Swahili Journal Entry

I am composing this journal entry to update my adventure so far. I am currently in Tanzania, which is located on the Swahili Coast. Over the recent days, I ventured the Indian Ocean trade network which runs along the borders of Africa and Asia. I am going to start off this journal telling you some background information I learned about Swahili. The Swahili people have an extremely distinct culture. During my time in Swahili, I learned a lot the Swahili language, which was formed from a mix of African and Arab cultures. I have made a friend who informed me on the Swahili way of life. The women must wear the jilbab and men wore thobs, both were long garments that covered the entire body. My friend went on to tell me about the way of living in
Swahili. She said that they all generally live in stone houses. In the families, the man of the house has all authority. In a regular Swahili home, the residents usually include more than just your immediate family. Eventually, the Swahili coast started participating in the Indian Ocean trade network. After learning about the Swahilis, I went on with my journey. The Indian Ocean trade network is a key factor in East and West exchanges. My first stop was in India. India has an extensive variety of merchandise and spices I can get through exchanging with them.
During my stop in India, I exchanged salt for some new spices. Most Indian spices are new to individuals originating from distinctive areas in the world, because of diverse cultures and crops. Anyway, after my stop in India, I got back on the ship and proceeded with my excursion, heading towards China. After a day had passed, I at last arrived in China. My goal was to leave china with silk because silk was only made in China. The Chinese realized how valuable there silk really was, and decided not to inform anyone on how it was made. China used to be an extremely isolated country, but recently they started to trade. I gave the Chinese spices and gold in return for precious Chinese silk. Arab merchant’s recently introduced Islam to East African Trade cities. The mix of African and Arab cultures led to a new Swahili language. Towns are beginning to have mosques and were ruled by a Muslim Sultan. However, many people are keeping their traditional religious beliefs. Exploring the Indian Ocean trade network was most defiantly an amazing experience. Hearing about all this interesting information is awesome; however, experiencing the journey itself is like nothing I have ever experienced before. Well, I’m off to the Roman Empire, but no worries, I will be
back.