Last week I went to a local private clinic to get tested for malaria. I had some, not all, symptoms, but I passed with flying colors; malaria free. If you know me well, I would be among that “exceptional” 1% who gets malaria despite taking malarone nightly. I have historically referred to this phenomenon as “Laidlaw Luck” or really odd misfortune at inopportune times, but I avoided it unscathed. Although I didn’t feel better, it’s always good to know you don’t have malaria.
That said, it’s also good that I knew how to get to the clinic, as I was there again this morning. On the weekends, the house where I am staying has 24 hour guard service. James, one of the guards, was apparently playing in the yard with Cleo, the rambunctious pup.
As it was relayed to me, James was running around with Cleo and forgot about the little boy’s toy zipline between two trees. By the looks of James’ wounds, he nailed it. By the time James came knocking on the back door in a panic, blood was running down his neck in several places and he was visibly dizzy.
Aside from the Grey’s Anatomy-esque drama of it all, who do you call in this situation? In Tanzania, no less! I asked him to lay down and try to talk to me, while dabbing his neck for an initial clean-up on his wounds w/ antibacterial wet wipes. I wanted to get a sense for how deep the cuts were as I was figuring out what to do. If you are an ER doctor reading this (highly, highly unlikely), I hope that was not the wrong thing to do. No one who I know who lives here year-round and/or is Tanzanian was answering their phone to give me more information. With no other options, I decided to take James to this private, non-emergency clinic.
Thankfully, there is a car at this house – however, it is stick-shift. I learned / taught myself how to drive stick-shift after a 30-minute lesson last weekend from a British friend. Due to Britain being the last colonial “visitor” to Tanzania, the road rules remain and one must drive on the “other” side. It is truly scary how wrong it feels to drive on the left – the stick shift is commanded by your left hand, not your right, but the foot pedals are normal. It's quite a brain teaser. James and I got in the car and I drove carefully to the clinic. For the brief 10 minute drive, James might have become more worried for his personal safety as my passenger, than by his neck wounds. If I provided him that pause from physical discomfort, instead, channeling his pain as fear for his life, I am glad to have done what I could. :)
After some commotion explaining what was going on, who James was, and how this happened, we registered and waited. Despite waiting a long while (still bleeding), James told me how much nicer and faster this seemed than the government hospitals he is used to for primary care. That is, indeed, a statement – albeit perhaps sadly expected -- of developing countries like Tanzania.
This local clinic is fine – it has everything at the minimum with no expectation to offer more. Tanzania is, by numerous mentions even captured in the NYT this summer, a country with one of the highest female death rates during pregnancy due to poor pre-natal education and care during birth. I can’t imagine treatment gets much better after one gets past that.
James will have to go to a local hospital if he wants neck x-rays; the cost of an x-ray from a private hospital would be astronomical. There's aren't very many machines in the entire country. While James was being seen by the doctors, I waited in the lobby area (read as: outside) with the fake Maasi who is paid tips to “watch” your car so that no one attempts a break-in. He told me it was rare to see someone like James come to this clinic. I said James got hurt and deserved the best possible care immediately – the fake Maasi smiled and nodded with a gap-toothy grin.
This could have been a lot worse. This episode was a strong reminder that when things are good in Tanzania, they are actually great; however, there is little infrastructure or available support when something goes wrong.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Officially a Local. I am now a Class C Resident.
Requiring a monstrous eleven and a half weeks of bureaucracy and patience from start to finish, I finally received a Class C Resident stamp in my passport. However, the overarching question: does this make me Tanzanian?
Against a simple list of qualifiers, the verdict is uncertain at best but is in my favor.
- Do I speak Swahili?
Basic. I have a strong start but fade quickly when substance of politics or sports replaces greetings and simple exchanges. I smile a lot to compensate for that deficit. (+1 Tanzanian point)
- Do I like to eat mishkaki and ugali?
Simply put, no. (-1 Tanzanian point)
- Do I ride public transport?
Much to my mother’s chagrin, yes. I wholeheartedly support three-wheeled vehicles and the ever popular daladala – a minivan with 3-4x as many people as should be riding inside. If H1N1 is looking for a low threshold with high population density, this would be its entry gameplan for Tanzania. (+1 Tanzanian point)
Well, based on that, its looking in my favor to have legit TZ street cred accompanying my Class C Resident Visa.
It should be noted that my multi-entry Tourist Visa is a full-page sticker; it’s nice, typed and organized. Oddly, the harder-to-get-due-to-bureaucracy Class C is a blue-ink stamp, filled in by hand. Tanzania should rethink its resident branding; this is yet another missed opportunity for a zebra or giraffe printed background or something more “authentic” to show off Tanzania’s selling points.
Against a simple list of qualifiers, the verdict is uncertain at best but is in my favor.
- Do I speak Swahili?
Basic. I have a strong start but fade quickly when substance of politics or sports replaces greetings and simple exchanges. I smile a lot to compensate for that deficit. (+1 Tanzanian point)
- Do I like to eat mishkaki and ugali?
Simply put, no. (-1 Tanzanian point)
- Do I ride public transport?
Much to my mother’s chagrin, yes. I wholeheartedly support three-wheeled vehicles and the ever popular daladala – a minivan with 3-4x as many people as should be riding inside. If H1N1 is looking for a low threshold with high population density, this would be its entry gameplan for Tanzania. (+1 Tanzanian point)
Well, based on that, its looking in my favor to have legit TZ street cred accompanying my Class C Resident Visa.
It should be noted that my multi-entry Tourist Visa is a full-page sticker; it’s nice, typed and organized. Oddly, the harder-to-get-due-to-bureaucracy Class C is a blue-ink stamp, filled in by hand. Tanzania should rethink its resident branding; this is yet another missed opportunity for a zebra or giraffe printed background or something more “authentic” to show off Tanzania’s selling points.
And on the Fourth Try…I Picked up my Package
Steve Gore is a wonder. Steve and I have kept up since our time at Duke, comparing notes on international travels. Steve has found that great professional combo of consulting + travel to cool places – apparently, it’s called “knowing how to navigate your career at Accenture”.
Steve was working for a stint in Nairobi and let me know that he had decided to test the fates of the Kenya to Tanzania mail system by sending me something to the P.O. Box Address of TechnoServe. And here’s where the saga begins.
There is no residential mail system in Tanzania. This is largely in part because there are no addresses for houses. Most people know their home in relation to something else. For example, I tell taxis that my new, temporary address is “near Key West Club” – it’s not really but that’s the best I have for a starting point. As a result, people do not --- nor can not --- send things via mail.
Instead, all mail for the entire city of Dar is filtered through a central location – with 6 blocks of P.O. boxes. If you have a business, you have a P.O. box. The keys to open each box are old-school. In order to pick up a package, you have to have an ID card that states you are authorized to pick up a package – and the person to whom it is addressed has to physically appear in the office.
Here’s the run down of attempts. At least it had a happy ending.
Attempt 1: Arrived to the mail central distribution place – it’s a cacophony of people moving, talking, and also trying to figure out the mail system. We went to the TechnoServe PO box, found the slip to pick up the package. However, we were denied the package because we did not have – nor know we needed – the illustrious ID card.
Attempt 2: Turns out the ID card needed in the first place was actually at the office and had expired. Someone at TechnoServe had to go to another government-related office to get a new one, which requires spending a half-day waiting in line.
Attempt 3: I could either get my immigration Class C visa or return to the mail center to get my package. I chose the Class C since my tourist visa runs out soon. This was good b/c the package slip had to be signed anyways by the office manager who mentioned that her signature was needed only in passing after Attempt 3. I would have been stymied regardless of efforts to get the package this time.
Attempt 4: Arrived to the mail center of chaos and entered in the package office with high hopes and proper paperwork. On a single bookshelf, there lay all packages coming into Dar. I don’t think there was a morning pick-up already – I am pretty confident that no one mails anything. However, success! After some stamping, some identification checking, and general confusion despite there only being one shelf of packages to investigate, I left with package in hand.
The contents? A bag of Starburst from the United States. Amazing!
While I would recommend no one else to try the mail services (even DHL, who operates on motorbikes, seems to face impediments to delivery) – I was glad to see how that worked – and now I have this to enjoy! Thank you!
Steve was working for a stint in Nairobi and let me know that he had decided to test the fates of the Kenya to Tanzania mail system by sending me something to the P.O. Box Address of TechnoServe. And here’s where the saga begins.
There is no residential mail system in Tanzania. This is largely in part because there are no addresses for houses. Most people know their home in relation to something else. For example, I tell taxis that my new, temporary address is “near Key West Club” – it’s not really but that’s the best I have for a starting point. As a result, people do not --- nor can not --- send things via mail.
Instead, all mail for the entire city of Dar is filtered through a central location – with 6 blocks of P.O. boxes. If you have a business, you have a P.O. box. The keys to open each box are old-school. In order to pick up a package, you have to have an ID card that states you are authorized to pick up a package – and the person to whom it is addressed has to physically appear in the office.
Here’s the run down of attempts. At least it had a happy ending.
Attempt 1: Arrived to the mail central distribution place – it’s a cacophony of people moving, talking, and also trying to figure out the mail system. We went to the TechnoServe PO box, found the slip to pick up the package. However, we were denied the package because we did not have – nor know we needed – the illustrious ID card.
Attempt 2: Turns out the ID card needed in the first place was actually at the office and had expired. Someone at TechnoServe had to go to another government-related office to get a new one, which requires spending a half-day waiting in line.
Attempt 3: I could either get my immigration Class C visa or return to the mail center to get my package. I chose the Class C since my tourist visa runs out soon. This was good b/c the package slip had to be signed anyways by the office manager who mentioned that her signature was needed only in passing after Attempt 3. I would have been stymied regardless of efforts to get the package this time.
Attempt 4: Arrived to the mail center of chaos and entered in the package office with high hopes and proper paperwork. On a single bookshelf, there lay all packages coming into Dar. I don’t think there was a morning pick-up already – I am pretty confident that no one mails anything. However, success! After some stamping, some identification checking, and general confusion despite there only being one shelf of packages to investigate, I left with package in hand.
The contents? A bag of Starburst from the United States. Amazing!
While I would recommend no one else to try the mail services (even DHL, who operates on motorbikes, seems to face impediments to delivery) – I was glad to see how that worked – and now I have this to enjoy! Thank you!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
USAID Horticulture Grant Submitted!
The grant is in! Monday was exciting as we tied up all loose ends to submit the horticulture grant to USAID. We literally drove and walked the proposal documents into the USAID office at the US Embassy.
We will find out mid- to late-August if we were successful in our proposal. Til then, I am moving forward with my work where I will return to the field to focus on three main areas across the tomato, avocado, and pineapple markets: (1) Yield, (2) Production, and (3) Price.
If anyone reading (all 3 of you) knows much about the impact of 1gm of fertilizer on a tomato crop in over-worked soil, how much land could be under cultivation in Iringa region, and how prices are determined and change in informal markets, please let me know! :)
We will find out mid- to late-August if we were successful in our proposal. Til then, I am moving forward with my work where I will return to the field to focus on three main areas across the tomato, avocado, and pineapple markets: (1) Yield, (2) Production, and (3) Price.
If anyone reading (all 3 of you) knows much about the impact of 1gm of fertilizer on a tomato crop in over-worked soil, how much land could be under cultivation in Iringa region, and how prices are determined and change in informal markets, please let me know! :)
Moving on Up!
Last weekend I moved over to my country manager’s home to dog-sit and take care of the house while they are away in the States on vacation. It is an incredible upgrade and yet another perspective to consider when evaluating the ups and downs to the expat lifestyle.
Hello Dexter and Cleo.
With the new digs, I have two new roommates – a 5-month mutt puppy and a seasoned, massive Rhodesian Ridgeback.
As you can see, Dexter takes his half down the middle.
Cleo has two speeds: (1) passed out asleep or (2) going crazy. I have been trying a few patterns to their day to see what works best with me invading their space. Cleo currently likes to sleep from 10PM-1AM. He wakes up at 1am and scratches the door until I let him out. Then, he scratches the door until I let him in. This repeats at 4AM and 6AM. Once I figured that out, I asked for the assistance of the guard (askari) who is on the property from 6PM – 6AM each night – as well as their gardener, who lives on the land too. Cleo now spends more time outside at night and I am sleeping better. Good dog, just a lot of puppy energy.
Dexter is a great guard dog. He was already in the habit of taking ½ of the bed where I sleep, so that was just part of the deal. I am now a huge fan of Rhodesian Ridgebacks – they used to be lion hunters in South Africa. Tanzanians are scared of dogs as they are a “luxury” item here and scarce except among the well-off population – so walking Dexter draws attention but also some trepidation by unknowing passersby.
I very much enjoy the change in scenery as this family has a very large plot of land with a lot of outdoor space to enjoy. Their usual cleaning lady and cook, Winnie, came yesterday. Her foccacia bread should be sold at a bakery (if there were any!) and the couscous with dried cranberries was amazing. Again, this is not a tough life.
It’s been a great first week in the house and I’ll be here through the first weeks of August. Good times.
Hello Dexter and Cleo.
With the new digs, I have two new roommates – a 5-month mutt puppy and a seasoned, massive Rhodesian Ridgeback.
As you can see, Dexter takes his half down the middle.
Cleo has two speeds: (1) passed out asleep or (2) going crazy. I have been trying a few patterns to their day to see what works best with me invading their space. Cleo currently likes to sleep from 10PM-1AM. He wakes up at 1am and scratches the door until I let him out. Then, he scratches the door until I let him in. This repeats at 4AM and 6AM. Once I figured that out, I asked for the assistance of the guard (askari) who is on the property from 6PM – 6AM each night – as well as their gardener, who lives on the land too. Cleo now spends more time outside at night and I am sleeping better. Good dog, just a lot of puppy energy.
Dexter is a great guard dog. He was already in the habit of taking ½ of the bed where I sleep, so that was just part of the deal. I am now a huge fan of Rhodesian Ridgebacks – they used to be lion hunters in South Africa. Tanzanians are scared of dogs as they are a “luxury” item here and scarce except among the well-off population – so walking Dexter draws attention but also some trepidation by unknowing passersby.
I very much enjoy the change in scenery as this family has a very large plot of land with a lot of outdoor space to enjoy. Their usual cleaning lady and cook, Winnie, came yesterday. Her foccacia bread should be sold at a bakery (if there were any!) and the couscous with dried cranberries was amazing. Again, this is not a tough life.
It’s been a great first week in the house and I’ll be here through the first weeks of August. Good times.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Random Observations
- At the office, the consultants sit in 2 rooms. My “horticulture war room” has created quite a stir as we work towards the Friday deadline to submit our proposal to USAID Tanzania. While grant writing and data analysis are tedious, I started to think about other ways to capture our horticulture sentiments. As usual, I turned to my favorite poem structure, the haiku. Here’s a good one from fellow VolCon, Al Green:
mango. fibrous fruit.
the only thing sweeter is
farmer profit growth.
- Bastille Day came and went with little fan fare – or French fare, as we went out for Italian after the gym.
- I broke down and joined the mzungu gym. Running outside, no more. There’s something about aerobic classes when the instructor yells in Swahili that is extra motivating. The most ridiculous part is that the gym has entry with a finger scanner. The roads here are largely unpaved but this gym has a finger scanner. Go figure.
- The gym classes here are circa 1995. The “waist/bum” class was close to a Suzanne Somer’s exercise session. I am going to Taebo today (ie, of the Billy Blanks fame; I like you more if you can’t remember who that is). The music played in the classes was circa 1990 – I feel like I should wear something off the shoulder, neon, or leg warmers. Those will be hard to find in Dar, but could be worth it to match the gym setting.
- I drink coffee now. Big time. After 27 years of shunning coffee – and taking a daily dose of Diet Coke, Diet Dr Pepper (still my favorite) or Red Bull (thanks, grad school) – I’ve gone back to the bean. My penchant for jamocha shakes from Arby’s or Blue Bell’s coffee ice cream aside – coffee is surprisingly delicious. I currently favor cappuccino and have already thought about buying a French press when I get home.
- Yoga. I’m not meant to do it. It’s too still and calming – my mind wanders more about what I need to do or want to do in the next 10 minutes, next day or next 5 years rather than “channeling my energy”. At least Bikram yoga (that I tried this past spring) gave you a work-out feeling by sweating profusely – but just standing in poses seems trite. My yoga session was also challenged by the humor of a super-serious (but very genuine) Nigerian instructor wearing a complete Yao Ming Houston Rockets uniform.
- Zuane restaurant has a molten chocolate cake dish. Best, though possibly only, dessert in Dar, hands down.
- The internet, water or electricity (or all 3) have been out at the apartment lately. Not a good combo. I am moving this weekend over to the country director’s home for a change in scenery and to dog-sit her two massive pooches while they return to the US for a few weeks. I am very excited!
mango. fibrous fruit.
the only thing sweeter is
farmer profit growth.
- Bastille Day came and went with little fan fare – or French fare, as we went out for Italian after the gym.
- I broke down and joined the mzungu gym. Running outside, no more. There’s something about aerobic classes when the instructor yells in Swahili that is extra motivating. The most ridiculous part is that the gym has entry with a finger scanner. The roads here are largely unpaved but this gym has a finger scanner. Go figure.
- The gym classes here are circa 1995. The “waist/bum” class was close to a Suzanne Somer’s exercise session. I am going to Taebo today (ie, of the Billy Blanks fame; I like you more if you can’t remember who that is). The music played in the classes was circa 1990 – I feel like I should wear something off the shoulder, neon, or leg warmers. Those will be hard to find in Dar, but could be worth it to match the gym setting.
- I drink coffee now. Big time. After 27 years of shunning coffee – and taking a daily dose of Diet Coke, Diet Dr Pepper (still my favorite) or Red Bull (thanks, grad school) – I’ve gone back to the bean. My penchant for jamocha shakes from Arby’s or Blue Bell’s coffee ice cream aside – coffee is surprisingly delicious. I currently favor cappuccino and have already thought about buying a French press when I get home.
- Yoga. I’m not meant to do it. It’s too still and calming – my mind wanders more about what I need to do or want to do in the next 10 minutes, next day or next 5 years rather than “channeling my energy”. At least Bikram yoga (that I tried this past spring) gave you a work-out feeling by sweating profusely – but just standing in poses seems trite. My yoga session was also challenged by the humor of a super-serious (but very genuine) Nigerian instructor wearing a complete Yao Ming Houston Rockets uniform.
- Zuane restaurant has a molten chocolate cake dish. Best, though possibly only, dessert in Dar, hands down.
- The internet, water or electricity (or all 3) have been out at the apartment lately. Not a good combo. I am moving this weekend over to the country director’s home for a change in scenery and to dog-sit her two massive pooches while they return to the US for a few weeks. I am very excited!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Karibu Zanzibar
Known for its history in the spice trade, as a holiday tromping ground, and for its blend of cultures, Zanzibar is simply fantastic.
Arriving via ferry
Looked a bit like a cattle run through immigration, to be honest
The ferry is run by Azam, part of the largest conglomerate in Tanzania, the Bakhresa group of Companies. Bakhresa also owns grain milling, transport, ice cream, other food and more transport. Rather non-sequitur. Apparently representing 4% of Tanzania's GDP; these guys are king. It costs US$ 35 for economy class and US$ 40 for first class, so we decided to splurge. This was a good decision.
While its fantastic to travel just over 2 hours to arrive to Zanzibar, this is some of the choppiest water I've experienced via ferry. Economy class has the reputation of more people getting sick during this ride, so it was a more pleasant experience in general to be surrounded by fewer potential medical casualties.
Arriving to Zanzibar via the port at Stonetown oddly includes a stop at immigration even if traveling under a visa, despite not technically leaving the country of Tanzania -- but if they were to secede, at least they'd have that figured out. (Texas, take notes!)
Kelly, Sara and I started off the day with a spice tour. We traveled by bus about 30 minutes into the island to enter a village and then walk along a dirt path with the guide cutting off different spices that grow in the fields. Young village boys tagged along, using palm reeds to weave necklaces, bracelets, hats, you name it --- for an expected donation. We had ate local fare that came out of a mud hut and was delicious -- and headed back to Stonetown.
Hand-made palm frond basket & hat/lid
True dedication to hunting down spices
Cool hue; not cool hand stains.
Perhaps J Crew's new look: Man capris and palm frond ties for fall
Kelly, me and Sara: loving the spice tour
Wandering through the small streets of Stonetown was far more reminiscent of a European town, than Africa. The change was refreshing, yet reflective more of the city's history than today's local population. Stonetown is particularly dominated by a Muslim population and indicators - both small and large - were prevalent of this culture's dominance throughout the city.
Lots of this along winding streets
A highlight of the afternoon? Drinks at Mercury's -- of the Frank Mercury (famous singer) fame. We ordered a specialty cocktail (this place was far from Muslim, based on the drinks list) - the Obama.
It's a good thing.
The Obama is a delightful concoction of Kanyagi (local cheap rum; drink with caution), vodka, lime juice and honey (with fresh lemon and lime in the glass). It is refreshing and delicious. We could have sat there with pitchers, but we continued to explore the city.
Great building art!
That night we explored the outdoor markets - featuring sea food, grilled meats, and vegetarian dishes. We then headed to a recommended restaurant for Indian, where we had some of the worst Indian food I've ever tasted (an opposite experience from our Dar dining and it would have made Mrs. Batra in Delhi cry) -- but then we returned for a nightcap Obama at Mercury's with live music. The Obama was a redeemer.
Zanzibar open air food market
Showing off his "pholaphel"! (Perhaps its a Thai influence? Likely not.)
I assisted our chef to make my "Zanzibar pizza" - a mix between an omlette and pancake. It was tasty.
After some morning wandering and time by the water, we returned to Dar via the same boisterous ferry.
Streets of Stonetown
A "kanga" is purchased as a two-part piece of fabric to wear as a wrap-around skirt with matching head cover. The prominence of the Obama kanga outside shops was no coincedence in overlapping with Obama's official visit to Ghana. There was much discussion about why Obama didnt come to Tanzania, as he apparently should have, instead.
Pretty great :)
Zanzibar offers far more to explore than expected and remains loyal to its local culture preserved by the strong religious ties. I already look forward to returning again later this summer!
Arriving via ferry
Looked a bit like a cattle run through immigration, to be honest
The ferry is run by Azam, part of the largest conglomerate in Tanzania, the Bakhresa group of Companies. Bakhresa also owns grain milling, transport, ice cream, other food and more transport. Rather non-sequitur. Apparently representing 4% of Tanzania's GDP; these guys are king. It costs US$ 35 for economy class and US$ 40 for first class, so we decided to splurge. This was a good decision.
While its fantastic to travel just over 2 hours to arrive to Zanzibar, this is some of the choppiest water I've experienced via ferry. Economy class has the reputation of more people getting sick during this ride, so it was a more pleasant experience in general to be surrounded by fewer potential medical casualties.
Arriving to Zanzibar via the port at Stonetown oddly includes a stop at immigration even if traveling under a visa, despite not technically leaving the country of Tanzania -- but if they were to secede, at least they'd have that figured out. (Texas, take notes!)
Kelly, Sara and I started off the day with a spice tour. We traveled by bus about 30 minutes into the island to enter a village and then walk along a dirt path with the guide cutting off different spices that grow in the fields. Young village boys tagged along, using palm reeds to weave necklaces, bracelets, hats, you name it --- for an expected donation. We had ate local fare that came out of a mud hut and was delicious -- and headed back to Stonetown.
Hand-made palm frond basket & hat/lid
True dedication to hunting down spices
Cool hue; not cool hand stains.
Perhaps J Crew's new look: Man capris and palm frond ties for fall
Kelly, me and Sara: loving the spice tour
Wandering through the small streets of Stonetown was far more reminiscent of a European town, than Africa. The change was refreshing, yet reflective more of the city's history than today's local population. Stonetown is particularly dominated by a Muslim population and indicators - both small and large - were prevalent of this culture's dominance throughout the city.
Lots of this along winding streets
A highlight of the afternoon? Drinks at Mercury's -- of the Frank Mercury (famous singer) fame. We ordered a specialty cocktail (this place was far from Muslim, based on the drinks list) - the Obama.
It's a good thing.
The Obama is a delightful concoction of Kanyagi (local cheap rum; drink with caution), vodka, lime juice and honey (with fresh lemon and lime in the glass). It is refreshing and delicious. We could have sat there with pitchers, but we continued to explore the city.
Great building art!
That night we explored the outdoor markets - featuring sea food, grilled meats, and vegetarian dishes. We then headed to a recommended restaurant for Indian, where we had some of the worst Indian food I've ever tasted (an opposite experience from our Dar dining and it would have made Mrs. Batra in Delhi cry) -- but then we returned for a nightcap Obama at Mercury's with live music. The Obama was a redeemer.
Zanzibar open air food market
Showing off his "pholaphel"! (Perhaps its a Thai influence? Likely not.)
I assisted our chef to make my "Zanzibar pizza" - a mix between an omlette and pancake. It was tasty.
After some morning wandering and time by the water, we returned to Dar via the same boisterous ferry.
Streets of Stonetown
A "kanga" is purchased as a two-part piece of fabric to wear as a wrap-around skirt with matching head cover. The prominence of the Obama kanga outside shops was no coincedence in overlapping with Obama's official visit to Ghana. There was much discussion about why Obama didnt come to Tanzania, as he apparently should have, instead.
Pretty great :)
Zanzibar offers far more to explore than expected and remains loyal to its local culture preserved by the strong religious ties. I already look forward to returning again later this summer!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Celebrating Saba Saba
After our adventures to the Saba Saba fairgrounds to explore the wide, random range of goods and exhibitions – the actual day of July 7th (Seven Seven) arrived with much relaxation and fun times. The TechnoServe crew and friends spent Saba Saba at a crowd favorite: Kipepeo Beach.
We took the now-familiar ferry over to Kigamboni Peninsula and set-up camp on the sand. I personally think Seagram’s is missing a HUGE marketing opportunity with the “Seven Seven” holiday beverage opportunity. Perhaps good for Tanzanians in general, but a real entrepreneur could really make that happen.
After returning home, I went to see a limited release of the movie, I Love You, Man, at the only movie theater within proximity to Dar. It was, as usual, a truly Tanzanian experience, as concessions closed (yes, closed) 20 minutes before the movie started because that makes sense. Then, during the movie, the frequent sight of rats running up the walls and along wall paneling, was only a slight distraction from the otherwise humorous film.
Thank you, Tanzania, for a nice mid-week holiday.
A big size group of volunteer consultants from Dar and Nairobi are headed to Zanzibar this weekend to explore Stonetown and the full-moon party (once per month) at Kendwa beach. Nice.
We took the now-familiar ferry over to Kigamboni Peninsula and set-up camp on the sand. I personally think Seagram’s is missing a HUGE marketing opportunity with the “Seven Seven” holiday beverage opportunity. Perhaps good for Tanzanians in general, but a real entrepreneur could really make that happen.
After returning home, I went to see a limited release of the movie, I Love You, Man, at the only movie theater within proximity to Dar. It was, as usual, a truly Tanzanian experience, as concessions closed (yes, closed) 20 minutes before the movie started because that makes sense. Then, during the movie, the frequent sight of rats running up the walls and along wall paneling, was only a slight distraction from the otherwise humorous film.
Thank you, Tanzania, for a nice mid-week holiday.
A big size group of volunteer consultants from Dar and Nairobi are headed to Zanzibar this weekend to explore Stonetown and the full-moon party (once per month) at Kendwa beach. Nice.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Breaking News: Avocados Now on my Radar
I returned to the office after a week of vacation today to a new vegetable to keep an eye on. The avocado.
They are primarily grown in the Mbeya region, in southern TZ near the Mozambique border. These Haas avocados fit the bill for export -- which strengthens TechnoServe's ability to meet USAID requirements as well as diversify the proposed program revenue streams.
Avocados are huge here -- about 4x the size of what one would buy at the store in the US. With the mix of fruits, vegetables and some of the spices I am now researching, I am pretty much marketing Tanzania's future in fruit smoothies and guacamole.
They are primarily grown in the Mbeya region, in southern TZ near the Mozambique border. These Haas avocados fit the bill for export -- which strengthens TechnoServe's ability to meet USAID requirements as well as diversify the proposed program revenue streams.
Avocados are huge here -- about 4x the size of what one would buy at the store in the US. With the mix of fruits, vegetables and some of the spices I am now researching, I am pretty much marketing Tanzania's future in fruit smoothies and guacamole.
The Fourth of July Really Didn’t Get Rolling until the Fifth of July
Well, the Fourth of July was pretty uneventful. This photo above is from the US embassy on America's day-after-Indepdence-Day: July 5th. How did Dar do on the more typical July 4th holiday checklist?
- Hotdogs? Negative.
- Fruit-based red, white, blue baked goods? Nope.
- Watch baseball or any of the news coverage on Americans “being American”? Nada.
I woke up around 8am – went for a longer run around the Peninsula and stopped at a local shop to buy my vegetables and bare-bones staples for the week. I returned home to finish reading a book on our porch, prepared a salad (takes about an hour of step-wise treatment to get the lettuce from “local” to “edible”), and caught up on the news from traveling last week. Perhaps I was a lazy American, but it was pretty boring for America’s birthday.
The crew of TechnoServe had planned on going to the 4th of July party at Trinity Hotel – we arrived by 10:30pm and we doubled the attendance. It was slow to start. Really slow. As in, I don’t think you could register it as a party until about 1am – but then it picked up with lightning speed.
Highlights from the party include:
- Met a guy who is here for a 3-week celebration of his sister’s wedding. That’s right, a 3-week wedding. He has some friends who run a hotel down in the Selous Game Park – a small group of us from TechnoServe might go visit the park and meet up with this guy and his friends. Details to be worked out in daylight.
- Observed a token Rastafarian dance to his own music sorta near the bar but not really on the dancefloor. I hope he didn’t have to pay the cover charge as every party here seems to have its token Rastafarian – just doesn’t seem right otherwise and is a good counter-balance to the working lady population.
- Met a US Marine who is stationed at the US Embassy. He offered to take a friend and I for a run after again advising me not to run solo. Our trio ran the next day at a good, slow pace with decent sight-seeing. The six Marines stationed here share a small motor-boat called “Dar She Blows”. Ha.
- The owners of the bar decked the place out with strips of red, white and blue bunting – it looked great and they definitely catered to the ex-pat crowd. Around 2am – when the party was at full force with no sign of stopping – the party looked like what many US clubs strive to be. They’d be smart to keep up the Red, White and Blue décor as France’s Bastille Day is only 2 weeks away and it rarely rains. Might as well maximize the decoration!
We ended the night around 3am – although the party momentum was definitely still going. This shindig certainly lived up to its hype.
The 5th of July was truly a Tanz-American celebration.
A small group of us then ventured to the Saba Saba market festival. Saba Saba is technically July 7th (Saba means seven in Kiswahili) but the festival lasts for about a week. If this festival had a theme, that theme would be chaos.
Here are a few observations from our fieldtrip to the fairgrounds:
- Budget-friendly entry fee. 2,000 TSH. About $1.75. Nice and low barrier to entry. This worked to enable all Tanzanians to attend b/c it was PACKED.
- Plastic things. While you could buy metal security doors, fresh juice, semi-groun coffee, handi-crafts, cell phones, etc. at this fair – the prevailing good of popularity was plastic. Plastic chairs. Plastic bins. Plastic trays. You name it, it’s in plastic and people were buying. The local Tanzanian brand, “Cello” would have had a big day on the Tanzanian stock market. That said, it’s not listed (only 14 stocks are), but should be due to sheer market presence. Tanzanians do not need to be convinced that plastic is their way to the future.
- Coffee. Tanzania makes great coffee. I usually don’t drink coffee – but I had some that comes from the Kilimanjaro region – which was great tasting and makes for easy marketing. Who doesn’t like Kilimanjaro?
- Herbs. Herbs were available for purchase to cure anything. There was the “avoid malaria” herb – not malarone, but who am I to judge. There were performance herbs and calmness herbs. There was also the HIV prevention herb. That was disheartening.
- Honey. There was a lot of it for sale; it was a funky color. No purchasing by this crew.
- African salad spoons. Kelly and I each bought a pair of matching African salad spoons – large wooden spoons w/ cool detail on the handle. I would say they are authentic and not “Afri-crap” spoons except that locals don’t really eat salads. However, they look classy in that Pier One / Pottery Barn Out-of-Africa theme way; works for me.
After investing our time in local culture, we went to the US Embassy for their 4th of July celebration. Mind you that the party hosted on July 4th was black-tie and invite only for staff and local government officials (our tax dollars hard at work) --- but they did let the crazy American public inside the embassy gates for some fabricated fun for July 5th.
Kelly, Sarah, Me, and Chrissy with an oddly placed replica of New York's tallest Lady
The embassy is a huge complex – its sand-colored buildings contrast nicely with the palm trees and green grass – it’s a nice place. They served burgers, fries and popcorn – featuring fireworks just after dusk. It was sorta strange to look around knowing that everyone had to show a US passport to enter – but it also reminds you that there is a thriving ex-pat community here, albeit small. Fireworks finally felt festive – and I respect the fact that they had the appropriate Bruce Springsteen / Neil Diamond / God Bless America soundtrack to really drive home the patriotism.
After the fun, we returned to the realities of Dar, trying to get taxis to come pick us up – “Yes, come to Embassy Merikani” – and negotiate the price on how to get home.
It was a memorable 5th of July to say the least. :)
Namibia - You Dont Know What to Expect But It Far Exceeded Expectations
A good question to start with was: why Namibia? After 5 days traveling around only a fraction of the very large country, I would definitely recommend it.
I had a chance to travel w/ friends from school: Esther, Alice and Seth. That trio was already headed to a conference in Cape Town and opted for some traveling beforehand. We decided to travel where none of us had visited previously but still in southern Africa, hence Namibia.
Starting in Windhoek, there were a few surprises:
- The city looks like an odd German suburb
- Streets have some pretty great names, particularly when Robert Mugabe Road intersects with Fidel Castro road. Not kidding.
- The roads are in amazing shape
Welcome to Namibia!
This was supposed to happen - except the boat captain didn't really tell us that seals just climb on board!
Walvis Bay! True love at first hug
I have never seen Esther Hsu happier. Her trip goal of hugging a seal was accomplished -- the excursion far exceeded the low bar of fun the rest of us had set for this boat ride. :)
Alice & Esther taking in the ocean view
An 11am champagne toast to seals and dolphins everywhere
Nice splash of color
Leaving a lasting impression on the walls of Walvis Bay
4x4 Driving in Sand Dunes was an aggressive afternoon contrast to our relaxing morning boat ride
Sand dune silhouettes
The dunes at sunset :)
Seth and I gave sandboarding a try. You lie face-first on a piece of malleable cardboard and shoot yourself down a huge dune. I might have under-sold it in that description, but it was pretty fun. The internet isn't strong enough here for me to upload and share the video proof of dune dashing amusement.
The Expeditionary Quartet
Well, look at that!
A standard pose for Seth
Solitaire, Namibia is exactly as it sounds. And, even there, the news of MJ spread.
Solitaire, Namibia is also home to Moose. He makes amazingly delicious apple-cake and other baked goods that offered a rewarding mid-day snack. I left a piece of my heart with Moose; he's quite the cosmopolitan Namibian despite his geographic location.
Entrance to Sossusvlei dunes via Sesriem at dawn
Very early morning smiles before entering the dunes!
The vista of Sossusvlei
Esther at the vlei
Not quite a beach, but it'll do
Sossusvlei
We took a 4-seater plane to get the view from above!
The dunes of Sossusvlei
Sunset over Sesriem
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Chobe National Park, Botswana
Travels to Zimbabwe started with a boat cruise down the Zambezi where Zimbabwe was on one side and Zambia on the other. We spent the next day touring Chobe National Park in Botswana (just an hour's drive away!) before going to view the amazing Victoria Falls.
Welcome to Zimbabwe dance :)
I dont think I was using zoom - we got that close from the boat cruise!
Crossing the border to Botswana for a day safari in Chobe National Park.
Open mouth helps to monitor body temperature - and looks intimidating
Hungry, hungry hippos!
Looking stealth
Beautiful morning with Namibia just on the other side of the Botswana border.
This is how giraffes bend down to drink water, possibly stretch, and do yoga.
Frolicking giraffes!
We applauded our driver for illegally entering the field so that we could have this awesome view of a lioness with 2 sleeping males and a cub nearby. Wow!
:)
Other great findings from time in Victoria Falls and in Botswana include:
- Sunset cruises down the Zambezi are a great way to see some crocodiles and elephants - where gin & tonics make it even better.
- Warthog meat is absolutely delicious. Don't think of Lion King's Pumba, think delicious.
- Kudu is like deer - but also tasty.
- Sitting in the back seat of an open safari car has a great view but high chance of bouncing out.
- African planes do NOT take off on time at all. Not worried about taking off on time. Couldn't be bothered to attempt to take off on time. However, the flight food is surprisingly good.
- South African cheap wine tastes better the closer you get to South Africa.
- It is COLD COLD COLD --- I wore a fleece on safari! Winter in Africa is possible.
- "Overlanders" represent the backpacking culture that drives up from South Africa or in from Australia. These people are nuts and fun.
- After 5 weeks of Tanzania food fare, an omlette at our great hotel in Zimbabwe has never tasted so good.
- I didnt know Michael Jackson died until 2 days after his passing. It saved me 2 days of non-stop news coverage for a global goodbye.
- Botswana is beautiful and I want to return to spend more time there.
On our last morning there, we headed to see the infamous Victoria Falls. Lauded as the only natural wonder of the world that remains among the recent "Wonders of the World" global recount -- this place is gorgeous, amazing, huge, and hard to miss.
While Livingston the explorer earned due credit for "discovering the falls", it would be hard to miss the sheer sound of water falling so far away.
The mist became rain and we got soaked -- but it was still beautiful!
You can see the mists rising above this for miles
This would be quite a surprise if you happened to be white water rafting.
Bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe with a rainbow
Old school travel at the Vic Falls train station
Small but flashy Vic Falls airport
Welcome to Zimbabwe dance :)
I dont think I was using zoom - we got that close from the boat cruise!
Crossing the border to Botswana for a day safari in Chobe National Park.
Open mouth helps to monitor body temperature - and looks intimidating
Hungry, hungry hippos!
Looking stealth
Beautiful morning with Namibia just on the other side of the Botswana border.
This is how giraffes bend down to drink water, possibly stretch, and do yoga.
Frolicking giraffes!
We applauded our driver for illegally entering the field so that we could have this awesome view of a lioness with 2 sleeping males and a cub nearby. Wow!
:)
Other great findings from time in Victoria Falls and in Botswana include:
- Sunset cruises down the Zambezi are a great way to see some crocodiles and elephants - where gin & tonics make it even better.
- Warthog meat is absolutely delicious. Don't think of Lion King's Pumba, think delicious.
- Kudu is like deer - but also tasty.
- Sitting in the back seat of an open safari car has a great view but high chance of bouncing out.
- African planes do NOT take off on time at all. Not worried about taking off on time. Couldn't be bothered to attempt to take off on time. However, the flight food is surprisingly good.
- South African cheap wine tastes better the closer you get to South Africa.
- It is COLD COLD COLD --- I wore a fleece on safari! Winter in Africa is possible.
- "Overlanders" represent the backpacking culture that drives up from South Africa or in from Australia. These people are nuts and fun.
- After 5 weeks of Tanzania food fare, an omlette at our great hotel in Zimbabwe has never tasted so good.
- I didnt know Michael Jackson died until 2 days after his passing. It saved me 2 days of non-stop news coverage for a global goodbye.
- Botswana is beautiful and I want to return to spend more time there.
On our last morning there, we headed to see the infamous Victoria Falls. Lauded as the only natural wonder of the world that remains among the recent "Wonders of the World" global recount -- this place is gorgeous, amazing, huge, and hard to miss.
While Livingston the explorer earned due credit for "discovering the falls", it would be hard to miss the sheer sound of water falling so far away.
The mist became rain and we got soaked -- but it was still beautiful!
You can see the mists rising above this for miles
This would be quite a surprise if you happened to be white water rafting.
Bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe with a rainbow
Old school travel at the Vic Falls train station
Small but flashy Vic Falls airport
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