Moving from England to Tanzania

This is not really an illustration-focused blogpost, but I thought I should write it anyway to fill you all in. Some of you may already know that I've recently moved from the UK to Tanzania, East Africa, where I plan on continuing my career as a freelance illustrator. It's been a long time in the making and certainly not a decision I've taken lightly, (especially in the midst of a global pandemic!) but I feel very lucky that my job allows me to be almost anywhere in the world, as long as I have a desk and internet connection.

You might be asking, "of all places, why Tanzania?" Well, to cut a long story short, I have family history here and I've spent some time already getting to know the country and culture and learning the language. Each time I came here, I fell more in love until I couldn't get it out of my mind. And that's pretty much it. Now I'm sitting in my home studio in Arusha writing this and looking out at blue sky and banana trees. I'm slightly overwhelmed but also very excited to see how this place will influence my work. I realise I'm in a unique position and I'd love to use it to share the beauty of this country, which is truly inspiring. I don't know how long this will last, so I want to make sure to take it all in while I can.