s a way of life that reminded me to breathe, to observe, and to truly savor each experience. Then I met the legendary African massage roads. If you don’t know, allow me to help you see it: Imagine a road that is part rollercoaster, Rocky Mountains, salsa dance, and chiropractic session all in one. Those bumpy roads knocked every worry out of me until I was left with nothing but joy, and maybe a slightly rearranged spine. It was also a reminder about life; even with all the bumps, life will continue. Now, I was ready to see the country with open eyes and an open heart. Safari, here I come!

My guide, John, is a true safari legend. He drove a modified classic J70 Land Cruiser a dream car, which we can’t even get in the States. Every time we hit a rough patch (which was … most of the time), he’d say, “Hold on,” and I swear he said it like a superhero catchphrase. I called him The Road Warrior. We covered many miles together: Towns, markets, crater rims, and landscapes that looked painted by God himself. Arusha even reminded me of Jamaica Avenue in Queens. A little chaotic, a little loud, very alive. It felt strangely like home.

Feasting on Culture and Flavor

The food in Tanzania is more than sustenance! It’s culture, history, and love on a plate. One night, I sat around a fire as Maasai men cooked barbecue, and I asked why they didn’t smoke the meat. They said, “We don’t like the taste of smoke.” Just meat. Period. No smoke or fuss, just let the fire and flavor speak for itself. We laughed, we joked, we compared our worlds. It was simple, humble, and beautifully human. Sitting by fires, sharing laughter and meals, I realized that the true treasures of travel are not the sights, but the connections you make.

I then visited the Chagga tribe. The Chagga people taught me harmony with the land: Banana farms, coffee hillsides, and lush greenery where generosity and pride are woven into everyday life. They introduced me to bananas in ways I never imagined, including mashed into soups, fermented into ceremonial beer, baked into desserts, and even used in the making of lunch boxes. Here, bananas are the Beyoncé of agriculture. Bananas for everything. I’ve never seen banana trees so big in my life. And tasting coffee I helped harvest, roast, and brew? A whole different flavor profile. Smooth. Bold. Nothing like back home but unforgettable. Every bite, every sip, was a story of the land and the people who nurtured it. These meals were lessons in simplicity, humility, and the joy of sharing. These experiences opened my eyes not only to the beauty of the world, but to the importance of showing the next generation that it is possible to embrace life fully while honoring tradition and community.

Walking with the Maasai and Learning from the Land

Exploring the plains, Lake Natron, ancient footsteps, waterfalls, and Maasai villages, greetings like “Supa,” and the responses of “Ashê oleng,” connected me to a lineage of resilience and storytelling. There is a saying: You don’t ask a Maasai for directions, because they will reply “just over there,” and an hour of walking later, you still haven’t reached “just over there.” I myself learned this the hard way while walking with the Maasai.

The Symphony of the Wild Safari Life

(AKA: Where Sleep Comes Slowly and Lions Don’t Care About Your Nerves.)

The nights in Tanzania Safari! Oh, they’re a show. Night one: I slept zero hours. The hyenas were out there singing their little hearts out like it was the Serengeti Soul Train Awards! By night four, I was knocked OUT. Hyenas? Music. Lions roaring? A lullaby. Zebras and wildebeests racing past my tent? White noise. One night, elephants casually camped outside my tent like they paid rent. I peeked out and said, “Oh, okay, so we’re neighbors now.” Tanzania really said, “Here’s the full experience, no filter.” When morning came, I was greeted by an elephant who helped himself to all the fruits and vegetables!

Tanzania is alive. Floating over the Ngorongoro Crater in a hot air balloon was worth waking up at 3am! Hiking hills and sharing a bush breakfast with strangers turned friends reminded me of the vastness of the world and how small moments can leave the biggest impact.

A Journey That Inspires Beyond Travel

Tanzania did more than expand my horizons; it reminded me why I serve my community and mentor youth. Experiences like this, seeing the world and connecting with people from different cultures, are the kind of gifts I want young people to have. Traveling isn’t just sightseeing: It’s perspective. It teaches empathy, courage, and curiosity. Some of my favorite moments were the simplest ones, like sitting with families in their homes, sharing laughter and conversation over warm meals prepared over fires in clay pots. The aroma of spices, the smoke, the soft clatter of clay and wood, and the feeling of being welcomed as though I belonged. These moments were pure magic.

Since returning, I’ve been inspired to create programs, workshops, and opportunities that will help the youth see beyond their immediate environment, to dream bigger, and to explore the world with open hearts. I want them to know that adventure, learning, and growth aren’t reserved for anyone else; they are theirs to claim.

Oh Tanzania, You Will Stay With Me Forever!

You’ve given me a gift I can’t return, but will carry for the rest of my life. With love, with gratitude, with truth: “Asante Tanzania kwa kuwa safari yangu ya kwanza lakini si ya mwisho.”

Thank you, Tanzania, for being my first adventure but definitely not my last. Explorer X, you didn’t just gift me a trip. You lifted me from Jersey to Africa. You didn’t just guide me through a country, you opened a doorway into its soul, its heartbeat!

This trip helps me to carry my same mission: To spread love, inspire growth, and remind the youth of their limitless potential. I will carry this gift forward sharing it and helping others see the world not just as a place to visit, but as a teacher, a guide, and a source of inspiration. For that, asante sana. Thank you for the memories that still flicker in my mind like classic picture flip book, for the voices and landscapes that continue to echo long after my return. I will dream of Tanzania, the Maasai, and the Chagga for many years to come. Thank you for the transformation, and renewed purpose. Tanzania, you have showed me the beauty of slow living and the thrill of stepping into the unknown.

Asante, Tanzania, Robyn, and Explorer X! Thank you for being my adventure, my teacher, and my inspiration for what travel can truly teach.