Why did the few days in Zanzibar (Tanzania) mean a true escape from the everyday rush and stress, and what did I bring with me (besides the spices and fridge magnets 🙂 )?
Either you’re reading this article ahead of a busy day, or at the end of a day when the deadlines, negotiations, meeting with others’ needs already drained your energy, it’s worth thinking about a different way of looking at life. I don’t say that it’s the only way, or that it’s so easy to fit into the “western” world, but anyhow, it’s worth stopping for a second and reminding ourselves that it can be done differently, too.
The people of Zanzibar have a secret “weapon”, or rather two, which they maximally embrace and live by: the “hakuna matata” and the “pole, pole”. These are two Swahili expressions: hakuna matata means no problem, no worries, all good, and pole means slow, slowly, take it easy. Oh, how many times I heard it, and how many times was I told that c’mon, pole, pole, don’t worry because the taxi will come, we will have a deal, we will get there, this will happen, that will do, etc.! Also that hakuna matata, everything’s all right, no problem! Even though I’m not an over-organising type anyway. By the end of the holiday, I also became cool (more or less), and there were times, when I automatically told myself “pole, pole” if I caught myself on being impatient or getting a bit worried.
And you know what? It always came whatever was supposed to come, I got to everywhere I wanted, and it always happened somehow. Of course in my work, I cannot tell my clients that “pole, pole”, or my boss that “come on, hakuna matata”, but if I’m overstressed, or something didn’t go in the way I expected, then I can always choose to stop for a second to imagine the white sandy ocean beaches with the palm trees in front of my eyes, and I can repeat these expressions to myself. The world won’t collapse or stop, and whatever supposed to come will eventually arrive, even if I wait for it worriedly or in peace instead. So I recommend you all to memorise these two expressions, and to remind yourselves of them in the middle of the busy workdays. 🙂
And here’s a bit of extra to fully embrace the vibe 🙂