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