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!