.jpg)
My last day at the placement was Friday. The kids made pictures and bracelets for me and we had cake and ice cream. That’s all I’m going to say about that, other than it was a hard day. Tonight is my last night in the volunteer house that I’m grown to love to curse for all it’s charm. Still there’s something about it that’s tranquil. I will miss the girls. Sondra is going on with me to explore, Kate is here for another 4 weeks and will be getting two new housemates.
After a difficult first week of transitioning to the cultural differences I am going to try to summarize some of the more lighthearted aspects of my strange life here in and how by week six is doesn’t feel so strange. My colleagues and I will often say "TIA" when we experience something funny about life here or if it's something particularly frustrating we will say "TIFA" - I'll let you figure out what that stands for. So here is my list of TIA moments thus far:
-Happy thought, If I never see ugali again I won't be disappointed, this coming from a person who could eat noodles everyday.
- Stopping to laugh in the midst of throwing an industrial sized bucket of water down my toilet at home because I realized how normal it had become for me to live without running water.
- Livestock... everywhere - all the time. Exotic and domestic!
- "Mzungu!!" At least 15 times a day.
- Africa time - waiting, sometimes for hours, sometimes with no information as to why or what for we are waiting
- Bananas at all meals. One day I had 6 in a 12 hour period.
- Bucket baths and the things we do to avoid them (standing in the rain, baby wipes and Oscar Blandi dry shampoo, thank you Sephora).
- Making peace with the spiders and lizards in your room because they eat mosquitoes.
- VISITOR BOOKS. I have signed my name and city of origin more times in the past month than I ever have in my life.
- "Bongo Flavors" - the name for local Tanzanian music.
-- Driving = no rules. Drive in the middle of the road, on the wrong side, in the ditch. Doesn't seem to matter as long as you get to your intended destination. I'm so thankful to be able to walk most places.
- Falling asleep to the sound of the hard rains. Coming home from work to cows mooing. Waking up to the roosters crowing.
- Greeting everyone, everywhere, all the time. It's amazing how many times and how many ways you can ask someone how they are and respond accordingly. My apologies if I get home and ask you how you are in 5 different ways.
In case you were starting to worry that I was completely miserable or struggling to get by here in Tanzania, have no fear for I have found the ultimate oasis, however it wasn’t until week 5 that I discovered it. Aly's salon and spa. Can you believe it? Yes, I have found the one place in Arusha where a mzungu can get a haircut, pedicure, manicure, massage and eyebrow threading, among other services, with impeccable service and skill for a fraction of the price one would pay in America.
I first discovered Aly's salon on a day I found out a little girl from the orphanage tested HIV positive. Working and living in a country were gender has revealed to me the grave inequalities that women in Tanzania, and I imagine other parts of Africa, must face everyday. The inequalities are so great that many women here regularly endure violence or live to avoid it, sometimes very brutal inhuman practices. It was probably a good thing that I didn’t get too involved with this age group, but I see it trickle down, and it’s hard to keep my emotions in check particularly in relation to HIV. Time and again we hear from women don't have the power to tell their husband or boyfriend to use a condom even if the man knows he is HIV positive or if the woman is sure he is sleeping with other women – it’s a part of their culture in the Maasai tribe a man has the right to sleep with any wife, and he takes many wives, for reasons other than sexual promiscuity but that’s the fallout. It's a crisis.
Anyway, Aly is a Tanzanian-born, Canadian-bred Indian man who is quite possibly one of the most hospitable people I have ever met. He has been running his salon for about 15 years and only advertises through word of mouth. He cuts hair and employs one woman who does manicures, pedicures, massages and waxing and another woman who does eyebrow-threading. I am not kidding when I say that I had the best manicure pedicure and massage of my life at Aly's. The pedicure was $8 and the massage was $15. For those of you who know me well, I am a fairly seasoned spa-goer. I've managed to get in three massages before I leave! aaaahhh.....heaven!!
So there you have it. The best kept secret in Arusha-
I’m sad to leave, but happy to have been here. Tomorrow’s another day and there’s something new waiting for me. I’m off to Malawi.
Love to all -
ali
