Monday, March 27, 2006
Extracurricular activities
So, when I was in third grade, we had this project where we had to take a shoebox and use it to create a diorama of some far-flung region of the world. I chose the African savanna, and so my shoebox was painted bright blue and green, and had little cardboard cut-outs of zebras, giraffes, and elephants. Either because my parents love me very much, or because they haven't done a whole lot of redecorating over the years, I believe it is still on display in our home in Pittsburgh. Anyway, where I'm going with this is that on Sunday I had the experience of feeling like I had stepped inside that diorama.
Along with two of my fellow "campers" (Kiwi Sandra and German shrink Miriam) I went on my first safari to nearby Arusha National Park. We were able to arrange the trip through MS-TCDC's transport officer, and so bright and early at 9 AM, a man named Aziz was waiting for us at the reception in a sturdy four-by-four. After about 15 minutes down the main road and another 20 or so on a rather rocky dirt road, we were at the front gate. We hadn't even passed through the gate when Sandra ran to get me from the bathroom to show me our first giraffe.
That giraffe (or twiga) would be the first of at least 100 that we saw yesterday. In addition, we saw a number of punda milia (zebras, literally "striped donkeys"), nyati (buffalo), mbango (warthogs), and a glimpse of two hippos bathing. I've posted a few of my favorite pics on Flickr.
In addition, we caught a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro, though it was swathed in clouds for most of the day. Much more prominent, and quite beautiful, was Mt. Meru (which we can also see each day from "camp.") A lot of people climb Meru as a "practice run" for Kili, though word on the street is that it's actually a more technically challenging climb. However, it's a bit lower than Kili, so people don't suffer so much from altitude sickness. It's also a hell of a lot cheaper to climb, so I'm thinking that might be a fun activity for the dry season.
But back to our safari... Most of our time was spent in the car with Aziz (who served as a tour guide and Swahili teacher as well as driver), stopping and getting out of the car when we wanted to take pictures or simply stare. We also wanted to walk around the park a bit, so after lunch we had one of the (required) armed guards lead us on a little hike. He was quite the knowledgeable guide as well (I now know about 20 different uses for Sodom's apples -- a small green fruit that was quite prevalent in the park -- but perhaps I'll save that for another post).
I would have to say that my main impression of the giraffes was that they just strike me as highly improbable animals. They are just so incredibly tall. And given that there really weren't that many tall trees in the park, their height seemed kind of unnecessary. But they do have a certain elegance about them. And serenity. In fact, nearly all of the animals that we saw just seemed to be extremely peaceful, languishing on tree branches, playfully nudging each other, loping around, or contemplating a mouthful of grass. I suppose we humans are fond of romanticizing and anthropomorphizing our non-hominid fellow inhabitants of this planet, but I did feel as if maybe they have figured out something that we've yet to grasp.
Along with two of my fellow "campers" (Kiwi Sandra and German shrink Miriam) I went on my first safari to nearby Arusha National Park. We were able to arrange the trip through MS-TCDC's transport officer, and so bright and early at 9 AM, a man named Aziz was waiting for us at the reception in a sturdy four-by-four. After about 15 minutes down the main road and another 20 or so on a rather rocky dirt road, we were at the front gate. We hadn't even passed through the gate when Sandra ran to get me from the bathroom to show me our first giraffe.
That giraffe (or twiga) would be the first of at least 100 that we saw yesterday. In addition, we saw a number of punda milia (zebras, literally "striped donkeys"), nyati (buffalo), mbango (warthogs), and a glimpse of two hippos bathing. I've posted a few of my favorite pics on Flickr.
In addition, we caught a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro, though it was swathed in clouds for most of the day. Much more prominent, and quite beautiful, was Mt. Meru (which we can also see each day from "camp.") A lot of people climb Meru as a "practice run" for Kili, though word on the street is that it's actually a more technically challenging climb. However, it's a bit lower than Kili, so people don't suffer so much from altitude sickness. It's also a hell of a lot cheaper to climb, so I'm thinking that might be a fun activity for the dry season.
But back to our safari... Most of our time was spent in the car with Aziz (who served as a tour guide and Swahili teacher as well as driver), stopping and getting out of the car when we wanted to take pictures or simply stare. We also wanted to walk around the park a bit, so after lunch we had one of the (required) armed guards lead us on a little hike. He was quite the knowledgeable guide as well (I now know about 20 different uses for Sodom's apples -- a small green fruit that was quite prevalent in the park -- but perhaps I'll save that for another post).
I would have to say that my main impression of the giraffes was that they just strike me as highly improbable animals. They are just so incredibly tall. And given that there really weren't that many tall trees in the park, their height seemed kind of unnecessary. But they do have a certain elegance about them. And serenity. In fact, nearly all of the animals that we saw just seemed to be extremely peaceful, languishing on tree branches, playfully nudging each other, loping around, or contemplating a mouthful of grass. I suppose we humans are fond of romanticizing and anthropomorphizing our non-hominid fellow inhabitants of this planet, but I did feel as if maybe they have figured out something that we've yet to grasp.
Monday, March 20, 2006
COLOR WAR!!!!!!
I only thought I was kidding... but here I am, writing this post from my color-coded cabin (go Green!!!) after a tasty dinner in the dining hall and a day that included activities such as a group sing-a-long. I suppose one major difference is that Swahili Summer Camp has such amenities as wireless Internet (and a bar on-site), but still...
Anyway, the MS Training Centre for Development Co-operation (a.k.a. camp) is located just outside of Arusha, which is a city in the northeast part of the country, near the border with Kenya as well as Mt. Kilimanjaro. So, getting here was a bit of an ordeal: 10 and a half hours in an un-airconditioned bus. Fortunately I am a veteran of the Chinatown, so it really wasn't too bad. And the scenery as we got closer to Arusha was really incredible -- lush, green, and just vast. Our journey was somewhat delayed at the first weigh station. Apparently the bus was overweight, so they made about 10 passengers get off and then weighed the bus again. According to my seatmate Bakuza, this was to show that it was not the luggage that was making the bus overweight, but the passengers. This didn't really make sense to me (maybe has to do w/ distribution of weight?) but it all worked out eventually and we got back on the road (with all of our portly passengers) after about half an hour.
I didn't get to see much last night as we arrived after dark (I actually had to bust out my headlamp to get from the road to the reception area!) but today I have enjoyed wandering around in during class breaks. It's really a different climate from Dar, definitely cooler, and as mentioned above, very green. The whole grounds are also just very nicely kept, with distinctive touches like a big "banda" where we all break to drink our chai, and little gazebos to facilitate studying outside. We're well off the road, so it's very quiet apart from the crickets (cicadas? something else?) and monkeys (!) at night.
As for the other "campers" -- there are 11 of us total in the Beginner's class, quite a varied bunch. My classmates include a nun (Sister Mary Magdalena) who is also an X-ray technician, a Swiss girl spending her "gap year" coordinating the nursery school on a coffee plantation, a German psychiatrist who looks to be about 12 years old until you get really close to her, and then two older couples. I'm the only American.
We didn't really do much today in terms of learning Swahili -- it was all more orientation stuff. But we did learn about 10 different ways of saying hello, my favorite of which is the slangy "Mambo!" (the appropriate response to which is "Poa!" or "Fresh!")
Anyway, the MS Training Centre for Development Co-operation (a.k.a. camp) is located just outside of Arusha, which is a city in the northeast part of the country, near the border with Kenya as well as Mt. Kilimanjaro. So, getting here was a bit of an ordeal: 10 and a half hours in an un-airconditioned bus. Fortunately I am a veteran of the Chinatown, so it really wasn't too bad. And the scenery as we got closer to Arusha was really incredible -- lush, green, and just vast. Our journey was somewhat delayed at the first weigh station. Apparently the bus was overweight, so they made about 10 passengers get off and then weighed the bus again. According to my seatmate Bakuza, this was to show that it was not the luggage that was making the bus overweight, but the passengers. This didn't really make sense to me (maybe has to do w/ distribution of weight?) but it all worked out eventually and we got back on the road (with all of our portly passengers) after about half an hour.
I didn't get to see much last night as we arrived after dark (I actually had to bust out my headlamp to get from the road to the reception area!) but today I have enjoyed wandering around in during class breaks. It's really a different climate from Dar, definitely cooler, and as mentioned above, very green. The whole grounds are also just very nicely kept, with distinctive touches like a big "banda" where we all break to drink our chai, and little gazebos to facilitate studying outside. We're well off the road, so it's very quiet apart from the crickets (cicadas? something else?) and monkeys (!) at night.
As for the other "campers" -- there are 11 of us total in the Beginner's class, quite a varied bunch. My classmates include a nun (Sister Mary Magdalena) who is also an X-ray technician, a Swiss girl spending her "gap year" coordinating the nursery school on a coffee plantation, a German psychiatrist who looks to be about 12 years old until you get really close to her, and then two older couples. I'm the only American.
We didn't really do much today in terms of learning Swahili -- it was all more orientation stuff. But we did learn about 10 different ways of saying hello, my favorite of which is the slangy "Mambo!" (the appropriate response to which is "Poa!" or "Fresh!")
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Some Reflections on the First Week
So, one full week in Tanzania! Let's see what I have to show for it... a peeling sunburn, a number of mosquito bites (tho no malaria, hooray!), a few words of Kiswahili vocab, a mountain of work-related reading, and, despite the initial difficulties of adjustment, a strong sense of excitement about my next two years here.
Work has improved, I would say, in terms of getting to feel like I know my place here. My officemates have opened up a bit to me as well (which may be the result of my opening up to them, of course). One amusing exchange: Chambi was asking me what sort of things I do for fun, if I play any sports, etc. Then he asks, "So, would you consider yourself a nerd?" I didn't understand what he was asking, given his accent, so he had to spell it out for me: "A NERD. N-E-R-D." I laughed, and had to admit that yes, I do consider myself a nerd. Not sure what the translation is in Kiswahili...
So, one rather unexpected aspect of day-to-day like at HakiElimu: the intense level of planning and bureaucracy. Each year, the board goes on a retreat to formulate the annual plan, which is subsequently divided into four quarterly plans, which are subsequently divided into weekly plans. The plans list the activities (or "outputs") that are expected during the week from each person, as well as the proposed budget. In addition, before beginning an activity, one is supposed to complete an "activity memo" outlining exactly how one expects to complete the activity, including a time frame. And then at the end of each quarter, each division is assessed on its performance in relation to its plans. My division meets every other Friday to go over how we're progressing -- in theory the meeting should run from 2 to 5, but yesterday it was more like 2 to 6:30!!! I managed to miss the first half hour because I had to run to the bank... Needless to say, it's certainly a change of management style from that which I had been used to.
But anyway, enough about work and onto some more sexy topics like alcohol and prostitution! Last night was my entree into the ex-pat social scene and I must say it is a bit bizarre. I have been hanging out quite a bit with this girl Rachel, who actually used to live in DC (and thus we have some mutual friends). She is here for two years as well, working with the Harvard School of Public Health, and has been here since August. Anyway, we went out last night, first to a traditional Tanzanian dance performance, which was really great (somehow we ended up on stage at the end... I guess those African dance classes paid off!) While watching the performance, I got my first taste of Kilimanjaro beer, which I thought was quite tasty! Then we went to Steers (the South African version of McDonald's) so Rachel's roommate Kenji could get some food, and finally we hit up one of the main ex-pat watering holes: a place called Q-Bar.
The crowd at Q-Bar was a mix of ex-pat types around our age (20s and 30s) and then a number of older white men (50s, 60s, 70s, and one who could have definitely been 80) accompanied by lovely Tanzanian young women. Anyway, it was a bit hard not to gawk. As Rachel put it about one of these men: "That guy's my grandfather's age. And my grandfather's dead!" So, yeah, it was a bit gross.
Another interesting sight was a Masai warrier getting his groove on. (Chances are, if you've seen a coffee table book on Africa, you have seen pictures of the Masai, wearing red robes, carrying spears, and walking across some deserted piece of scenery. Our friend, on the other hand, had accessorized his robe with sparkly scarf, replaced his spear with a beer, and was holding his own on the dance floor to the band's renditions of Shaggy and Bob Marley songs.)
Tonight I'm hoping to see a different side of the Dar es Salaam scene, as I'm going out with one of my (Tanzanian) officemates.
And then tomorrow I'm off to Arusha for "Swahili Summer Camp"!! I'm hoping that my Chinatown bus experiences will help me survive the 8+ hour ride that awaits.
Work has improved, I would say, in terms of getting to feel like I know my place here. My officemates have opened up a bit to me as well (which may be the result of my opening up to them, of course). One amusing exchange: Chambi was asking me what sort of things I do for fun, if I play any sports, etc. Then he asks, "So, would you consider yourself a nerd?" I didn't understand what he was asking, given his accent, so he had to spell it out for me: "A NERD. N-E-R-D." I laughed, and had to admit that yes, I do consider myself a nerd. Not sure what the translation is in Kiswahili...
So, one rather unexpected aspect of day-to-day like at HakiElimu: the intense level of planning and bureaucracy. Each year, the board goes on a retreat to formulate the annual plan, which is subsequently divided into four quarterly plans, which are subsequently divided into weekly plans. The plans list the activities (or "outputs") that are expected during the week from each person, as well as the proposed budget. In addition, before beginning an activity, one is supposed to complete an "activity memo" outlining exactly how one expects to complete the activity, including a time frame. And then at the end of each quarter, each division is assessed on its performance in relation to its plans. My division meets every other Friday to go over how we're progressing -- in theory the meeting should run from 2 to 5, but yesterday it was more like 2 to 6:30!!! I managed to miss the first half hour because I had to run to the bank... Needless to say, it's certainly a change of management style from that which I had been used to.
But anyway, enough about work and onto some more sexy topics like alcohol and prostitution! Last night was my entree into the ex-pat social scene and I must say it is a bit bizarre. I have been hanging out quite a bit with this girl Rachel, who actually used to live in DC (and thus we have some mutual friends). She is here for two years as well, working with the Harvard School of Public Health, and has been here since August. Anyway, we went out last night, first to a traditional Tanzanian dance performance, which was really great (somehow we ended up on stage at the end... I guess those African dance classes paid off!) While watching the performance, I got my first taste of Kilimanjaro beer, which I thought was quite tasty! Then we went to Steers (the South African version of McDonald's) so Rachel's roommate Kenji could get some food, and finally we hit up one of the main ex-pat watering holes: a place called Q-Bar.
The crowd at Q-Bar was a mix of ex-pat types around our age (20s and 30s) and then a number of older white men (50s, 60s, 70s, and one who could have definitely been 80) accompanied by lovely Tanzanian young women. Anyway, it was a bit hard not to gawk. As Rachel put it about one of these men: "That guy's my grandfather's age. And my grandfather's dead!" So, yeah, it was a bit gross.
Another interesting sight was a Masai warrier getting his groove on. (Chances are, if you've seen a coffee table book on Africa, you have seen pictures of the Masai, wearing red robes, carrying spears, and walking across some deserted piece of scenery. Our friend, on the other hand, had accessorized his robe with sparkly scarf, replaced his spear with a beer, and was holding his own on the dance floor to the band's renditions of Shaggy and Bob Marley songs.)
Tonight I'm hoping to see a different side of the Dar es Salaam scene, as I'm going out with one of my (Tanzanian) officemates.
And then tomorrow I'm off to Arusha for "Swahili Summer Camp"!! I'm hoping that my Chinatown bus experiences will help me survive the 8+ hour ride that awaits.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Blood, Sweat, and Tears: A Typical Day at the Office
OK, so there hasn't been any blood (so long as I don't keep scratching my mosquito bites), but there has been a considerable amount of sweat (no air-conditioning! see previous post regarding living near the Equator), and yes, there have been a few tears...
Today is my fourth day a full-time employee at HakiElimu. So far, it has been... challenging. My first day began with the Monday morning meeting -- a two-hour long, full staff meeting conducted almost entirely in Kiswahili. (Kiswahili is the more correct/P.C. term for Swahili, as I currently understand it.) Needless to say, I felt a bit out of my element. Unfortunately, things did not really improve when I got back to my office (which I share with three others). Rakesh (HakiElimu's executive director) had warned me that people mainly speak Swahili around the office, but I still don't think I was totally prepared for it. My officemates all speak very good English, but not only were they not speaking much English to me, they weren't really speaking to me at all.
I was still feeling somewhat frustrated yesterday when Rakesh called me into his office for a meeting. He asked how things were going, to which I meekly responded "fine." But he pressed a bit more, saying, "that was a pretty unconvincing fine" which unfortunately induced a bit of blubbering on my part as I explained how things had not been entirely and completely wonderful thus far. He responded by giving me a substantive assignment, and also reminding me that adjustments are always rather difficult, even when language is not an issue.
Anyway, despite these initial difficulties, I remain extremely excited about working at HakiElimu. Yesterday was also the first day for a new arrival to my department (the Policy Analysis and Advocacy division) -- a guy named Kajubi, who may in fact become the manager of our division. Currently Rakesh serves as de facto manager, but since he is also HakiElimu's executive director, he is stretched a bit thin. Kajubi's arrival afforded Rakesh an opportunity to talk to both of us a bit more about HakiElimu, our role here, as well as some broader comments on the state of civil society in Tanzania. I can honestly say I found the conversation not just interesting but inspiring. In outlining his broad vision for HakiElimu, Rakesh said that without meaning to be presumptuous, what he really wants to do is plant the seeds of a social movement. While certainly many of my former colleagues at CBPP might have similar goals, it was exciting to hear my boss be so explicit. Basically, his vision is a Tanzania where the citizens are truly engaged, in terms of having the confidence and ability to make the decisions that affect their lives.
But back to the day-to-day stuff... There have been some interesting commonalities as far as work goes. Once again, I have been blessed with officemates who are fond of working long hours. I have been the first one out of the office every day so far, tho I have managed to get here before them. And given that work starts at 8, this has been quite a feat! Indeed, today I arrived at 7:28 AM. But my newfound punctuality if probably largely a result of this weather -- it's hard to sleep in once the sun comes up and it starts to get hot.
Yesterday I also participated in another familiar office ritual: cake for someone's birthday! Tho the singing was in Kiswahili, and there was somewhat more clapping. And then the day before, we gathered for a meeting that was called to announce the departure of our IT person, Connie. Again, it was all in Kiswahili, but I kind of got the gist that she was telling everyone that she was leaving. But then she kept talking and then began to cry. And then a number of other women around the room began to cry. So I was of course thinking that she had revealed some terrible tragedy, which was forcing her to leave. But no, I was assured by another colleague, that she had simply been offered another job, and her tears were simply related to her sadness at leaving HakiElimu. So that seems like a good sign...
Today is my fourth day a full-time employee at HakiElimu. So far, it has been... challenging. My first day began with the Monday morning meeting -- a two-hour long, full staff meeting conducted almost entirely in Kiswahili. (Kiswahili is the more correct/P.C. term for Swahili, as I currently understand it.) Needless to say, I felt a bit out of my element. Unfortunately, things did not really improve when I got back to my office (which I share with three others). Rakesh (HakiElimu's executive director) had warned me that people mainly speak Swahili around the office, but I still don't think I was totally prepared for it. My officemates all speak very good English, but not only were they not speaking much English to me, they weren't really speaking to me at all.
I was still feeling somewhat frustrated yesterday when Rakesh called me into his office for a meeting. He asked how things were going, to which I meekly responded "fine." But he pressed a bit more, saying, "that was a pretty unconvincing fine" which unfortunately induced a bit of blubbering on my part as I explained how things had not been entirely and completely wonderful thus far. He responded by giving me a substantive assignment, and also reminding me that adjustments are always rather difficult, even when language is not an issue.
Anyway, despite these initial difficulties, I remain extremely excited about working at HakiElimu. Yesterday was also the first day for a new arrival to my department (the Policy Analysis and Advocacy division) -- a guy named Kajubi, who may in fact become the manager of our division. Currently Rakesh serves as de facto manager, but since he is also HakiElimu's executive director, he is stretched a bit thin. Kajubi's arrival afforded Rakesh an opportunity to talk to both of us a bit more about HakiElimu, our role here, as well as some broader comments on the state of civil society in Tanzania. I can honestly say I found the conversation not just interesting but inspiring. In outlining his broad vision for HakiElimu, Rakesh said that without meaning to be presumptuous, what he really wants to do is plant the seeds of a social movement. While certainly many of my former colleagues at CBPP might have similar goals, it was exciting to hear my boss be so explicit. Basically, his vision is a Tanzania where the citizens are truly engaged, in terms of having the confidence and ability to make the decisions that affect their lives.
But back to the day-to-day stuff... There have been some interesting commonalities as far as work goes. Once again, I have been blessed with officemates who are fond of working long hours. I have been the first one out of the office every day so far, tho I have managed to get here before them. And given that work starts at 8, this has been quite a feat! Indeed, today I arrived at 7:28 AM. But my newfound punctuality if probably largely a result of this weather -- it's hard to sleep in once the sun comes up and it starts to get hot.
Yesterday I also participated in another familiar office ritual: cake for someone's birthday! Tho the singing was in Kiswahili, and there was somewhat more clapping. And then the day before, we gathered for a meeting that was called to announce the departure of our IT person, Connie. Again, it was all in Kiswahili, but I kind of got the gist that she was telling everyone that she was leaving. But then she kept talking and then began to cry. And then a number of other women around the room began to cry. So I was of course thinking that she had revealed some terrible tragedy, which was forcing her to leave. But no, I was assured by another colleague, that she had simply been offered another job, and her tears were simply related to her sadness at leaving HakiElimu. So that seems like a good sign...
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Life near the equator
This may seem obvious to those of you who are more geographically adept, but on Friday I realized that when you live close to the equator, the days are about the same length all year long. I found this kind of neat. So that means that in Dar, the sun rises at around 6:30 AM and sets at around 7:00 PM every day. I have also learned that between those hours the sun is FIERCE. At least this time of year. I spent much of yesterday walking all around Dar, and am currently sporting the watch and farmer tans (rather, burns) to prove it. Also 3 mosquito bites, which of course I'm sure means I'm about to come down with a raging case of malaria, but hopefully that will not be the case!
There is much more to report, but I'm afraid I'm out of time, so I will just leave you with these profound insights for now. Tomorrow is my first day of work (which starts promptly at 8 AM!!!) so I'm sure I'll have much to add after that.
Oh, finally, I got a Tanzanian cell phone, so shoot me an e-mail if you would like to get my number. I'd post it, but you never know with those pesky telemarketers...
There is much more to report, but I'm afraid I'm out of time, so I will just leave you with these profound insights for now. Tomorrow is my first day of work (which starts promptly at 8 AM!!!) so I'm sure I'll have much to add after that.
Oh, finally, I got a Tanzanian cell phone, so shoot me an e-mail if you would like to get my number. I'd post it, but you never know with those pesky telemarketers...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Karibu Sana!
Well, I made it! I have now been on Tanzanian soil for approximately 3.5 hours. My journey was rather uneventful, tho I did manage to pop into London for a few hours during my layover, where wandered around in the rain for a bit, and then stopped in a pub for a pint (which definitely helped me sleep during the next 10-hour leg of my trip here).
I was a bit nervous going through immigration, since I was told that I should just apply for a 3-month visitor's visa at this time. Apparently it's taking HakiElimu a while to get my official work permit, so that was the best interim solution. So I handed my passport and a crisp 50-dollar bill off to an official, who handed it to another official behind some glass (there were about 10 customs officials behind the glass, whose main activities seemed to be passing things between each other and stamping things). I then waited for about 20 minutes, when finally another official motioned for me to step forward, and asked me one question only: Are you married? He then pondered my passport for a bit longer, and finally relinquished it to me along with my visitor's visa. Whew!
After getting my bags, I was met by a man holding a sign bearing my name (I must admit I found that kind of exciting) who drove me in the official HakiElimu van first to the guest house where I will be staying for the next 10 days, and then over to HakiElimu's office, where I am currently writing this post.
Anyway... first impressions. I definitely feel that I am in Africa whatever that means... As in: there is dust; it is HOT; there are women in brightly colored garments carrying all sorts of things on their heads; there are shacks and huts along the road with laundry hanging outside; I see no other white faces... (OK, this is not Hemingway, I realize, but I'm jet-lagged!!!) There were lots of billboards on the way from the airport, mostly cell phone ads, but one that caught my eye in particular was a big ad for condoms, picturing a man and woman in the rain under an umbrella (get it????!!!!) So that says something about social mores, I think. I mean, I don't think we have condom billboards in the states... There were also people walking through the (busy!) streets selling all manner of items: knives, towels, car accessories... My favorite was a guy selling patches and stickers, one of which was a large red circle that said: This car is protected by the blood of JESUS. The way some people were driving, that might not be such a bad idea...
As for first impressions of HakiElimu... Wow! It's hard to know where to begin. I get the sense that the organization is a tightly run ship, tho people also seem pretty relaxed and there appears to be a fair amount of autonomy. Kind of like CBPP! Chambi, a program officer in the Policy Analysis and Advocacy division (with which I will be working) has been showing me around. Most people I've met have been very nice -- many have said they've heard a lot about me, they are glad I'm finally here, etc. etc. My lack of Swahili knowledge is glaringly apparent. Everyone says "Karibu" (Welcome) or "Karibu sana" (You are very welcome). I knew those phrases before arriving, but then I'm not sure how to respond, so they say things like, "Do you even know one word of Swahili??" Perhaps I should have spent a bit more time with that book! But hopefully I will come back after "Swahili Summer Camp" and wow them all...
OK, we're having lunch in a bit, then I think I may go try to nap back at the guest house. This evening Elisabeth (Swiss international volunteer at HakiElimu) and Aika (another colleague in the Policy Analysis and Advocacy division) are planning to have dinner with me, so I feel appropriately looked after. Looking forward to my first taste of Tanzanian food!!!
I was a bit nervous going through immigration, since I was told that I should just apply for a 3-month visitor's visa at this time. Apparently it's taking HakiElimu a while to get my official work permit, so that was the best interim solution. So I handed my passport and a crisp 50-dollar bill off to an official, who handed it to another official behind some glass (there were about 10 customs officials behind the glass, whose main activities seemed to be passing things between each other and stamping things). I then waited for about 20 minutes, when finally another official motioned for me to step forward, and asked me one question only: Are you married? He then pondered my passport for a bit longer, and finally relinquished it to me along with my visitor's visa. Whew!
After getting my bags, I was met by a man holding a sign bearing my name (I must admit I found that kind of exciting) who drove me in the official HakiElimu van first to the guest house where I will be staying for the next 10 days, and then over to HakiElimu's office, where I am currently writing this post.
Anyway... first impressions. I definitely feel that I am in Africa whatever that means... As in: there is dust; it is HOT; there are women in brightly colored garments carrying all sorts of things on their heads; there are shacks and huts along the road with laundry hanging outside; I see no other white faces... (OK, this is not Hemingway, I realize, but I'm jet-lagged!!!) There were lots of billboards on the way from the airport, mostly cell phone ads, but one that caught my eye in particular was a big ad for condoms, picturing a man and woman in the rain under an umbrella (get it????!!!!) So that says something about social mores, I think. I mean, I don't think we have condom billboards in the states... There were also people walking through the (busy!) streets selling all manner of items: knives, towels, car accessories... My favorite was a guy selling patches and stickers, one of which was a large red circle that said: This car is protected by the blood of JESUS. The way some people were driving, that might not be such a bad idea...
As for first impressions of HakiElimu... Wow! It's hard to know where to begin. I get the sense that the organization is a tightly run ship, tho people also seem pretty relaxed and there appears to be a fair amount of autonomy. Kind of like CBPP! Chambi, a program officer in the Policy Analysis and Advocacy division (with which I will be working) has been showing me around. Most people I've met have been very nice -- many have said they've heard a lot about me, they are glad I'm finally here, etc. etc. My lack of Swahili knowledge is glaringly apparent. Everyone says "Karibu" (Welcome) or "Karibu sana" (You are very welcome). I knew those phrases before arriving, but then I'm not sure how to respond, so they say things like, "Do you even know one word of Swahili??" Perhaps I should have spent a bit more time with that book! But hopefully I will come back after "Swahili Summer Camp" and wow them all...
OK, we're having lunch in a bit, then I think I may go try to nap back at the guest house. This evening Elisabeth (Swiss international volunteer at HakiElimu) and Aika (another colleague in the Policy Analysis and Advocacy division) are planning to have dinner with me, so I feel appropriately looked after. Looking forward to my first taste of Tanzanian food!!!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
My first foray into the blogosphere
Approximately 20 hours til departure... Rather than do something sensible like, oh, you know, finish packing, I thought I'd finally get started with this blog that I've been talking so much about. So, allow me to share my vision for Dar es Salaam Diary (note: I am accepting suggestions for a snappier title, but that's all I've got for now). I'm heading off to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for the next two years of my life, and this blog will be an attempt to chronicle my adventures -- hopefully not a completely narcissistic exercise. I will do my best to inform and entertain.
Thursday, February 22nd was my last day at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where I was employed as a research assistant in the Budget and Tax Policy Division. Through CBPP's International Budget Project I got hooked up with a Tanzanian NGO called Haki Elimu , where I will be working for the next two years. Haki Elimu's main focus is education policy, but they are looking to expand into more general analysis of Tanzania's budget, a goal which I will be helping to further.
I'll get to Dar on Friday morning, where I will be greeted at the airport by someone from Haki Elimu, and then I'll head to my Dutch guest house (as far as I understand, a guesthouse is a step up from a hostel but a step below a hotel...) where I'll be staying for my first 10 days in Dar. Then on March 20th I'm off to language school for 3 weeks at the MS Training Centre for Development Co-operation (a.k.a. Swahili Summer Camp). When I return to Dar I'll move into more permanent housing, which I hope to secure during my first 10 days.
The best way to get in touch with me at this point is probably via e-mail. (ruthcarlitz_at_gmail.com) I plan to get a cell phone when I get to Dar, and also learn how to use the Skype account that I set up a couple of days ago. (My account name is ruthcarlitz.)
OK, there's a suspiciously large amount of room left in one of my bags, which means I'm surely forgetting some important items. Kwa heri for now... next post from Tanzania!!
Thursday, February 22nd was my last day at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where I was employed as a research assistant in the Budget and Tax Policy Division. Through CBPP's International Budget Project I got hooked up with a Tanzanian NGO called Haki Elimu , where I will be working for the next two years. Haki Elimu's main focus is education policy, but they are looking to expand into more general analysis of Tanzania's budget, a goal which I will be helping to further.
I'll get to Dar on Friday morning, where I will be greeted at the airport by someone from Haki Elimu, and then I'll head to my Dutch guest house (as far as I understand, a guesthouse is a step up from a hostel but a step below a hotel...) where I'll be staying for my first 10 days in Dar. Then on March 20th I'm off to language school for 3 weeks at the MS Training Centre for Development Co-operation (a.k.a. Swahili Summer Camp). When I return to Dar I'll move into more permanent housing, which I hope to secure during my first 10 days.
The best way to get in touch with me at this point is probably via e-mail. (ruthcarlitz_at_gmail.com) I plan to get a cell phone when I get to Dar, and also learn how to use the Skype account that I set up a couple of days ago. (My account name is ruthcarlitz.)
OK, there's a suspiciously large amount of room left in one of my bags, which means I'm surely forgetting some important items. Kwa heri for now... next post from Tanzania!!
