Dar es Salaam Diary

So when I started this blog, I made a promise to myself that I would do more than talk about how DIFFERENT everything is when you're living in a **FOREIGN COUNTRY**. But, I'm sorry, sometimes everything is just really, well, different when you're living in a foreign country. These differences can have a number of consequences -- some frightening, some embarassing, some just downright weird. In the past few days, I've had a number of such experiences, and so I now feel compelled to list them without further ado:

(I will try to write a more comprehensive update soon... Just to keep you in the loop, I have returned to Dar with some competence in the Swahili language, and have moved into my house!!!)

So, to begin, a bathroom story... On Sunday I got to spend another 8 hours of my life on a "luxury" bus (it was actually pretty nice and we even had a stewardess and 2 movies!). Despite my best intentions I had managed to drink enough on the ride that I needed to use the disgusting bathroom (I haven't quite adjusted to the squat toilets...) at the highway restaurant where we stopped for lunch. Knowing what to expect, I had brought my own toilet paper, so I thought I was prepared. But then I couldn't figure out how to flush. There was nothing on the tank, so I thought I'd try a faucet in the middle of the wall next to the toilet. Well it turned out that I had managed not to flush the toilet but to turn on THE SHOWER. I managed to not get totally soaked, but my hair did get visbly wet, as did my shirt and pants... Let's just say I got even more weird looks than usual when I finally emerged from the bathroom, and the rest of the ride was not so pleasant.

My theme of embarassing myself continued later that night when I checked into my budget motel in the center of town (sadly my guest house was full, and I didn't yet have a bed so couldn't move into my house, so work had set me up with a room at the Econo Lodge, described by multiple people as "not great, but OK." I'd say it lived up to the description.). I had gone out to dinner so was getting back at around 9... I went to get in the elevator and right before the doors shut, this short Tanzanian guy ran to join me. (We were the only people in the elevator.) He did not push a button and proceeded to get out at my floor. I thought I'd let him go first since he kind of creeped me out, but he kind of hung back and ended up following me to my room. When we got to my door, I turned sharply and said in a loud voice, "UNAKWENDA WAPI?!!" (Where are you going?!!) He then explained that he was hotel security..... So I laughed and apologized and tried to explain, which potentially made him think I was coming on to him. ("Oh... where did you THINK I was going..." *suggestive eyebrow raise*) But I was relieved, to say the least. I concluded the evening by thinking I had locked myself in the bathroom (about 5 minutes of sheer panic, especially considering the fact that the only person who might hear my cries for help was the somewhat sketchy security guard) but fortunately I was mistaken once again.

Other incidents of note in the past few days have included my cab ride with the police... I was riding home with a friend who got dropped off first. As soon as we turned the corner we were stopped by 3 policeman, all of whom proceeded to enter the cab!! My look of horror convinced the 3rd one to get out and avoid sitting on my lap, so then I just got to ride with two... They insisted that I "worry not," complimented me on my Swahili, and assured me that they were just dealing with a "previous offense" that the driver had committed. I was of course certain that they were not real policeman, but friends of the driver, who would proceed to drive me out to some godforsaken corner of Dar and beat me up and take all my money. Fortunately this did not occur; I just got taken to my motel and they went on their merry way. I felt a bit bad for the driver, but less so after he conveniently did not have any change and I ended up paying him about 5 times my fare.

And to conclude, a few words on shopping for a bed, Tanzanian style. In Dar es Salaam, it is possible to buy absolutely ANYTHING along the side of the road. This proved quite convenient on Monday, when I purchased my bed from a parking lot along the main road. Fortunately, a Tanzanian friend had gone to the bed vendor earlier in the day to secure the price, but when we arrived later we were still MOBBED. As soon as it became clear that I was going to buy something, I was surrounded by about 40 men vying for my attention (I could get used to this... OK not really) and passing mattresses over my head. When I had finally selected the bed I wanted, they proceeded to disassemble it and stuff it into the back of the world's most dilapidated taxi... The poor car was seriously on its LAST legs: We stopped for "gas" which entailed taking a gallon jug of some clear liquid out from under the hood, but not turning off the engine, because if we had we would have needed to start the car again... But we and the car made it alive to my house, and then the driver carried my bed inside and put it back together again! Now that's service...

But now I must be off as we have a 4-day holiday for Easter, and I have a trip to plan! (If all goes well I'll be in Zanzibar at this time tomorrow)