Kwa Heri Tanzania!

It's official, my time here is coming to an end and this will be my last posting while in Tanzania. To be honest, there's nothing in particular I'd like to talk about and I don't want to bore you with cliches or weird contradictions because nothing can fully say what this experience has given to me. Mainly, I'd just like to state a few random things I've learned and give thanks to everyone here. So here it goes...

1. While people do fight off horrible diseases here such as malaria and HIV/Aids, I cannot argue with statistics, on the whole people don't normally seem to be sick. Contagious infections like the cold or the flu aren't as common nor are allergies or asthma. I have no statistics but just from my observations.

2. Country music is very popular especially Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Celion Dion is also very popular.

3. Celebrity gossip happens just as much as in the US.

4. Speaking a few words in Swahili automatically make people tell you that you know Swahili. 

5. No hurry in Africa is definitely true, don't expect anything to start on time.

6. People are constantly discussing about the Free Masons and the Illuminati and if you come into a lot of money quickly you will be thought of as being one. 

7. Obama's face is EVERYWHERE! He is on pencils, pens, notebooks, fabric, signs of barbershops and on the sides of buses. 

8. Students are given a sum of money from the government for school to pay for meals and accommodations.

9. Doctors like to protest and strike. 

10. Having your clothes made by a tailor instead of store bought is normal.

Firstly, I'd like to thank my program, the on-site coordinator and my host family for making sure my stay was comfortable and everything stayed in place. 

My Swahili teacher,  without any Swahili I don't know how someone could live here. 

The friends I've made, you have all changed my life in ways that can't be explained and will miss you terribly. 

Especially to Kassim, who has wanted a shout-out forever, but is hands down the most memorable part of my time here. 

Well I'll leave you with some pictures. =)

Stone Town, Zanzibar

Stone Town Zanzibar

Stone Town, Zanzibar

Kassim, Cisse, Charles

Baraka, Rahma, Me, Hani, Amani, Adam

Front: Ndekia, Kevin, Me, Conny, Rumisho. Back: Charles, Kassim, Mucky

Me, Butogwa, Winnie, Deo, Enos

Me, Butogwa, Vicky, Martha

Me and Kassim

Hakuna Matata, 

Kimberly

All About Family

As it is portrayed, Africans tend to have very large families; which also tends to be true there are usually more than two kids to a household. But it isn't only this that makes families so large but also the cultural impact that everyone is called like they are a relative. These can range from brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle.. you get the picture.All elders are considered as parental figures in your life and should be shown the same respect as such. If you are sitting on the daladala and there are no seats left but an older person boards it is cultural to give up your seat for them. It's not just that friends are considered your brother or sister but even the waiter is called as such. No one would say hey waiter bring me the bill, it's always brother, auntie or whatever would fit. It is not uncommon to have a domestic servant which also you would never call as such but instead sister. These domestic servants, I believe are always younger girls around 14 to 17 but either way are considered part of the family. I'm sure you can tie this back to many things predating colonialism but socialism didn't hurt this concept after colonialism and independence. This could possibly be the reason why greetings are so important for this cultural because everyone is regarded as family. 

There are several interesting things to mention about family ties here beyond just the sense of community. In Swahili you have no aunts on your mother's side and no uncles on your father's side and incidentally there are no cousins because of this. Any sister you mother has is considered your mother as well, your mother's older sister would be big mama and an younger sister would be little mama same goes for your father with his brothers. Everyone grows up with lots of mothers and a whole lot of siblings. 

I just recently learned what to me is very strange about cousins however, and I am from Kentucky after all, but cousins often call each other husband or wife and can (not necessary) have relations with and marry each other. Also if you are a son, your grandmother is your wife and vise versa for a daughter but there is no sexual element there. Your grandparents are the ones would expected to provide for you and who you are to confide in first, even before your parents. Your mother's brother also plays this role. So when you get married your expected to give compensation to your other wives (cousins, grandmothers). On top of that when you plan to marry there is a bride price that is paid to your brides parents as well. This bride price is usually in monetary terms and is an agreement between the bride and groom.
To be honest everything to do with family ties is messy and if you're looking for specific and detailed answers you won't find them. I think it's better to accept it's their brother and not worry about whether he is actually biological or not. I'm convinced sometimes they can't ever tell you exactly how they are related to someone anyways.

Hakuna Matata, 

Kimberly

Stereotypically Unstereotypical

Well my 21st birthday has now passed and I must admit it was strange not having a birthday at home and especially one with a significant cultural impact such as one's 21st. Nevertheless it was a great day and my first surprise party as well. 

Speaking of significant cultural patterns, there is something I've noticed about people's relations and the construction of stereotypical identities. That is that there seems to be a lack of relation with a label of a person to that of another or any label at all to be exact. We all know of the high school scene where you separate into groups such as jocks, nerds, preps etc and in turn judge the other groups. I've even tried to explain the concept of what a nerd is and it doesn't register. Call it crazy but people like each other because people are nice and can easily communicate. This even extends to tribalism which is so often heard about in Africa. In the case of Tanzania however this also isn't an issue thanks to the national building project by the first president. 

Also the construction of masculinity and femininity have developed differently here. One one hand you have the traditional male figure who is strong, assertive and blah and the women who are supposed to cook, clean and have babies and then on the other hand men often embrace each other and hold hands while walking. Keep in mind this is not homosexual which is illegal and punishable by law but just a different way of expressing to friends that they are in fact friends. Also the wardrobe of a men can be a lot more girly with bright colors including pink and floral patterns which also extends to accessories including umbrellas, notebooks or whatever else someone might carry. I think here it is about the function and necessity of the object over ascetic value.  

Otherwise it's now extremely cold here, in Kim terms not normal people terms. Today it's around 78-80 degrees and I'm freezing thanks to rainy season. I'm also still pretty busy school wise with exams in four weeks it's crunch time to finish everything. With the school year coming to an end and my return home within reach it seems weird to be counting down. Six weeks seems so short now that I've been here for so long and yet in the beginning I was marking an accomplishment of 6 weeks. Also I'd like to extend my congrats to all the graduates next year I'll be in your shoes!

Hakuna Matata,

Kimberly

Simba Yuko Wapi?

I'm now officially half way through my semester which means things have actually started. I now have one test after one paper after one presentation on repeat until it finally ends so I'm definitely keeping busy to say the least.

In my own non expertise and non professional opinion, I've come to the conclusion that this University would be better taught in Swahili. I'm not saying this to offend anyone or say that they aren't doing well in English, but only because I think one would get more out of something when it's taught in the common language with English as a subject alone possibly. I just think about how difficult it would be for me to try and learn in Swahili when my mother tongue is English or in French or Spanish. 

That is all that been going on lately and the only other thing on my mind is about animals. I'm sure one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of Africa is animals, or maybe Disney's The Lion King which is also about animals. Anyways my point is that safaris and these specific types of animals is one of the few picture people get from Africa. But not all Africa is like Pride Rock.

Chickens, cats and monkeys are probably the most common animals I see running around Dar es Salaam, but I hardly see stray dogs. Also I have become unreasonably scared of both chickens and monkeys, I cannot pin point why because like I said it's unreasonable. Other than these animals the vast wildlife that one hears about Africa is not everywhere, especially in urban areas. That is to say I'm not going to run into a lion on my way to school in the morning or see a zebra while riding on the bus. Passing through rural areas on my trip around Kenya and Tanzania I did catch glances of zebras  and gazelles grazing but this is as close to wild safari animals as I have gotten. This might seem a little ridiculous to write down but I was asked this question before I left so I thought I'd set the record straight. 

Well that's all I've got for now!

Hakuna Matata, 

Kimberly

For the Love of Sports

Lately I've been keeping up more with what is going on at home then what's happening here to be honest, especially in regards to the NCAA men's basketball tournament. I couldn't be more proud of my wildcats for their big win although I'm sad that I had to miss such an occasion.

Sports at UDSM aren't a big deal (although I have seen a notice that an American football team has been started). I've heard their are club teams but I've never seen them because they practice off main campus. I haven't seen any sports being played live here unless you count the kids of the street kicking around their soccer ball. Football (aka soccer) is the most popular sport here, much like the rest of the world apart from the US and the league of choice is the British Premier league. Almost any conversation you have with someone will relate to soccer and who they are supporting, so it comes to a big shock from most when I tell them I don't watch it nor know any teams very well. Sometimes, I've resorted to just saying "I'll support whichever team you do" or "whoever is winning". Even though I became acquainted with soccer in South Africa I don't ever think I'll truly get into it. What can I say, I'm an American football fan through and through.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I miss watching sports live. The whole experience of going to a game with your friends, maybe tailgating before hand and then yelling and cheering on your team is always fun. I guess coming from a school that is so dedicated to its sports teams, school spirit and everything to do with the atmosphere is too ingrained in my system to shake. UDSM doesn't even have a mascot to my knowledge so I feel like an aspect of an university is missing. Therefore, I've come to the conclusion cheerleading would be impossible here, another blow to my sports needs. Other than soccer there is no sport quite as popular. There's no trifecta like baseball, basketball or football in the US or even soccer, rugby, cricket in South Africa, from what I can tell soccer is king and the king of kings is the British Premier League. Everyone seems really happy which this arrangement so long live the king!

Hakuna Matata,
Kimberly

Time to Celebrate!

Today marks my 6 months stay here in Dar es Salaam, which is sort of a surreal feeling. On one hand it doesn’t feel like it’s been 6 months at all and on the other I feel like I’ve been here much longer. I’ve really gotten to know the ins and outs of this city and yet I’m still discovering new things and places every day. It’s not like I don’t miss what I’ve always called home but yet I am constantly finding myself calling this home as well. I also miss my family and friends back in the states and of course they cannot be replaced, but I have found family and friends of my own here which relationships I know will last the rest of my lifetime.
Since I’ve returned from my vacation classes have consistently taken place, which so far is much improvement from last semester. I’m looking forward to my classes this semester. I’m taking Issues in International Law, Peace Making and Conflict Resolution, Democracy and Elections and finally War and Warfare in History. Also since school has started there has been an outbreak of pink eye. Here they call it “red eyes” and it really spreads like wildfire and apparently happens every year at this time. You can always tell who has it because they are wearing sunglasses. I know this doesn’t sound very odd somewhere so close to the equator and a majority of the time it is hot and sunny but on a normal day almost no one wears sunglasses. So now that I’m starting to see so many people wearing them it’s a little shocking.

I believe that 6 months is a milestone, an accomplishment and a reason to celebrate, therefore, I thought I’d describe how celebrations and party are hosted here. Firstly, for almost occasion (birthday, graduation, wedding, and farewell) the format is about the same: there are introductions, speeches, food, cake and dancing. These occasions are always big with all of the family and friends in attendance and there is always a Master of Ceremony (MC) to guide the celebration. The MC will ask certain people with relation to whom the party is thrown for to stand up and show themselves to the crowd. Later these people will always say something verily short concerning the host. There is always a LOT of food and drinks for everyone (provided by and paid for by the host). I’m also 99% positive that there is always a goat slaughter which then becomes part of the meal. The cake part is pretty interesting and new to me. It’s not like everyone gets one slice of cake but instead the cake is cut into bite size pieces which are then fed by the host to the important people in their life and then are also fed a piece of cake by them. It’s a way of expressing appreciation towards those who have impacted your life in a profound way. I think dancing is pretty self-explanatory which just happens to last all night. For celebrations like graduations and birthdays, I see it is common for people to bring gifts or at least give cash but not compulsory. Something I’ve found very interesting about hosting events here, especially birthdays is that the host is expected to provide for and pay for everything. This also applies to if you invite a group of friends out for dinner; the one who invited everyone is also expected to pay for everyone. So if I wanted to invite some friends for a birthday dinner I am actually going to be the one paying for their meals. Whatever it is that you are celebrating, it's always a fun time surronded by so many people who you love with lots of food and dancing, and all of that is just fine by me.

Hakuna Matata,

Kimberly

Vacation around Tanzania and Kenya

I have realized that I haven't been posting any pictures on my blog, so I will try and be better at doing that for those reading who aren't following my facebook. During this between semester break I was able to visit and see many wonderful places in Tanzania and Kenya.

My vacation started in Tanga where I went to visit some friends from university at their home. Tanga is north of Dar-es-Salaam, and one of Tanzania's largest cities (after Dar), but Tanga is much different from Dar especially in transportation and greenery. In Tanga many people use bicycles to get around where it's not very common in Dar. Tanga is absolutely beautiful and the vegetation is much more lush and green than can be found in Dar. In Tanga I spent a wonderful day at the beach with my friends.



From Tanga we traveled to Mombasa Kenya, another coastal town. Crossing the border between Tanzanian and Kenya proved to be very difficult for me and full of corruption. Because I am a student at the University of Dar es Salaam, I am a resident of Tanzania and therefore I am also a resident of the East African Community due to the East African Common Market. I have a valid residence permit which due to the common market should allow for free movement of peoples all of East Africa, however; when I got to the border they told me my residency isn't actually valid until I leave East Africa and return, so apparently I won't actually be a resident until I go back home. So I managed to pay as a US citizen and then some. While in Mombasa I didn't do or see much of Mombasa. I stayed in my little banda on the beach and had a few nice relaxing days. So it was very nice. Once again I noticed the transportation differences, I think I just like to notice that most. But in Mombasa they also use what Tanzanians call Bajajis but instead they call them Tuk-Tuks and they actaully follow the rules of the road and stay in traffic! This is very weird to me now because I like taking bajajis knowing that I can take the backways and off road and avoid traffic.

Afterwards we left for Nairobi. Nairobi was really cool, I got to see baby elephants and pet (and kiss) giraffes! We also went on a safari in Nairobi which is cheaper than doing on in Tanzanian because they have what is called resident prices for people like me living in East Africa but aren't citizens while Tanzania doesn't have that =( . The only complaints I have about Nairobi is that is is very cold in comparison to Dar and for me ahha also it is pretty expensive in comparison as well. A major difference between Kenya and Tanzania that I noticed was the language. Both Kenya and Tanzania has its national language as Swahili, but the Swahili is very different, much like the difference between British English and American English - completely the same yet totally different. Also there is no denying that Nairobi is more developed than Dar es Salaam and resembles more closely any city found in America.

From Nairobi I went to Mwanza, TZ and had the WORST bus experience ever! It was scheduled to leave Nairobi at 930 at night but didn't even arrive until 4am! Then we spent even more time waiting and changing buses and we got into an accident on the way there and had to change buses again. We were meant to arrive in Mwanza at 10am but instead didn't arrive until around 6pm. But once we got into Mwanza it was wonderful! Mwanza is also one of Tanzania's largest cities and is located in the north-east by Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake after Lake Superior. Mwanza is one of my favorite places now and it is so beautiful! I was also able to stay at a REALLY nice hotel for very cheap so overall my experience in Mwanza was great. Mwanza is beautiful and quiet and not many people yelled mzungu at me which made me very happy. =)


We made a last minute decision after that to go to Arusha and Moshi, another famous tourist destination for people who come to Tanzania because there are many many national parks and the Mt. Kilimanjaro. But to be honest I didn't like Arusha very much, I felt very disadvantaged there because everywhere we went or tried to stay in a hotel etc there were "white people" prices. I feel this is unfair because I'm living here and I'm a student and I'm not working so I don't have "white people" money haha. I also didn't get a good feel of what's really in Arusha to see and do so I think I need another trip to really make a decision about it. But on the bright side I was able to see Mt Kilimanjaro so I feel satisfied!

I am now back in Dar and eagerly waiting to start my next semester. It was scheduled to start this past Monday, 27th of February, however the students have not been awarded their loans yet by the government so no one can pay their school fees yet. So it's starting to look like I will be dealing with the same issues as last semester.

Hakuna Matata,
Kimberly

End of my First Semester

Finally I am finished with my first semester here in Dar. I feel it took much longer only because all of my fellow students at home ended in Dec, but it reality these first four months went by really fast. They were filled with a new language, a new culture and completely different life style, new friends and new perspectives. I thought tell some interesting things I've learned during my first semester here.

1) Swahili time. No this is not like "African time" where things are not done by a watch and everything usually starts much later than expected but instead an entirely new way of telling time. It differs by 6 hours of English time, for example, 7am in English time is 1am Swahili time. So instead of starting your day at 7 (when the sun is up) you are really starting the first hour of your day (aka 1). After getting used to this new way of telling time it actually makes a lot more sense. Well besides the people who work third shift ,who really starts their day at midnight or 1am?

2) I can here thinking I'd see what it is to be like in a country built on socialism but as it turns out I see capitalism as present as in any other place I've been. What I have found out is that peoples attitudes towards helping those they care about and giving them whatever they can is true and in that ideal socialism is alive. What I've witnessed is pure capitalism especially in the market, getting a bajaji and anything else where people are competing against one another for a sale. Let's just say I use this to my advantage to get the lowest prices possible.

3) Religions live harmoniously together. The two major religions in Tanzania are Christianity and Islam, both which play a major part in the daily lives of the citizens. There is no big rivalry that we hear about in American between the two, each person is free to believe in what they wish without the judgement of the other. Also due to this religious factor in the daily lives of Tanzanians, the culture and dress is more conservative than in America, but less then in a totally Islamic country. With that being said, it also depends on where you are for example Dar es Salaam vs Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a lot more conservative than Dar is due to its history and more Islamic presence.

4) I've seen more people with disabilities here then I can ever remember yet no one seems to notice. What I mean, is that they don't seem to be ostracized for it or made fun of because of their disabilities. The weird thing is how many people have disabilities with their feet or legs, yet almost all use crutches instead of wheelchairs (all wheelchairs I've seen are pedaled by hands like a bicycle).

5) It is always possible to open your room for someone. Multiple people sleep not only in the same room but even in the same bed. Many dorm room at the university are made for 2 people but instead 4 or 5 are actually sleeping there. Also in home life depending on your economic status, it would not be uncommon to share a bed with three other people.

Well now I'm off on a 3 week vacation to Kenya and other parts of Tanzania before my next semester starts.

Hakuna Matata,

Kimberly

Heri ya Mwaka Mpya

Firstly, Happy New Year to all of you and hope that is was a great time. I, myself, had a wonderful time and then it was right back to classes. During one of my seminars today, the discussion took an interesting turn on the accuracy of the statement "Africans are lazy". This then got me to thinking about stereotypes around the world and how inaccurate they actually are. This then reminded me of an hilarious article I read before I left, sent to me by Gwen Schaefer, How to Write about Africa. I recommend anyone who would like a nice laugh about outrageous inferences to read this.

http://www.granta.com/Magazine/92/How-to-Write-about-Africa/Page-1

Anyways, back to whether Africans are lazy or not, I would conclude that most people would choose to be lazy if given the chance but certain circumstances in life take away that choice. I realize this does not conclude about Africans in general, so I will tell what I have witnessed and experienced living here for a little over 3 months now in attempt to derive some sort of conclusion.

Within these 3 months I've realized there are certain aspects of life that are simpler and more easy-going than home. For example, people seem to be less materialistic or focused on possessions, and people seem to take their time doing tasks instead of being at a constant non-stop pace. Both of these things I appreciate greatly, however do either of these necessarily make someone "lazy".

At the same time, while some things are simpler, some of the most mundane tasks seem to require much more effort. For example, the daily task of cooking and the weekly chore of washing clothes. Both of these things I can do easily at home, however; I have failed to do them easily here. It's actually a little frustrating and creates a feeling of incompetence on my part. Firstly, when it comes to cooking I have never used a charcoal stove before, had to squat while cooking and be able to grab a very hot pot with your hands because there are no handles in order to stir. Secondly, to wash clothing is to do so by hand. I had no idea that this is actually a lot harder than it looks, nor do I do it well enough to actually get any dirt out. Both of these tasks are very normal and ones that I've been doing on my own for years and suddenly can't seem to grasp, and trust me you cannot be lazy while doing either.

Also some do not have the easiest access to water, by that I mean it's usually outside and one needs to fetch it with a bucket. So even if it's right outside you house if you need to take a shower, flush a toilet, get water for cooking you are always going to fetch water and then carry heavy buckets back with you. This also takes more effort than I really want to exert.

On the other hand, wait staff don't seem to be the most energtic or helpful people and it usually takes more time than average (according to American standards) to get service of any kind.

From what I've seen from living here, Tanzanians are not any more or less lazy than Americans that I know of, in fact just the increased toughness of their tasks is something to be admired. Doing tasks in these ways gives me a new found respect for new ways to do things and if my washer and dryer ever break at home then I can still have clean clothes.

Hakuna Matata,

Kimberly