Natalie

I first met Natalie when she arrived in Tanzania as a Peace Corps Volunteer. She was one of forty or so Math and Science teachers. She is the young lady in the center right of the photograph with her hands raised high. I don't think I ever saw Natalie without that smile. Her host country counterpart was Glory, the woman just above Natalie to the left, with an equally joyous smile. They were quite a team!
I didn't spend a great deal of time with Natalie when she was a trainee, but when I did, I was amazed at her love of life. She was always in a good mood, and I never heard her say anything negative about anyone.
After three months of training, Natalie moved out to her site near Dodoma, the official capital of Tanzania. I looked forward to visiting her several months later as part of my duties as her supervisor. I suspected that she was doing well, despite her relative inexperience as a teacher. She was just one of those types that was gonna thrive.
When I arrived at her site, I was very pleased that she was indeed doing well, and that she had really bonded with her counterpart, Glory. Glory couldn't have been born with a more appropriate name. She was as optimistic as Natalie, and maybe even smiled more! I observed them interact throughout the day, and was very jealous - I had never had a counterpart or peer that I worked with so well. After observing their separate lessons, they both eagerly sought feedback, and soaked up my suggestions and offer for further resources. When I talked to their headmistress, it was clear that this tandem was the heart and soul of the school, after only a few months!
I met with both of them a half a year later at a regional conference in the area. True to form, they had incorporated my modest feedback, and were experimenting with some very creative and innovative classroom activities. Glory and her fellow counterparts worked late into the evening with me, opting to forgo the social gathering to learn more about basic pedagogy. At the end of the conference, Natalie and Glory were even more enthused to get back to their school and work with their students. I smiled as I saw them drive away, hoping that my own daughters would experience teachers as enthusiastic and motivated. When I got back to my office, I wrote them both a short note saying so.
Six months after the conference, Natalie went on a safari to Ruaha National Park in central Tanzania. She had a friend visiting from the US, and they and several others booked a cut-rate outfit to take them into the park. Beyond all comprehension, the guides let the women out of the Landrover to take pictures of a group of elephants nearby. When Natalie began to take photos, the clicking of the camera enraged one of the larger elephants. The elephant charged the group, and tragically, Natalie was the slowest back to the vehicle. The elephant overtook her and trampled her to death. Such a poor epitaph to such a short and vibrant life.