Things Long Forgotten

Things I forgot about…

• People who cut grass with lawn mowers instead of machetes
• Pumping your own gas at gas stations
• The amazing-ness of washing machines
• Drinking water straight out of the tap
• Twilight (In Tanzania once the sun goes down it’s dark. Also, its strange going from 12 hours of daylight to 8.30 p.m. sunsets.)
• Right-side-up constellations
• Wazungu up the wazoo (Being surrounded by Caucasians)
• People who show up on-time to events
• How expensive phone plans are
• Reliable water and electricity
• Where things (especially food items) are stored around the house
• Empty sidewalks (In Tanzania everyone walks so sidewalks (and roadsides) are always populated.)
• Comfortable mattresses
• Orange oranges (In Tanzania these fruits are green so now orange ones just look sickly)
• White sugar (All Tanzanian sugar is off-white and large-crystaled.  I rather like it.)

This Is Not the End

Today is Departure Day. Today I make that plunge back in the the fast-pace, materialistic world that was once the only thing I knew.  Today marks the end of my time in Tanzania but not the end of the things I am learning nor the last time I will see this land.

Though I have had my hardships, I have enjoyed my year in Tanzania.  I have learned so many things being in a different culture.  Traveling is a great way to learn about new people and places, but to really understand others you have to be immersed in their culture.  I am by no means an expert in anything Tanzanian, but I now have a greater understanding of other people and cultures.  I think the most important things I’ve learned are not things specifically about Tanzania but the things you learn when you are in a different culture: not understanding what is happening, feeling excluded, and being uncomfortable.  Perhaps it would be good for all of us to experience these things once in our lifetimes.  Maybe then we could understand each other better and respect all of humanity. 

There are many things I love about Tanzania that I will miss: the people I’ve met, the landscapes, the sunsets, the marketplace, phone plans, the mountain and many more things.  Of course there are also things that I won’t miss (being stared at, the tendency of things to break, being charged the mzungu price) but these things are generally out weighed.  All in all, I’m grateful for this experience (even the bad parts).

Even though I’m traveling back to America today, this is not the end.  Keep coming back for tales of re-assimilation until I tell you ‘This is the End’.

MYRT 13

The traveling salesman is a ubiquitous sight in any urban area.  Some carry large boards on their backs with all kinds of odd things like hair brushes and sun glasses hooked on.  Others carry sombrero-shaped baskets with peanuts and cigarettes.  There are even traveling salesmen selling blenders and Tupperware.  I believe it would be possible to do all your shopping from your car if you were so inclined.  Whether its fruit, clothing, phone credits or movies, there is someone out there willing to bring the good to you.  I rather like this style of marketing goods and I will miss it.

MYRT 12

There are two main types of outlets here in Tanzania, both different than those in America.  The most common is the rectangular three-prong.  This is the one you find everywhere.  Interestingly, the outlet sticks out of the wall a few centimeters. 

The Classic Outlet

The second type, the double round-prong, is less common. It is interesting to note that all outlets come with an on/off switch. 

The Double Round-prong Outlet

And lastly there is this enigma outlet that I have only ever seen in our house.  Its nearly like an American outlet but upside down and the matching holes go in the wrong direction.  I’m not sure why we have these in our house because nothing plugs into them and they are found nowhere else.  Oddly enough, this one is the most common in our house which is a mystery I haven’t figured out yet. 

In addition to having different outlet shapes, Tanzania’s power is at about twice the voltage of the States.

MYRT 11

Tanzania uses the metric system, which is amazing.  Though in the beginning it took a while to know what 15km or 25°C really means, I have adapted to this system.  I have always been fond of the metric system and I am not looking forward to dealing in inches and miles again.  Honestly, why should there ever be 5280 feet in a mile? And why should anything smaller than an inch be measured in absurd fractions like ¾ or ⅞ of an inch? And someone please explain to me why the freezing point of water should be 32°F.  Who comes up with this stuff?  People intent on baffling young schoolchildren, I suppose.  Units in base-10 and no fractions are much more logical and easier to deal with.  So if you ever ask me how far it is to Timbuktu or the temperature in Dallas, Texas don’t be surprised if I give you a metric answer. 

Say What?

There are certain words or phrases that different groups of people say.  For example, in Minnesota we are known for saying “ya, you betcha”.  Here are some local Tanzanian colloquialisms that we have heard a lot this year.

• “Its kind of…”
• “Of course”
• Somewhat
• “I say!”
• The word ‘boring’ meaning ‘annoying’
• The word ‘saloon’ where ‘salon’ should be
• The repetition of words like ‘small-small’ and ‘what-what’
• “To your side”
• “How do you see it?”
• “Brilliant!”

Houses and Homes

The typical Tanzanian house is very different from that of an average American’s.  Of course, there are many different types and styles of houses here, as anywhere, but for this article I’m going to take on a tour of a stereotypical upper-middle-class Tanzanian home. 

Houses are built of cinderblocks and cement and are not insulated or heated.  Windows are often covered by steel bars and may or may not have screens.  The typical floor-layout, which shows up over and over, is of a central hallway with rooms off to either side.  A surprisingly large percentage of the rooms in Tanzania are perfectly square.  Carpet is non-existent and floors are often left bare or covered in fake plastic tiling.  When someone is home, doors are often left open.

If you are welcomed into a Tanzanian home, you will be first taken into the living room.  Every Tanzanian living room I’ve been in has a matching couch, loveseat, and one or two chairs.  These furniture sets are always matching and are usually of a pattern that reminds one of the 70s.  The cushions are always overstuffed and feel more like rocks than cushions.  Matching lace doilies are often spread over the backs of the chairs and couches.  Coffee-tables and table-ends are also common and usually very wobbly.  If the family is prospering financially, you may see televisions, DVD players and other electronics.  If there is a television, it is undoubtedly on.  Even if a family has friends over to talk, the TV will still be on in the corner and the Tanzanians will watch it from time to time during the conversation.  Another different thing is that you can usually find a refrigerator in the living room that may contain a few drinks and other things. 

Walls are often painted a pastel yellow, blue, green or off-white.  Sometimes, the bottom few feet are painted a different colour.  Tanzanians don’t decorate their walls with art the way Americans do.  Paintings are very rare, though posters are sometimes found.  If anything, there will be a picture or two of a family member.  The strangest thing is that any picture that is hung on the wall is hung at the very top near the ceiling instead of at eye level. 

Tanzanians don’t show off their houses by leading guests on tours of all the rooms like Americans do.  Once you leave the living room, any decorations or other things immediately disappear. 

The kitchen is often scarce of things.  Most Tanzanians cook outside on charcoal stoves. Dinning rooms often have a sink for washing hands before a meal, a table with chairs and a cabinet with plates and silverware. 

A Tanzanian bathroom is often small.  It probably won’t have a sit-down toilet but only a porcelain hole in the floor.  Showers are rarely separated from the rest of the bathroom and may be just a showerhead attached to one of the walls with a drain below it.  More often, there will just be a drain and a bucket of water.  Very rarely will you see a mirror.

Bedrooms are often plain and simple with just a bed and maybe a shelving-unit for clothes. 

In many ways our house here is very un-Tanzanian.  We have a shower with a tub, a sitting toilet, closets, a cooker, paintings and other things.  And it’s not just what we’ve added that’s different.  Even the lay-out of the house is and the fact that we have panel siding on the outside is different. 

MYRT 10

Not only is what people write with different here, but also what they use to write on.  When I first arrived in Tanzania I found all the paper looked strange.  The standard piece of paper here is slightly longer (11.69 inches) and skinnier (8.27 inches) than one you would find in the States.  The other day when I picked up a piece of US standard size paper, it seemed short and fat.  Notebooks are also different.  You won’t find any spiral-bound notebooks, only hardcover book-style-bound ones.  These, in addition to being long and skinny, are thicker than the average American notebook.  ‘Exercise books’ are also common here.  They are fairly thin, shorter than an American piece of paper, and bound by a staple or piece of thread through the middle. 

MYRT 9

In the States, pencils are the common writing utensil of any grade-schooler.  Here it is pens.  Tanzanians are very particular about their pens.  Many teachers require that assignments and homework be done in black or blue pen (though diagrams are often required to be in pencil). This is just the opposite from the States where some teachers (especially math teachers) will tell you to write in pencil.  Tanzanians are also very careful about writing in a straight line.  If they are given unlined paper they immediately use a ruler or other straight-edge to scribe a vertical line on the left edge and spaced horizontal lines across the entire sheet of paper.  Also, Tanzanian hand-writing is uncommonly generic.  Though there are person-to-person variations, the majority of Tanzanians’ writings are all of the same ‘font’. There also seems to be many less left-hander's in Tanzania.

MYRT 8

Anyone who has been around children in a particular stage of language development knows that it is important to be careful with what you say. They will likely parrot it back to you without the slightest hesitation or knowledge of what they are saying. Sometimes college students similarly catch things that professors say and parrot it back with much glee. So I was reminded with the expression ‘Okey dokey’. I rarely use this expression, but all it took was one time and it stuck. Now my students here are ‘okey dokeying’ all kinds of things. I’ve tried to convince them that only ‘nerds’ use this expression, but then I had to define the word nerd. You try to define nerd; even harder in a different culture. None of this has deterred them from responding enthusiastically ‘Okey dokey!’ with a Tanzanian accent.

Cj

Making a Difference

This week we have a guest columnist with a story he would like to share with you. David Leonard Kabambo is currently a student at the College of African Wildlife Management but has previously worked extensively with children in need across Tanzania.

Nasra’s Wheel Chair

By David Leonard Kabambo

Article 23 of the Conventional on the Rights of a Child (CRC) states, “parties recognize that a mentally or physically disabled child should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions that ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community.”

Every child has the right to grow up in a family environment where they are respected and have a chance to flourish. This doesn’t happen for all children.

Children, especially those with a disability, need moral support from the community and families. No one wants to be born with disability but it is not a choice we have to make. To discriminate against a child with a disability affects him/her psychologically. For those who are studying, this may cause them to drop out of school. Forms of discrimination against children with disabilities in school, continues to be a serious and pervasive social problem not just within the school but also in the community.

While I was training and learning about child protection and behavioral change at Kiberege Ward (a primary school in Tanzania), I saw a child wearing a school uniform crawling like a young baby who can’t yet walk. I was intrigued by this behavior and eager to get a chance to talk to her.

I soon got that chance. Her name is Nasra John Masanja. “I’m 11 years old, studying standard three at Kiberege Primary School. I was born with a physical disability. My leg has a problem so I can’t walk; I must crawl. My mother supports me by carrying me to and from school, but it is hard for her and sometimes she is late to pick me up. Sometimes I ask assistance from my fellow pupils to carry me home some pupils but some are mean when they see me crawling,” she told me.

After hearing her story I decided to find her mother. Majuma, her mother, explained to me, “Nasra was born at St. Francis Hospital in 1998 with a physical disability. The doctor tried to solve the problem, but failed because the bone of leg was so weak. My husband, after he saw her, complained, saying it was a bad omen and that the child would never be able help with anything at home.”

Majuma said she needed the assistance of a wheel chair in order to get Nasra to and from school. Carrying a child is hard work especially as the child grows and gains weight. While she could carry Nasra at the time, she though soon she would no longer be able to carry her daughter.

I was inspired by Nasra’s story and wanted to do something to help. I decided to help her get a wheel chair and I started to raise money. Nasra was astonished and very happy when I told her what I wanted to do. She broke into tears at the news; it was a dream comes true, from darkness into light, a sign of love, devotion and support extended by Tanzania Child and Youth Hope (a non-profit organization) to improve her life. I worked together with Tanzania Child and Youth Hope and after three months I finally had enough to purchase a wheel chair for Nasra.

When she received the wheel chair, Nasra started crying and said, “Oh My God! I wasn’t expecting in my life that one day I would have a wheel chair. I thank you and all those who contributed to getting the wheel chair. You all have such good hearts. The wheel chair will be a big help when it comes to getting around.”

I had another talk with Nasra’s mother. She was very moved by the help extended to her daughter, and wanted to say, “I’m so happy my daughter got a wheel chair. I have been experiencing such a hard time carrying her to and from school daily. Having a wheel chair will keep my daughter from being effected by as many air-borne and water-transmitted diseases that you are exposed to when you crawl. With this kind of environment, it is hard to avoid taking in dust and being contaminated with various germs. I thank Tanzania Child and Youth Hope for supporting my daughter with a wheel chair.”

I want to give another bunch of thanks to the head teacher of Signal Primary School, the place where Nasra is schooling, and to Tanzania Child and Youth Hope for extending so much help and support to Nasra. I also want to personally thank anyone who contributed money to purchase the wheel chair for Nasra, for the ‘move’ and in general, and for standing up for children’s rights.

Nasra is a one among many children living with disabilities in Tanzania. Most of the children like Nasra resemble her in their life stories and experiences.  My wish is that we can work together give these children the help and support they need to live full lives. May we join hands in empowering children and make them realize their full potentials by realizing children’s rights and protect them.

Since 1991 the government has made much progress towards promoting and protecting the rights of children with disabilities. The government, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have worked hard to improve the situation. However the government still has a long way to go toward fulfilling child rights. There are many children like Nasra that still need our help.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR CHILDREN

MYRT 7

One banana, two banana, red banana, black banana. So many varieties of bananas! They are cheap and are often eaten as a main meal, or as desert. You eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They even grow in my backyard, which means I can eat them without my ecological conscious revving up over the fossil fuel used to transport them to Minnesota. They come in many sizes. My favorites are the little ones and the red ones.

CJ

MYRT 6

Coming from Minnesota where the land is frozen most of the year and the growing season short, having fresh fruit and vegetables is a treat that comes only for a few months each year.  Here in Tanzania, fresh fruit and veggies are always in stock.  Depending on the season you can get fresh plums, watermelon, pineapple, oranges, avocadoes, grapes, passion fruit and more.  In addition to the seasonal fruits, other things like cucumbers, tomatoes, greens and bananas can always be bought fresh at the market.  These foods aren’t just fresh, they are delicious too.  Luckily, we are returning to the States in time for the first early-season harvests.  However, going back to fruit shipped thousands of miles next fall will be a hard switch.

MYRT 5

Cufflinks, those little fasteners that men wear to close their dress shirt cuffs. Maybe I’ve hung around the wrong crowds or just haven’t been observant, but in the US these nifty little ‘do-dads’ seem to have gone out of fashion. Does anyone still use them in the States? Here on the other hand they are ubiquitous! They add that extra touch to a suit that imparts a personalized, distinguished, stylish and even regal look.

Likewise dresses for women are much more common here than in the US. In the US professional attire for women is largely skirts or slacks and dresses are generally reserved for weddings or more formal affairs. Here women wear dresses and skirts and rarely slacks. The dresses and skirts are usually hand made out of beautiful African print fabrics that are color coordinated and often embroidered. Most are individually tailor-made and so fit perfectly. The end results are unique, stylish and very attractive.

CJ

MYRT 4

There is no such thing as a bad sunset in Tanzania.  No matter the conditions, there will always be an amazing sunset.  In the evenings, before the sun disappears, the light is so wonderfully golden in a way no other country can imagine.  The landscape is bathed in rich colours of mahogany, saffron and purple slate.  The sky ranges from vivid red to pastel purple to the deep blue-black of night.  Even on cloudy days the sun breaks through at the last moments to provide a beautiful show against the carnival-coloured clouds.  The sunsets happen quickly but every moment is worth catching. We used to be amazed by the pinks and oranges but now we simply take these sights for granted.