First Impressions

The first thing that I noticed when I arrived in Tanzania is that it is very dark at night.  There are almost no artificial lights, so the sky is jet black and full of stars.  Driving is slow because the highway to Arusha is strangely peppered with speed bumps and randomly interspersed paved and unpaved sections.  The air often smells of smoke from burning garbage.

The first new phrase that I learned in Africa is "TIA" - This is Africa.  This phrase is something that you say when dealing with a strange situation that is completely normal by African standards.  For example, it is strange by Western standards for the power to go out every night at 7:30 for 30 minutes.  It is strange to simply run out of water at the end of the day.  Both are normal in Tanzania.  I learned "TIA" when I arrived at the volunteer house, tired and dirty from over 24 hrs of international travel.  I went to turn on the faucet and was told, "TIA, no water tonight."  Aack!  I was quickly introduced to the concept of the bucket shower and bucket toilet flush.  The water runs out so often, that a barrel of water and a corresponding bucket are kept in each bathroom just for these occasions.  Thankfully, when there is water, it is possible to get a hot shower...as long as you remember to turn on the water heater 20 minutes beforehand! 

This is the first time that I have ever slept on a top bunk, shrouded in a mosquito net.  I haven't actually been bitten yet, knock wood, even though I forgot to put the net down one night.  I'm in a room with 7 other women - 2 Kiwis, 3 Canadians, 1 Brit, and 1 Norwegian.  I'm by far the oldest - double the age of some - but everyone is very nice and very committed to helping as much as possible while they are here.  The house has about 20 people total, only three men....hmmmmm....wonder why?

This could be the first time in my life that I don't have trouble waking up early in the morning....not only do the neighborhood roosters and dogs starting praising the rising sun while it's still dark, but there is a local mosque that calls for prayer at 5:30am.  The voice is melodic, but it must wake everyone for miles because it is LOUD.  It will probably surprise most everyone, but I am not drinking coffee anymore to make up for my sleep deficit....the instant stuff tastes like mud, so I've switched to tea.  Without cream or sugar even.

My first dala dala ride was probably the first time that I have ever had a stranger basically sit on my lap.  Arusha doesn't have buses.  Instead, there are dala dalas - mini vans that try to hold the same number of passengers as full-sized buses.  They look more like clown cars than public transportation.  In you go, with someone on your lap and sometimes people hanging out the door and someone else's bag or baby on your lap.  The experience is uncomfortable and fragant...ode to human.  I'm glad that I don't have to take the dala dala to my school....I get to walk!  Walking isn't all that easy though...the roads are dirt and full of potholes, and trash, and random stumps.  If you don't walk staring at your feet, you risk tripping and falling into one of the open sewers that run along the side of the road.  I walk quite carefully needless to say.

Overall, Tanzania is a study in contrasts...people who live in shacks who smile and wave when you go by, shouting "mzungu" (white person), dirt roads and Mercedes, and Masai warriors and cell phones.  More on the Masai in my next post.