The daily life of a volunteer teaching across the globe

Greetings from Hanga, Tanzania!

It feels like just yesterday that my Benedictine Volunteer Corps partner, Allan, and I were navigating a whirlwind travel itinerary across multiple continents and eight time zones. After a brief transition through Dar Es Salaam, a short flight down to Songea and a dusty drive into the hills of the Ruvuma region, we arrived at our new home for the next eleven months: Hanga Abbey.

Before arriving, I wasn’t entirely sure what daily life in a rural Benedictine community would look like. What I quickly discovered is that Hanga is a vibrant, self-sustaining hub. Beyond the Abbey church and monastery, the community encompasses a kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, seminary, a working farm and a Vocational Training Center (VTC). It is a place where nothing goes to waste, from the crops grown in the fields to the repurposed materials in the workshops, and where community life moves to a steady, intentional cadence.

Our routine here is deeply anchored by the monastic rhythm. The day begins early with a 5:30 a.m.alarm for Lauds (morning prayer) at 6 a.m. in the Abbey Church, followed by ten minutes of silent meditation, admittedly the hardest part of the morning when fighting off sleep, and Holy Mass. By 7:30 a.m., Allan and I head to the guest refectory for breakfast, usually fresh bread, kande (maize and red beans) and hot tea, often accompanied by the Tanzania Safari Channel playing on an old tube television in the corner.

My primary service site is at the Vocational Training Center, where I work with students on computer literacy. Introducing digital skills in an environment where resources are modest requires both creativity and patience. Many of the students arrive with very little previous exposure to a mouse or keyboard. We spend our morning and afternoon work sessions breaking down computer essentials, practicing typing, navigating basic software and translating concepts across a blend of English and Swahili. When power cuts occasionally interrupt our screen time, we pivot to notebooks and chalkboards. Seeing the pride on a student’s face when they master a tricky formatting exercise or navigate a program independently makes every challenge worthwhile. Outside the lab, service has also meant embracing whatever is needed, whether that is helping Italian volunteer veterinarians on the abbey farm or hauling trailer-loads of hay for the dairy cows.

Life here has already taught me a great deal about presence and humility. Back in Collegeville, life was organized around tight schedules, rapid digital communication and constant momentum. In Hanga, life is about relationships. People do not simply pass one another on the road; greetings are an essential, thoughtful ritual. Living alongside the monastic community has challenged me to let go of the need to control every outcome and to welcome interruptions as opportunities for connection. The Benedictine values of prayer, work (ora et labora) and hospitality aren’t just abstract ideals here; they are lived out at every shared meal of ugali, every shared laugh across a language barrier and every communal prayer.

I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome the monks and the wider Hanga community have extended to us, and for the support of the St. John’s community back home that makes this service possible. Please continue to keep our students, the abbey and our cohort in your prayers!