On my first weekend, a group of volunteers visited a Masai village approximately 3.5hrs from Arusha. The drive started out rather nicely, with just the standard speed bumps and traffic, and beautiful views of Mt.Meru (the 4th highest mountain in Africa) and Mt. Kilimanjaro. It wasn't too long, however, before we ran out of paved road and began driving on what could best be called a dirt track. We were driving in a van that was not really suited for what was essentially off-roading. We kicked up so much dust as we went that it billowed into our open windows, making it hard to breathe. We were also transporting a goat, who went about his normal business, creating a flash flood of urine in the passenger area. Rather unpleasant, but definitely TIA.
Along the way, between bumps and jolts and choking dust, we sighted distant giraffes, a herd of zebra, and....a cluster of, yes, cell phone towers. As we got close to the village, we found ourselves surrounded by several herds of cows with their Masai shepherds.
The village itself was a group of cow dung huts surrounding a central area where the cows are kept at night. This area was a minefield of cow patties - word to the wise - don't wear flip flops or sandals on a Masai village excursion. Inside, the huts were pitch black and filled with smoke from the fire. The only window was a few inches high by a few inches wide. They sleep in niches covered in cow hide. These residences made me deeply appreciate even my rickety bunk bed and mosquito net at the volunteer house.
Our special treat was a goat feast. The not-special-treat was watching the goat get killed (not actually the one we gave them from our van). Personally, I didn't watch and covered my ears. Those who watched told me its throat was slit...I will spare you the details. The super-special-treat was drinking the blood. I will spare you those details too - gross - but the Masai children love it. You've seen just about everything when you have seen little kids with blood mustaches and bloody smiling teeth. Afterwards, the men butchered the goat and cooked it on stakes around a fire. Then, they cut off pieces that they handed to us until the goat was gone. The liver was definitely the worst. There aren't words to describe it. The rest was edible, but I wouldn't recommend it. But we ate it with smiles.
The villagers were very nice and saw us off with a traditional dance. They made us join in, jumping up and down, and up and down, and up and down until we were exhausted. I even managed to fall asleep on the bumpy, dusty, hot ride back to Arusha.
To cap off the Masai experience and the study in contrasts, back in Arusha we went to a nightclub where scantily clad African women danced with men in Masai robes to house music. Two worlds colliding.
The classroom experience is quite the culture shock as well. Teaching in the next installment.
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