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.