It is unnerving to be in another land when your own country has been attacked by terrorists. It is even more unsettling when you don't have a means of getting details about the event and are in an area where there are peoples sympathetic to the terrorists actions. However, within minutes of the attack, our friends, Doug and Linda, had received a phone call from their family in Minnesota, came to pick us up and brought us to a lodge that had a satellite TV with CNN. I was amazed that within 30 minutes of this event, I was watching news that many in the U.S. had not known as yet. Hidden amongst the squalor of the area was a delightful lodge that catered to visitors of means. A walled fortress that had real grass and clean shrubbery. As we sat transfixed on the tiny screen that showed images more familiar than those that were surrounding us, we found staff and patrons from various countries assure us that, they too, share our grief and outrage at the senseless acts seen before us.

For the remainder of our time in Arusha we were told to attempt to "not stand out as Americans". Although warned that there was an element of support for the acts against the U.S. within the Arusha area, and that it would be in our best interest to not act too American, we found everyone we encountered to be sympathetic to the peoples of our country. Many were noticeably angry for this act would surely have an adverse effect on their lives as well. Much of what ever meager income can be sought in the Arusha area comes from providing Safari's, primarily for American Tourists. Fear of flying to Tanzania could be catastrophic for their tourism business.

Later in the week, the Government of Tanzania declared a day of mourning for the victims of this violet attack and asked that all fly their flags at half-mast. Before this day I didn't realize how few Tanzanian flags there were. That didn't deter anyone, however. We saw company flags, advertising flags, pieces of cloth, all flying in the breeze, halfway down the posts that held them. The following morning we heard the choir from the boys school next to the Mwangaza Centre singing the U.S. National Anthem - not an easy piece, even for Americans. It was beautiful.