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Afreka
April 18, 2009 @ 8:14 PM | Permalink
So I have been in Arusha for near a month (10/2/08). I now understand the concept of 'Africa time.' It is nearly impossible to be on time when every 5 ft someone wants to start a conversation with you...i.e. how are you? Where are you from? Are you married? Where are you going? Etc. Then once you have finished the polite mini life conversations you get heckled to buy bracelets or machetes for a special someone…
Life in Africa is very simple…and slow; while still maintaining a sense of chaos. It is odd to see unmarked police holding semi-automatic weapons, glue sniffing teenagers chasing you down for money and random stray roosters and dogs owning the sidewalks. The entertainment level in Arusha is very basic with a movie theater 30mins away and all after dark activities are off limits unless you are traveling with more than one person and have a taxi service…which is slightly annoying to ensure. So far we have been watching movies and satellite TV that streams in bootleg movies, Bali wood specials and South African soap operas. Note we have satellite TV but not oven…go figure. I have found that the African cuisine is very similar to Indian but with a lot less flavor. Their stewed greens and chapatti bread are very tasty.
In the past three weeks I have finished stability assessment framework training and will now be working on a SAF of Kenya until the first week in November. I have had a total of two Swahili lessons…Nina sema Kiswahili polepole…and have gone to Maasai women’s empowerment development organization to see if I can volunteer so I will see how that pans out. We also meet the Arusha Green Society that is a sustainable development organization for women aka women plant and sell trees…We also went to a safari lodge where we ate impala…it is the first time I’ve eaten red meat in god knows how long, but the other non red meat eaters felt that we needed to try this African veldt delicacy. The wilderness of Tanzania is beautiful and is what I think of when I think of Africa. Hopefully we can go on a safari and see some damn animals! If I don’t see a zebra soon I just might freak out…ha-ha. It has been a little depressing being here with limited social interaction and social activities. Hopefully some good excitement will happen soon!
Today is the last day of Ramadan aka Eid and we are once again invited to break the fast with out apartment owner. If the food is as good as last time this surely will be a treat. We’ve decided to give him a watermelon…hopefully this gift will be enjoyed. Maybe we can invite him to an African thanksgiving if we can find cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie in this country…but who knows.
In the past three weeks I have finished stability assessment framework training and will now be working on a SAF of Kenya until the first week in November. I have had a total of two Swahili lessons…Nina sema Kiswahili polepole…and have gone to Maasai women’s empowerment development organization to see if I can volunteer so I will see how that pans out. We also meet the Arusha Green Society that is a sustainable development organization for women aka women plant and sell trees…We also went to a safari lodge where we ate impala…it is the first time I’ve eaten red meat in god knows how long, but the other non red meat eaters felt that we needed to try this African veldt delicacy. The wilderness of Tanzania is beautiful and is what I think of when I think of Africa. Hopefully we can go on a safari and see some damn animals! If I don’t see a zebra soon I just might freak out…ha-ha. It has been a little depressing being here with limited social interaction and social activities. Hopefully some good excitement will happen soon!
Today is the last day of Ramadan aka Eid and we are once again invited to break the fast with out apartment owner. If the food is as good as last time this surely will be a treat. We’ve decided to give him a watermelon…hopefully this gift will be enjoyed. Maybe we can invite him to an African thanksgiving if we can find cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie in this country…but who knows.
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