"Business Is Organized Friendship"

TYLER: Today we began with another great breakfast at the Protea hotel and off we went to the University of Dar Es Salaam. We met with the Dean and Associate Dean of Commerce and Management. They gave us a pretty good perspective on what student life was like here in Tanzania. One thing I learned from this morning’s meeting was the major challenge that prospective students face here in Tanzania. In Tanzania, it is a privilege to get a higher education and not a right. We Americans take for granted that all Americans have a right to higher education. After taking in the student life at Dar Es Salaam, we made are way over to the Movenpick hotel to meet with Mr. Reginald Mengi...enough said if you know who this individual is. This is the East African media icon mogul, the Ted Turner of Africa.

He began our meeting with explaining how he went from a mud hut to becoming one of the most prominent businessmen in eastern Africa. God, confidence, seeing fear as an enemy, understanding the difference between a problem and a challenge, think big, know where your going, and be humble: these are all the factors that allowed Mr. Mengi to get where he is today. Leaving the conference room this afternoon has inspired me to become a better leader and a stronger leader. You have to have faith to overcome challenges. You have to have confidence to make it through challenges. You cannot fear the challenge. You have to understand the difference between a problem and a challenge because a problem will just bring you down and not allow you to achieve what you are shooting for. You have to think big and know where you are going to succeed. Finally he said to be humble. “Be confident, but don’t be arrogant”. I learned from Mr. Mengi how important trust, honesty, and integrity have helped him grow as a leader. All of these things will help me (as well as everybody else in the room) grow as leaders just like Mr. Mengi has. Now at the end of our business intensive journey of this trip, I feel I am already going home a better and stronger leader with a lot more confidence in my step. This will help guide me starting my job when I get back as well as in my career in the future. I want to thank Mrs. Littlefield, Dr. Moshi, Dr. Gauthreaux, and Dr. Houston a great deal for allowing me to be a part of this journey. Even though there is still a lot we will take in before we leave Tanzania, I have already benefited a great deal from this experience and grown as a person. That is enough said for May 23, 2007.

PICTURES: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8431089@N07/

EDITOR: The meeting also included many reporters... and we made it on two different Tanzanian TV stations! The ILA students and Dr. Moshi are now Tanzanian TV celebrities. If we get a copy, we'll post the clip.