Quick note about work… I can't believe I only have two weeks left! I have made the first draft of the
strategy and am waiting on feedback and also working to put it in to more of an
Activities work plan. I should have
more to report next week, as we will again be visiting companies here locally for industry link opportunities and feedback to form an advisory committee which will meet just before I head out. If time permits, I have also been
asked to assist in writing the strategy for a different project that is focused
on employability as well but in the Secondary schools (before
employment/vocational/college). Will
write more on that later!!
**Proud moment this week… I called a Bajaj (aka tuk tuk, aka
the main means of transport around here) all by myself TWICE (shout-out to my
lovely friends Zara and Kayley for the coaching on what to say) and successfully
made it to my destinations. :)
With mostly work related posts lately, I wanted to take a
moment share some facts and interesting things that I’ve either observed or learned
in my time here in no particular order:
- Tanzanians are very friendly and welcoming, they smile from ear to ear, greet everyone and use a multitude of these greetings at one time (in Kiswahili of course). One of the most common greetings said to tourists is “Mambo”, with the common response ”Poa”, which means roughly “Cool”- this is my favorite Swahili word, because its normal to have favorite words in other languages right?
- I speak American English, well Texan actually… Of course I knew this before arriving but when you’re the only one who speaks it, you stick out! I have met people from many different places, locals of course… then also the UK, Finland, Scotland, Australia, Portugal, Canada, and the Netherlands and am sure to come home with a new vocabulary. I have to work to convert my brain to the metric system, think before I speak the word “soccer” and don’t dare say football and mean the pigskin, and tune in closely to conversations much more than usual. However, I have successfully taught my Tanzanian manager to say “gotcha” and have slowly introduced “y’all” in random conversation.
- Upon arrival in Dar Es Salaam, at night and alone in a taxi, I saw many groups gathered at corners on motorbikes and in my exhausted and anxious state I thought them to be some sort of motorcycle gangs. In the light of day and after living here a while, I came to realize that these motorbikes are called “Boda boda” or a motorcycle taxi that many people use as transport to and from town/work/etc., so what I was seeing was actually Tanzania’s version of a taxi stand. Ha! Silly Mzungu! (the common Swahili term for someone with white skin) Pic to come soon
- The big dipper is upside down! And the rest of the constellations… don’t laugh, I was very amused.
- Oranges are not orange…
- Cheese and bacon are a delicacy and tough to get around town…
- A WHOLE lot can be carried by bicycle, there are literally whole shops, it is mind boggling
- Only tourists say Hakuna Matata- curses Lion King making me think I knew something!… more widely used by locals is Hamna shida which essentially also means no worries or no problem.
- My little Coleman lantern (thanks Dad!) lights up an entire room and power cuts don’t really phase me anymore (unless they are in the middle of the night because I am a kid and afraid of the dark)… but I still always remind myself to look up, the stars are beautiful when there is no light.
- There are NOT lions, elephants, and giraffes freely about, sadly. Of course I am on the coast and in the south so there ARE freely roaming goats, chickens, and cows a plenty! *Must go back to Africa for actual safari in future my time is slowly slipping away here!*
- I’m notably a light sleeper, though I have gotten used to some sounds…crying goats (disturbingly sound like crying children), mooing cows, church bells at the nearby convent at 6 AM, the call to prayer from the Mosque at 4:30 AM.
- However, this does NOT include my little winged two legged alarm clock – Roosters (Cockles for you non-American English folk) do sound off in the morning, the one outside my house at 6:30 AM every day.
I think that’s it… for now- here are some photos for you!
Sign outside of VETA
Me walking home from work via the beach
An orange?
