It's been two weeks in Africa and already I have too much to talk about. The trip started a little rocky with my bag zipper breaking open 10 minutes before leaving for the airport. Rushing, I was the last one on the plane but made it, clearly. Two days later and eleven hours ahead of home, we reached our hotel in the city of Arusha. The adventures on the streets of Africa started that very day when myself and two others decided to try to find the store the rest of our group had left to. It wasn't until we were out on the street that it hit us- we were walking on the streets of a country thousands of mile from home, lacking communication and knowledge of direction and culture. WHAT were we doing. Being awesome, and possible stupid. Especially on these streets where two lanes easily become three and are shared with cars, motorbikes, bicycles, carts and people. We made friends with a young man named Brian, who really only wanted us to buy something, but he showed us to the mzungu (white person) store.
That word, mzungu, is a familiar one to us now. Mostly in play or to get our attention but sometimes it is called to us without the kindest intentions. The term is easy to laugh at, but some in our group have become a little tired of hearing it so often. I joked to a friend here that normally I am a darker one, but I've never felt so white. Here, anyone not African is mzungu. It's much different from what diversity we have in the states. But that is a piece of what makes them such strong people culturally.
We are seeing parts of culture on the streets and in each of our host homes. We are staying two to a home and each having different experiences. Some are seeing strong hierarchy in the family, others more relaxed. For some, the religion is key and for others not so much. Some have running water and are part of the 10% who have electricity, others have only been able to take bucket showers and use their flashlights at night. So, even in all the differences, this is the similarity I have noticed- each person here has their own stories and each persons' life differs from other, just as it is in America.
Let me tell about my family a bit and then about some fun activities we've done.
My family has a mother and father who both work. My Baba (dad) is well traveled because he used to work for World Vision and is now part of the East Africa Community (if you are interested in politics, policy and africa look this up.) Our mother is a journalist for the paper. Their little boy is a year and a half and one of the happiest babies I've known. Luckily, he loves us, where some of the others have experienced their host siblings being fearful of them. His sister is nine-years-old and learning english well. She loves to play with us. As most of the families have extended relatives living with them, we have three nieces, 17, 21 and 24, and two nephews 21ish and 24. Besides Lucy (17) they are all being sponsored through this family for school or trade training. Lucy will start a trade once one of the other girls is done, now she watches the house during the day. We do have running water and power, and the infamous squat-pot toilet. But we are used to cold showers now and sleeping under our nets away from the beetles. With the concrete wall, security guard, two dogs (which are not like pets here) and the many locks on the three doors to the main door, we feel very safe. The house is very loving and surprisingly familiar to my American family. A major difference between the other households is that our main cook is the 24-year-old nephew. Though they are the ones who take care of the house, probably as a trade off for being sponsored, our Baba is big on Everyone being Family and have taken us in lovingly.
Food has not been a problem for us. Our biggest stretch was a whole fish about 8" long. I'm not really a food-with-a-face person... mind over matter. It tasted great. Besides that we have had american like food and been able to try some of their settle dishes. Wali na ndizi pika, rice and cooked banana, is a great one and mandizi, which are like doughnut pastries. We found out last week that they have been feeding us like that because they are aware that our stomachs wont do well with such sudden change. A blessing in disguise. We have felt over served though, getting our food at a set table every day and being served before everyone else. It's just an awkward thing we've gotten used to. We're unsure if its because we're guests, or Americans. Having young adults living with us has been a surprisingly great thing also. We love our family very much. Even with language as a barrier, it's amazing how humans can connect. Our family has even asked us to travel up from Dar to have Easter with them (they are strong in their Catholic faith). Though we know it can't happen, the gesture warmed us.
So, on the first day we went to the Arusha National Park around Mount Maru. The greenery was beautiful and the giraffes, zebras, "pumbas" baboons and many birds were exciting. We got to walk just yards away from buffalo and to a waterfall deep in the forest. We've been to the African International Center to learn about the EAC, the Arusha Declaration Museum, hear from people working on recycling and owning business in Tanzania. We've visited a coffee farm and a non-profit that made a plethora of beautiful things with used glass and other recyclables and hired only physically and even mentally disabled individuals to give them opportunity in life. We've learned about the school system; we are currently having class in a room of an international school owned by the wife of one of our Whitworth professors and an Aussie couple. We've interacted with people from Australia, Russia, France and Italy. Our swahili skills are improving greatly and I've even had great bargaining experience and simple conversations on the streets.
I'm sure there is so much more I could say; thank you to those who have ventured through this whole post. And another thank you for all the prayers and support back at home. We leave on Saturday for Zanzibar where we'll encounter the beautiful ocean and be at an actual college. I'll be able to put SUZA University as a place of study on Facebook =] It will be sad to leave our current families, but I'm looking forward to the new adventure in Zanzibar. Praying for you all at home. Missing all my friends and family. Feel free to send me updates. I would love to hear anything, even if it's what you did for the day.
Mungu ni pendo God is love.
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