17th of December 2008

After a quick ba-ga-gi ride, something that is second nature to me now, we arrive to spend the day at one of the most prominent resorts around, okay I didn't sleep there or get a gourmet buffet i paid an entry price to use their pools and access the picturesque beach front with palm trees, coconut trees, golden sand... So this is how the other half lives aye, preferring to avoid the squalor of the streets, it is luxurious, the pool and beach are amazing with a capital A! I apply sun block and apply sunblock and, you get the picture, I do it everyday. We see so many tourists and so many prostitutes, how can you tell? trust me you can. I begin to wonder what some of these tourist get out of staying at such a luxurious location in Africa, what is their experience and perception of the place, I wouldn't complain living here, but it seems like they are some how cheating themselves. My Mum came back from an all expenses paid trip to Fiji staying in a luxury resort, she was shocked at such an experience living it up while others suffer, not her idea of a holiday, i think I have her genes, other friends have made the same comment, yet these people don't seem perturbed and for the day I'll happily join them. Relaxing and actually enjoying the heat, the old lie on your back floating in the pool and sea trick, eyes closed, always a winner..

I have to relate to you something that happen to me that was unexpected but so funny at the same time, I'm walking along the beach under the coconut trees talking to a friend when i felt a massive thud, followed by one of worst dead arms Ive had, I looked around thinking someone had hit me or thrown something at me, actually a medium sized coconut had fallen from one of the trees catching my arm in the process, lucky it wasn't my head.. haha what was that all about.. random, from that height it hurts, alot!

Back to the resort, we chilled all day, swam, ate, chatted, they had a live band, we got involved with the salsa action, a rather large African woman was my dance partner, she was energetic and quite the dancer I was laughing the whole time. then the resort produced some acrobats who flipped through skipping ropes, juggled things, balanced chairs on their noses, freakishly unbelievable antics like that. Acrobats would have to practice alot you cant just learn that sort of thing over night. We were then introduced to 'chiwawa' the baboon, he was dressed in shorts complete with a tail hole and commanded by his trainer who held him on a chain to do all sorts of tricks, I found the whole thing cruel, monkeys are clever creatures, but animals don't deserve such treatment. The day finished with a tired trip home, you don't realise just how much energy you exert when your enjoying yourself.

12-16th of December 2008

I never thought that I would get the chance to see Uganda or Kenya when I was planning this trip, but such is the way things go, I would have been satisfied to have taken in all the wonders of Tanzania, but now my hunger is increasing with more opportunity. We have planned a comprehensive trip of the 'pearl of Africa' (Uganda) comprehensive in that we have a number of spots that each of us wants to see and the rest is up to the wind... our trip has scheduled stops in Kenya, we are going to thoroughly take in the sights of east Africa. I love road trips, they are uncertain, promise so much, especially this one.. us three amigos Lawrence, Jim and myself have become good friends within the last month, we are tight and have been through a lot, we share dinners, discussions, drinks, outings and the daily complaints and philosophies of life, we have a regular spot where we meet after our various days for food and the odd beer or two. 'juhudi' it has become one of the centres of my daily routines and is iconic to my experience in Dar at least for almost a month now.. It feels like we are about to begin an adventure akin to 'on the road' by Jack Kerouac there is that kind of optimism and adventurous will about us our trek across East Africa! It is unlike the tourist treks that travel these parts often, ours is set to be unique but similar in a way, we do have our own local guide the bold, big thinking Lawrence, he never leaves a stone unturned and me and Jim are foreigners so in that sense we are 'tourists' but talking at length we want a more full African experience out of it all, Christmas and New years like never before.... an ever lasting adventure, these kind of trips can drain you, but they are always intoxicatingly addictive. reminds me of my non-stop adventures across the U.S of A excitement to excitement, wonder to wonder, hell I gotta stop counting my chickens, I get carried away.

Plans falling into place, school term is winding down ,my duties and loose ends are being tied, we get visas from the grand High Commission of Uganda, bus tickets from the busy and once again chaotic bus station. Trips to Internet cafes, topping up my phone to contact the principle of my next school, using Internet from friends air conditioned work places after school, sometimes dabbling with the library facilities keeping that constant stream of contact strong. Enjoying classic moments each and every day with kids of all ages in my differing roles, talking at length, joking at length with all teachers listening and picking up as much insight and information as I can from everyone no matter who, each person a new experience and like a blink the wonder turns to memory, others are fixed for longer, the giving and friendly acceptance of one who was once a complete stranger. The next school principle is super excited, can't wait to meet me, a change of scene is promised and organised. Mt Kilimanjaro also looms after the 'Ugandan odyssey' a weeks climb through multiple levels of differing terrain, from rain forest, to snow capped peaks, ahhhh the table top of Africa, made more affordable by making sure it is under the guise of a school trip. The next principle mentions the possibility of safari trips, did someone say that luck is on my side, I think so! Aiesec is organising a conference on Zanzibar before I leave so that will be my big finale to this whole thing, still a way off, I wonder what kind of shock it would be to hit real life again in New Zealand and back to school? I focus back on the imminent future and the possibilities, traveling Africa has never been so real.

11th of December 2008

It is far too hot here, temperatures soar, for instance yesterday it reached 37 degree Celsius and being humid there is literally no escape. The heat makes me so tired even with sufficient sleep, it is draining and when you are biking and playing sport during the day you are truly knackered at the end of it all. If you do go for a swim, take a shower or sit 2cm away from a fan, when you hop out of the pool or leave the comfort of the fan, straight away it is a snap back to reality, sleeping at night can be impossible. Picture this, cramped in a tiny net, night after night, not being able to stretch out, in an indescribable heat, sweating like mad being occasionally bitten and itchy and hearing the bain of Tanzania buzzing round you all night, some how they manage to find a chink in the amour of your net, im sure it will be the death of me, or drive me mad. I could imagine that hell would be being but naked, no money, in the middle of Dar during the day without shade, at this time of year, no water or food and being kept alive for eternity...

For all its hardships and shocks there are so many beautiful things aswell like the culture.. The music of Tanzania stretches over a wide variety from traditional music and dance to the distinctive African style of Hip-hop which sounds cooler than the American gangster rap as it is mostly in Swahili, sounds authentic and more intriguing. African rumba and Reggae are also very popular genres and are played loudly everywhere it makes for an African atmosphere, just in case you need the reminder. I often get my head bopping or getting a shoulder grove going, it makes you wanna dance even when your tired. Western music does pervade their culture somewhat but obscure artists have taken off like Dolly Parton and Jim Reeves.... I don't quite know how these caught on? The local art is something remarkable, jewelers, carpenters and all sorts of craftsmen take immense pride in their work taking their sweet, laid back time to produce beautiful pieces. Walk by the craft market you see an array of African paintings produced with enamel paints on canvas. Animals, landscapes and flowers in colourful erratic, sometimes repetitive designs, sculptures that have been given the tender love of a skilled hand look exactly like a pouncing lion or a proud rhino, the ebony sculptures are the most impressive.. when you walk by these markets the craftsmen are desperate to give their work a good, if they can, expensive home, bargaining is essential, made easier by the fact that there are so many, uniquely though there seems to be a widely accepted white man price that they wont go below, this is infinitely higher than what a local would pay as my friends have proven, it is like a social experiment, send the white guy see what the say, then send the local see them change tune. It is a great day out to see these guys hard at work with metal, wood all sorts of material, creating, in amongst blaring, beautiful music, if you pass the markets constantly you can see work develop, sculptures take shape it really is a sight.. But they just try so, so hard to sell you anything, even when I'm clearly not interested i have persistent followers "hey, my friend, Welcome!", "do you like", "how are you brother" they get an A for effort that's for sure. the woman make attractive jewelry in all sorts of African styles and their cloth work is special.. lots of these types of shops are present in my area so it is cool just to tour and look around.

Another side of the Tanzanian culture is the presence of tribes like the Masai, the Masai are present everywhere in their distinctive dress, they carry knives and large sticks, the police don't usually mess with the Masai as this tribe tends to help enforce the law, it is an uncommon unusual combination, some of the more well known warriors patrol the neighbourhoods at night keeping watch, they have whistles for attention and can produce a gang from nowhere to chase thieves or offender and the retribution is violent, Masai dont usually commit crime as the a re said to have a higher ethical code, but they are intimidating seen around in their gangs and i dont really have much of a chance of communication as they dont bother with English. I have tried to talk to many of them, it is funny they give you an look and then ask for a soda or spare change.. I learnt not to try after a while...

10th of December 2008

A day of rest!!!! The events of last night still fresh in my mind I decided to take the day off, I rang the school explaining my situation, Mrs Huckstuble understood completely, I wanted to think about where exactly I am at and just relax a while in the comfort of the colonial abode. I have been used to bathing from a bucket of late, every morning we fetch a bucket full of water from the local well to shower in, this has to be done due to the lack of water, the well is owned by our landlord and is strictly for private use so we are lucky to get access, however whilst staying at Mrs Jennifer's I get a shower from her reserve tanks which again has helped me today no-end.

I have put yesterday behind me and am moving on with an ever more cautious step, I have been invited by some local friends to take part in a rugby training with a local club. I never thought I would get a chance to play rugby in Tanzania so i am really excited, actually its amazing that i get the chance as there are only 3 teams in the whole of Tanzania and I managed to make friends with members of one of them, what are the chances..? The team was a mixed bunch of ex patriot white guys with some younger locals around my age, we basically just played touch the whole afternoon as I'm told this is their off season, but it was fun to have a run around and show off some of New Zealand's prowess on the rugby (touch) field, although it is tough work in heats up over 35 degrees. Mention your a kiwi that plays rugby in this crew and you have instant friends, they passionately love it and watch all the matches, I am impressed at how gutted they all were that the French beat us in the quarters last World Cup, "it was a forward pass" they all yell, haha good stuff, they love the All Blacks. One of the guys there actually played for the Ugandan national team that recently won the African cup, (that is Africa excluding South Africa) he was interesting to talk to, the pool of players in Uganda is only about 200 he said, only 200, wow I thought, that isn't even Taradale Rugby Club. I met another kiwi there who works at one of the more wealthier schools in the area, he also teaches rugby and is trying to establish a school league I said I would attempt, before I leave, to put things in place at D.I.S hopefully i can get this to happen it would be sweet to see results. I am also helping to organise a trip for the school in late January up Mount Kilimanjaro, this will be a great experience for the students and me, it seems to be coming together nicely, fingers crossed, i really want to climb this magnificent mountain, it is 5897 metres tall so it dwarfs alot of even New Zealand's mountains surprisingly, however it is meant to be both an amazing and quite achievable experience. For Christmas it looks like I'll be spending it in Uganda visiting the rain forests, jungles, mountains, lakes, national parks, the Gorillas and Chimps, Lawrence my good friend is going to take Jim and I to his house for Chrissy and wants to show us the beauty of his home at the same time, a free guide! I'm told there will be heaps of food...excellent(and it is meant to be beautiful)! So in between school trips, teaching, planning my own excursions and daily, sometimes dramatic life, I have a lot of planning to do!

9th of December 2008

Today was Tanzania's independence day, where bright uniformed soldiers marched in intricate formations around the countries national stadium watched by all the hierarchy past and present of Tanzanian society. It may be a day of celebration within the country but I have just had the most worry filled, dangerous of days since I started this epic and have come to realise that the sacred, precious values that we uphold in New Zealand and other more developed countries when it comes to human rights and the importance of life are not shared in this country. I have far too many examples of this in daily life but for me today broke the camels back. You ride, walk or drive along the road and you will see people suffering, whether it is a lack of medical care or a lack of a general understanding present in the common society. People drag themselves around with badly wounded limbs and sick children, same in serious mental and physical states not bothering to seek medical help or prevent the deterioration of their positions, they risk their lives daily in amongst traffic and confronting the elements without proper food and water. Woman will run in front of massive trucks narrowly escaping a grisly end, truck drivers, car drivers and bus drivers will not even hesitate to hit a vehicle or person in their path, give way rules do not apply! You think you have a right to the road, your wrong. Woman will pass their babies around in over crowded vehicles, seat belts are unheard of, standing in a speeding van that is more than driving recklessly is the norm, not eating showering or drinking in a beating sun, exposed to all sorts of diseases and insects, T.IA they say= this is Africa. For a week now Dar-es-Salaam has been without water, that means nothing no tap, shower etc, wells are drying also, those that cannot afford to buy water suffer I have seen many on the streets crowding round stagnant puddles filling buckets, rushing to burst street pipes and any filthy hollows that could contain any sign of this precious liquid, I cannot believe the lengths these people must go to... I have really only just began to mention their ever present struggles, struggles due to under developed infrastructure, legal systems including enforcement, political corruption and lack of properly directed policy initiatives, there are so many problems.

Mariam has been suffering from differing levels of malaria now for over a month, contracted by mosquito bites, it has finally culminated in her being very ill, she has been vomiting the whole day and night, so we took her to the hospital this very night. This reluctant attitude to seek medical help is common in Tanzania, people believe they can tough it out even when they are very wrong, this approach can often be deadly. Medical treatment is really cheap here especially for basics like malaria, yet still people cant afford the low prices. I joined Mariam in the hospital to get a few scary looking bites seen to by the doctor, some foreign bug had taken to me while i was asleep and my feet had reacted angrily, the doctor had no idea what the bites were but prescribed me some cream, which i would use, if i perceive no change I will definately consult others. The bites look like large Egyptian eyes. Jim has broken out in an aggressive full body rash, looks like over night he instantly got both chicken pocks and the measles, red spots everywhere, the doc thinks its heat rash, fingers crossed it isn't too bad cause i would hate to get the same thing. There is danger at every turn, you have to think twice about every single thing/place/situation, it scares me to death sometimes, you can never be too careful in tropical Africa. I have been bitten by mosquitoes now so often i can't count, it is unavoidable, they are everywhere but I have never fallen sick and take anti-malarial tablets everyday.

I have decided to give up the bike, it is far to dangerous to brave the roads and footpaths over here and every moment I hit the roads I immeadiately regret it, i found myself consciously praying that I would make my final destination, drivers are too crazy, way too crazy...

I decided that I wanted to stay at Mrs Jennifer's tonight after the worrying day, as I was traveling by taxi to the place we were involved in an accident, it was such a shock. My taxi was hit by a speeding land rover complete with bull bars, it spun our car around, completely munching, crumpling the front bonnet, the taxi driver was yelling what I believe were Swahili swear words and I was just thankful that this was a somewhat minor accident, I was safe, the land rover didn't stop, I walked the remaining kilometre shaken and stirred, I am okay but it is scary that such a thing could happen... friends, teachers and many others have been quite supportive....

8th of December 2008

Mr Kaombwe is the name of the teacher that I have been showing the rules of rugby to, he is a very respectful man and is eager to learn, Mr Kaombwe has been teaching now for pretty much his whole career so he is not new to the learning game and it helps that he likes the idea of rugby, he is geting the jist of touch and the ideas and principles of rugby but I am hesitant to even begin teachig him tackle in such a short time, they say a little knowledge can be dangerous.

Mr Kaombwe is of the muslim faith, as are a significant portion of Tanzanian residents, he is always telling me how much he wants me to get an authentic view of how the people here live, no complaints from my side "id love to" is always my response, he doesnt want me to go home with a tainted view of the people due to the city folk who, I agree dont always put Tanzania's best foot foward. He invited me to his home in 'mbagalaa' to celebrate the muslim holiday of Eid al-Hajj, in Tanzania 'Eid' is a public holiday, it is similar to Christmas day in terms of the focus on family, friends and church, it is a big deal. I must admit, I am quite nieve about the muslim religion but am always open to learn about new beliefs and cultures. Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world make the journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the annual pilgrimage (or Hajj). Dressed in the same simple white clothing to represent human equality, the pilgrims gather to perform rites dating back to the time of Abraham, the holiday is to celebrate the end of the pilgrimage and the start of the feasting period. When he told me about it, I was immeadiately interested and more than keen to spend the holiday with his family getting an incite into their relgious tradition and practice and humble everyday way of life.

Having never been to mbagalla Mr Kaombwe made the whole trip sound like a straight forward, short one, no worries, 'hakuna noma'. He said the bus ride would take less than an hour and directed me on how to catch a bus, Im always up for a challenge and a new adventure so I attempted to take the whole thing in my stride. The Bus station was a mad house of tooting, criss crossing cars and people, intially I had no idea of where to catch a bus and stood a while with a firm grip on my bag surveying the ensuing chaos. People here fight tooth and nail for a bus seat, no one wants to stand on a long, hot journey and being a holiday everyone is going somewhere. Bus collectors encourage the commotion, this is also an optimum time for thieves to take advantage aswell as crowded places hide the sly hands and amid the bustle a hand in a pocket can easily go unnoticed. There is however a rule on the streets here that if a thief is caught they are beaten by the surrounding people within an inch of their lives, sometimes further, I have heard of this alot, ordinary people surround the culparate and kick and punch him/her relentlessly, a cruel punishment for the often desparately poor thief> anyway I keep my eyes peeled. trying to find the right bus is a nightmare by itself, people jabbering Swahili names at me, inefficient signposting, I'm looking and listening for any sign of hope... a bus pulling in yells "MBAGALAA" along with alot of other names and Ive heard my signal, amidst the rush I end up safe and on a comfortable seat, I praise my upbringing surrounded by rugby, when the ruck hit i was ready, others especially woman and children aren't so lucky and miss the bus altogether, so much for common courtesy..
The journey begins, the water level in my bottle is diminishing as the sacred hour comes and goes, traffic jam, after traffic jam, shanty town after shanty town, are they shops houses, toilets? they all merge, the only white guy... again, no wealthy tourist to be seen here, only this cramped kiwi roughing it with the locals. the packed bus is a moving furnace producing sweat etc. all hope of me putting on my Sunday best and making a good impression disappears. we finally arrive after 2 hours to a bus station that is dare I say it crazier than before, it is just a flat patch of dirt worn down by many vehicles in the middle of arid surroundings, the only signs are those of gas companies that smell the sweet scent of profit... I patiently wait beside one of these signs which i figure to be an ample landmark and phone and text like a mad man, I feel sooooo vulnerable people are coming up to me trying to speak, making a spectacle of me, dodgey groups try their luck for ages laughing, in the full heat of the sun it becomes beyond a joke, this isn't exactly a tourist destination so I'm a big deal.. not such a good thing at all, i make it known that touching is not appreciated so much. A big sigh of relief after over an hour my name is called and Mr Kaombwe is smiling and gesturing for me to jump in his car... we take off, he asks how I found the trip, i said something like "good thanks", life goes on.

Mr Kaombwe has a nice village and a simple, beautiful home with everything a family could need his wife was all smiles, his son whom i have taught, energetic, daughter shy I was told to chill out, they served home made mango juice and a lovely traditional rice dish, we ate to the strange accompaniment of country music and talked randomly about what came to mind, they were very excited to have me and were spoiling me alot, the mango juice was to die for.. it made my day! they praised my open minded nature for actually coming to their lovely home as many had declined their offers, they really treated me like a foreign prince.. I was introduced to the whole extended family where we ate and drunk more, then we ate more, I was beginning to feel the way I do at the end of every 25th of dec.. it was an amazing foreign feast. I prayed with the fmily in the mosque for loved ones that had past, it reminded me of church back home. every member was loving the day and wanted photo's, hand shakes and my limited Swahili interaction, we talked freely with Kaombwe's interpretations and their views and happiness were extended, as was mine.. I was really lucky today, thankful to have met Mr Kaombwe and family who were truly very nice, welcoming people. Experiencing first hand the ways of another culture inside and out, it is more than any book could ever tell and more than i can ever relate on my blog though this attempt gives an idea, the goodbyes were heartfelt, we had shared a great day and i got home in one peace!

7th of December 2008

Let me tell you a little bit about the food here, Swahili cuisine is all about making the most of what you have, (which in Africa can sometimes be very little) and let me just say that the locals do a very good job of making tasty, filling dishes with what they have. Rice is eaten alot everything is with rice. rice, rice, rice, rice, rice. They have delicious spicy mixes like curries, beef and chicken type casseroles or soups, plenty of fish, some very particular rice dishes are made with lots of herbs and spice and served with a type of salsa, its good! They eat banana as a part of their savoury meals, I'm told that there are two differing types of banana, the ones us kiwi's know and import as fruit and the ones the Africans dont allow to ripen to use in stews and boil ups, some of the banana casseroles are very tasty but have off putting colours. They produce interesting maize mixes that are dipped in all types of colourful sauces, the maize mixes are interesting in colour and texture, they are very, very white, at first it looked odd to see delicious looking concoctions combined with a smattering of what looks like play dough, still it's very nice. Vegetables used commonly are okra, spinach, turnip and of course the usual like potatoes etc.. another interesting mix is potatoe chips or fries and eggs, a chip filled omelet, very filling, cheap and quite good. They have burger chains and subway over here, but i haven't been and don't intend to as they are exuberantly priced.

It is not uncommon to walk into a restaurant in Dar-es-Salaam to find that the place has no food, a restaurant with no food is like a lame racehorse, whats the point, so it can be a pain to find food at times and Murphy's law states that those are the times you most want it. Restaurants can be very cheap or very expensive depending on your preferred choice, beer and spirits are cheap, as I think they lack the large alcohol taxes that we have... eating houses are far from our house and are a very hot mission indeed especially if you are unsure whether there is going to be food or not. Locals eat lunch here at 2pm and eat dinner late, if at all. In New Zealand, My family has often dubbed me the waste disposal unit so you can imagine my dismay when I find that the food here isn't exactly flowing, and it is not eaten when I'm hungry!! then again, I'm always hungry! I am very lucky as I am provided lunch at school, and it is to a high standard, it gives me the great chance of sampling all sorts of food without the worry. Talk about worry, I am unsure of food standards over here, I pass butcheries and cringe at their displays, if local restaurants prepare that sort of thing, I don't want to think. In one Turkish restaurant Lawrence and I visited, we were greeted with a yellow glupe that contained three very hard brownish, black balls, it was like being on who dares wins.. haha.. I'm told I have to wait until Zanzibar to experience the sea-food in all its glory, cant wait!

We held a graduation party at our flat last night, enter the hoards, this time I was more receptive and got involved with the BBQ'd goat that we prepared and danced the night away to traditional African music. We went to a proper club this time, one full of African music in the 'bolingo' style that originated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The dancing involves ALOT of hip and bottom shaking.. as a prelude we watched a couple of dancers preforming on a stage near our house, the way some of these girls can dance is mesmerising. I love the music and the rhythms, I want to hear as much as I can in my short time. Despite people's best attempts, still I'm abstaining from too much drink, it most certainly would be unwise I feel.

6th of December 2008

School keeps on trucking, Most days I get in at 7am when school starts, but if I have no classes till later this arrival time can be flexible, when I'm free, I try to help out where i can assisting with the little ones who are always a demanding handful for any single teacher, they love the company, they see me as a new source of entertainment and the teacher always welcomes the help... Sometimes i get involved with the Internet in the library a handy resource for keeping in contact. Being part of a school is funny, this school has similar systems to any in New Zealand, with timetables, class and teaching structures, it is funny to be a teacher because it is quite the role reversal having to deal with either over excited and out of control primary kids or teenagers that think they are smarter, faster, stronger then you or just too kool for school. My reaction to this kind of behaviour is just to ignore the kids who try to act too kool, they really want your attention as you are new and white and secretly they want to impress, so if you act uninterested they soon respect you and learn to tow the line. Remembering back to those good old teenage days I can picture myself back at school, its a hilarious stage that everyone goes through, There is this one guy at our school who is always showing off to the girls especially in sport, man it gets frustrating because if the younger kids are playing soccer he will just jump right in and play very aggressively kicking balls harder than necessary, trying to hurt and bully others and basically interrupting the game, I leave discipline to the elder teachers who are more than sick to death of his antics.. Ha ha the ways of the world. I am really enjoying teaching sport especially and have taught most of the classes from the primary through to secondary how to play rugby, we have some exciting games now with the older kids, they are starting to take to it. It is refreshing to assist the teachers in the English department and get some time to talk to the older students that have large aspirations, I try to engage in as many subject related conversations as possible constantly questioning and testing the students, I focus more on the ones that want to learn, as my time here is short. I like telling the students how much potential they have and that any thing is possible if they want it enough. Sometimes i feel like a preacher emphasising a think big approach, but if this can effect just one student positively then my work here is complete. I am amazed at how much a student from a developed country with a decent educational background can bring to a local school in a developing country, most of these kids really want to learn and sponge any info off you. Most are so competitive at sport, so eager in class they are only really limited by the aspirations and abilities of their teachers, my main problem is time, I can see quite a bright future for students at this school with the right implementation, unfortunately some teachers are quite laid back and not dedicated to positive change, so i just stick with doing what I can.

News here can be shocking, Tanzania has real problems as most African countries do, you hear about these problems consistently in the headlines of major national news papers and on the television, but there is a lack of a strong government, or public sector to deal with important issues. For instance there has just recently been another albino killing north of Dar-es-Salaam this takes the total to around 30 within the past year, maybe more, I heard about these disturbing acts before I came to Tanzania and the are very real here, Albinos are normal Africans born with a deficient gene that colours their skin whiter than even ours, here they are being hunted, hunted for body parts especially organs, genitals, limbs, breasts and fingers. The problem is superstition, many Tanzanians both the uneducated and the higher classes are told by witchdoctors (whose opinion they trust sometimes to the point of idiocy) that albino parts can bring good luck and wealth, there is huge money paid for these body parts, people will brutally murder and even dig up graves just to get hold of these, government action has been ineffective so far as this problem escalates. Another massive issue here is still poaching and animal smuggling, over 50,000 animals have been the victims of poaching within the year as the problem threatens major tourist attractions and endangers species of wild life. Species like the Rhino are now under strict machine gun protection, it is a shame that this age old problem is still of such large concern here...

5th of December 2008

I decided before I came to Africa that I wasn't going to shave for the entire trip, my intention was to attempt to grow some form of facial hair, fingers crossed it will resemble a beard. My partial beard has had many comments and looks, over the duration of it's life so far. One girl has even threatened to smash a glass and rough shave me if she has to.. I seriously hope she was joking.. Some women definately have a thing against facial hair no matter what culture your in. Anyway, some days I wake up, look at myself in the mirror and imagine myself as a Tom Hanks (cast away), or the original Robinson Crusoe himself in the making, African style. I'm not sure what kind of first impression I make with people or what the children say secretly behind my back, but to me its liberating. To add to my new African image I have recently acquired an old mountain bike to get to and fro and to assist me in exploring this large city, this is Mrs Huckstable's old thing, she kindly offered it to me as she doesn't use it, ridding it sometimes you can see why, still it's very convenient. Can you imagine, me, making my merry, bearded way around Africa on a bicycle, people would think that I had joined the Green party if I was back home.
The amount of exercise I do everyday has now suddenly doubled, so has the amount of sweat, water intake and washing of my clothes, ridding around Dar-es-Salaam is not all peaches and cream either. If you remember my brief deceptions of the Swahili bus driver and the ba-ga-gi wielding maniac, combine that with a lack of foresight on the part of road planners when it came to bicycles and this basically sums up my situation. It is a dangerous affair to attempt to travel by bicycle and I certainly found this out fairly quickly, yet many people use bikes on these roads daily. At first I kept thinking, shit, did I make sure I had insurance 4 bike travel? One joker I passed was riding his bike with a front loading tray stacked almost to the point where he couldn't see with an unsecured load of trays of eggs! Crazy, good luck with that mate, I thought. Another guy I noticed was running as hard and fast as he could sweat pouring off him dragging a massive wooden cart that looked like a trailer full of all sorts including his more than able friend, and I thought I was sweating, man I hope they took it in turn. some of the people's occupations and daily struggles here are incomprehensible, even when you see them going through it your thinking, there is no way that he does that every day of his life right... for these guys using the road is a must, the sound of horns follow their every movement, drivers here are dangerous, unpredictable and crazy. Iv taken to cycling off road, I soon discovered that while doing this, it is impossible to sit on the seat unless you want to find that your backside has changed colour over night, it is a bumpy, sandy, rough ride, the bike looks like it has suspension but practically that was asking too much, so Iv pioneered a new technique for dealing with the terrain, maybe someday ill show you. dodging people and learning effective sounds to warn them has been fun aswell.
It has not taken me long to get my sense of direction and Now am very comfortable with my surroundings, at least those within a certain radius of our home. Up until now iv visited many markets, small villages, residential areas, shopping areas, towns and attractions, I am able to direct myself to these places and back very well, but once I get outside this comfort zone I'm back to the old no street name and every place looks the same problem. Still everyday I am extending this comfort zone seeing and experiencing more of this crazy place. I have become a local in a few of my many routes and continuously recognise familiar faces, with whom I exchange regular greetings. One guy I see all the time lives a few blocks over from me and I could not figure out why every time we greeted each other he would point to his house and say welcome in, this is even strange for this friendly culture. The man is always dressed like a hippy, wears Rastafarian colours and has an even more chilled out aura about him then most, music like bob or some other upbeat, African sound always pumps from his residence. It suddenly dawned on me as I was biking and caught a whiff of the local leaf, I now know what business this hawker is involved in, crack up.. there are so many characters over here I could go on forever...

4th of December 2008

Early this morning Mrs Jennifer left for school to complete work that she had pending, I did not start classes today untill 11am so after a hearty sleep in and another glorious shower I was surprised to find that I was not alone in the house, This was my first introduction to Gloria the house maid, servant, cleaner, washer woman a lady of many description really, jack of all house trades. She greeted me with a shy but sincere smile and proceeded to make quite the fuss over me, again it was an uncomfortable feeling so she in turn was shocked when I helped with the dishes, made my own bed and so forth. Gloria did however manage to make me some form of african chai tea.. banana and marmalade toast, accompanied by fresh mango, what a breakfast! The fruit over here is to die for, the mangos, bananas, puapua, pineapples, watermellon a whole host of others, all of these are larger, jucier and full of so much more flavour then those that New Zealand imports.. seriously you would not believe the size of some of the pineapples, eating this fruit is a mix of eating and drinking.

Anyway I tried to make as much conversation as I could manage in swahili with Gloria and in return she practised her english which I admit was at a far better level then my Swahili. Still everyone tells me I am picking up swahili sooo fast, they all love to encourage me and I have many teachers. I learn alot of street language, the words I learn often brings laughter and looks of surprise from the locals as they cannot believe a foreigner would know such things. Nearby to my flat, I have become very good friends with the local supply store owner, I have dubbed him 'prince' as he is 'the man', prince is about my age, he speaks broken english and has made it his mission to teach me the most hip forms of the swahili language possible, he is a true street king, with many connections, a good friend to have, he always gives me great prices on all types of goods in return for my repeat visits. Another reason my swahili is comming along at such a rate is due to my good friend and assistant Mr thai. Mr Thai is one of my assistants at the school, he helps me during sports electives, he used to be a cleaner at the school and has worked his way up to become an assistant teacher, he aims to study education and become fully qualified, Mr Thai really is a good man and is one of my good friends, he's cool to hang with and we joke alot in both languages. Mr Thai has just recently gotten married and is looking to start living the dream, he is so happy with his situation, its awesome to see. like prince Mr Thai is another main resource for learning the language, because he speaks english well and is persistent if I ask him how to say anything by the end of the day I go home saying it, I learn all the handshakes and ins and outs, he gets quite a sense of accomplishement when I arrive the next day to converse with him in his own tongue. Every man, woman and child at my school enthusiasticly greets me everyday for a laugh and if I encounter a new word or phrase I always stop and ask, or awkwardly try (often incorrectly) to reply. I want to learn as much swahili as I can before I leave and only hope I have the likes of Mr Thai around to help me out.

Tomorrow Nina is due to return to China, so we are having a large pot luck dinner in her honour at her house, beside the pool. It will be sad to see her go as she was such a bright spark and was especially very kind toward me, anyway thats traveling, great people come and great people go, I hope to stay in touch. Im making a traditional Swahili fish dish with the help of Mariam and I look foward to tasting and experiencing everyones efforts, pot lucks are amazing in any culture, but when many nationalities come together everyone is really in for a treat! I think tonight if my counting is correct there will be 10 different nationalites present, almost our own UN, I promise to keep climate change on the agenda...

3rd of December 2008

I feel like a traitor to the cause, yesterday there I was in complete admiration of Mr Allen's commitments, despite life's adversities, now today I find myself complaining about and looking to abandon my far superior, but far from luxurious flat for a couple of days... This attitude is bought on by lack of water, and the desire for another hot shower, lack of good sleep, prevalence of itchy bites and the cramped comforts of my mosquito net, in other words i need time to recuperate. A few days ago I was given an offer by the co-owner of my school, ex-teacher and British citizen, Mrs Jennifer to stay at her house for as long as I liked, as she had a spare bed, lived alone and would welcome the company. once this idea was planted in my mind it grew, I could not resist the temptation of a more comfortable place to stay for a while, so i packed thoroughly, prepared for school and organised to arrive after the day was complete...

Mrs Jennifer only lived 4km away from the school so this was a handy transition for me and boy did I get the treatment, honestly it felt like I had traveled back in time to the colonial era. Mrs Jennifer has a driver, gardener, nightwatchman and house woman who all go out of there way to ensure that you are comfortable and well looked after. during the lunch break to update and help me with navigation, David the driver was sent to and fro to show me how to get to the house and local shops, back to school and from Mrs Jennifer's to the flat, this seemed a bit all to much for me, I don't like people running round after me, and like I said it was all too familiar to the history of race relations in this country, a white man being waited on hand and foot by the locals. David spoke basic English and was a very nice obliging man, but after he had sufficiently directed me around I decided my mode of transport from then on would be by foot.

The house itself was also in the colonial fashion, open planned and flowing, ornate and old with a very particular and lovely, neat garden, it was a large house with all the necessaries one could desire. As I explored the rooms a bit more many things surprised and pleased me, one was the size of my soon to be bed and its accompanying mosquito net, another was the resources Mrs Jennifer had available on Africa, she had many specifically African focused magazines and papers, a life times supply of the economist, novels by African authors and economic, political and legal texts also centre on Africa, anyone doing a degree in African studies would not have needed to leave the house to graduate, another great resource was Mrs Jennifer's supply of African Music, she had more African music than I have C.D's and that's saying something! I couldn't wait to browse both music and literature to find gold for the future...

Another thing that struck me about the house and this applies to alot of the more wealthier houses in general in Tanzania was the extent taken to ensure that the level of security was high. The fence surrounding the grounds was a thick, high, sturdy brick one that looked as if it was made to defend a small fort, the gate was wrought iron and any place large enough for a man or child to fit through was cover with barbed wire. On top of the large fence and all the way around was fixed an abundance of broken bits of glass to prevent unwanted visitors. The night watchman was always present at night sitting on his seat just inside the gate waiting to be of any use, I'm told he is a simple fellow, but he looks well suited to be of service in the security department.. As if all these precautions weren't enough, every window was heavily barred and each door way was solid with two separate doors for each entrance, the locks were hard enough to open with a key, having to turn a different key in each key hole round four or five times to unlatch the whole dead lock!! Extreme precautions, i found myself thinking about the complete difference between the living standards of Mr Allen and Mrs Jennifer... you can't compare.

I spent the evening listening to all sorts of fitting harmonious music, reading about the history and present struggles of various places in Africa and conversing at length with Mrs Jennifer on a range of things. The shower was good, the bed comfortable and I was begging to feel at home, yet I could not help but feel a little bit guilty... I feel asleep to the soothing sounds of a mating chorus of frogs and crickets...

2nd of December 2008

Adventure after adventure, so it continues, I'm back at the flat which is a hub or network full of a mix of locals and international students, there is always someone doing something or at least keen to do something, this is perfect for me, never a dull moment. At the moment I am drinking at least 5 litres of water a day, all bought from the local shops which are really just tin sheds full of stock, I feel like I'm losing liquid as fast as I'm putting it in. Lawrence my Ugandan friend has developed the perfect past time for weekends, swimming, up at the University of Dar-es-Salaam, I decided to join him today as I really wanted to see campus. The pool up there is only open on weekends and is always crowded, once again I am the only white guy and when shirtless, I attract attention about as much as a streaker at a rained in cricket match, seriously you would think these people had never seen a white guy before. Before long I'm involved in bombing competitions, swimming races and breath holding competitions with a number of eager teenagers, these lads couldn't speak English but a laugh means the same in any language...

Lawrence it turns out is quite the character, he comes from a well to do tribe in Uganda and is the direct blood line of a chief, talking to Lawrence is inspiring he really wants to go far in life and is pushing hard, he lost his father at the young age of 5 and his mother when he was 11, he comes from a very successful family of 12 brothers and sisters who have stuck together to form a very strong working family relationship and a great work ethic, he was telling me stories of being up at 5 every morning to milk the cows at 7 year of age, i think he would make the perfect kiwi. I have alot of respect for Lawrence and what he and his family have gone through to get to where they are I often cannot believe some of the things that he tells me, when you look at him and spend time with him you'd have no idea of his past.

After our swim we look round the University, it is a spread out system of buildings surrounded by dense groupings of trees full of monkeys and other noisy animals, I notice a massive centipede making for cover, Lawrence warns me of the danger of these poisonous things. The campus is huge because it is so spread out, we visit the law school, commerce school and so on admiring the wonderful architecture, the main building has actually made it on to the national thousand shilling note so it is held in high esteem. Apparently this university is renowned for churning out some of the most successful graduates in all of Africa with many leaders, ministers and top African businessmen from Tanzania and abroad having graduated.

Graduation is taking place as we tour the campus, you can just tell just how proud all the recipients and their families are of their achievements, its like smile-fest 08... As we are walking around we mingle with other Aiesecr's hanging out on campus, the Tanzanian network here is huge, they are all keen to introduce themselves to me and I'm always keen to meet new faces, unexpectedly, we bumped into the high school psychics teacher from my school, Mr Allen, who INSISTED that I make a detour to his humble abode for the afternoon and invited Lawrence as well. One thing you notice about the people here is that they feel obliged to welcome you with open arms into their homes, and they do not take no for an answer.

The experience of seeing Mr Allen's living situation was one of shock, awe , inspiration and respect, after a long walk we reach his very basic community set in a surrounding hot, muggy, bush, full of thugs he tells me, very reassuring. As we pass through people shout greetings and peer curiously at us it is a strange feeling, people appear from every corner just to watch us walk through, Mr Allen seemed quite proud of the fact that he was the one leading this spectacle. His house is simple, just a sand and brick structure with a corrugated iron roof, no real toilet or proper shower, he is raising two children with his wife in this environment and managing to turn up to school every day dressed as if he came from a mansion.. It is beautiful, the love that was present in that house hold and the happiness found amongst such poverty was powerful, Mr Allen was so very, very proud of what he had and he appreciated it ten thousand times more than any of us luckier lot ever will, wow, it was just a special occasion for me to see such a thing. I don't even know if I could have the mental strength to ever live like that with such an attitude, it is humbling..

1st of December 2008

Our flat has been out of water now for 3 whole days, for me this is tough, for the locals it's life. I teach up to 3 periods of sport a day, combine my keen attitude with a constant mid to late, 30 degree, humid heat and I am always, I mean always working up a sweat, a lack of running water means a lack of a shower, a lack of a shower means... well you can imagine. Think of going bush but in the middle of a hot and dusty city with loads more people around, I am hanging out. Nina kindly took me under her wing, she now lives in an apartment space with a Zambian colleague of hers in Oyster Bay, they just so happen to have a pool and a hot shower, Haha wow, going for a swim and having a hot shower are heaven to the weary traveller in Dar, I emerged a new man with a renewed desire to see and experience more of the city and its people.

On our way to Nina's we took a 'Ba-ja-ji' or tuk-tuk, these are three wheeled motorcycles with an attached, encased area for passengers, they are like predatory flies circling especially foreigners at every given opportunity in the hope of work. I thought my bus driver was a mad man behind the wheel, geese these guys make more money the faster they complete the journey and the more passengers they transport so they wind in and out of traffic, sometimes I'm told they opt for the wrong side of the road or roundabout and there is no such thing as a traffic jam for a ba-ja-ji, they tend to venture off road... Portions of our ride were comparable to holding on to a raging bull during a rodeo, the driver hits pot holes and bumps at quite the speed. It is a long journey to Nina's and as we set out the rain or more like a monsoon sets on us, the roads are flooded, the infrastructure here is terrible, apparently the U.S gave Tanzania $US700 million to develop roads, from my judgement Id say that wasn't money well spent. The rain was worse than I've ever seen it, with water levels reaching troublesome heights. The transport here is so much more exciting than the organised public systems of New Zealand, driving from Lambton Quay to Cuba Street can get boring after a while, here there is never a dull moment, it's a free for all, some form of organised chaos, but with the excitement comes added risk. Thank the stars that Nina has a good understanding of Swahili and her directions are okay as she manages to bargain somewhat with the driver ensuring we don't get completely ripped off.

After my refreshing break, Nina proceeded to cook me a large authentic Chinese meal, so here I am getting 5 star treatment in the middle of Africa, Nina is my best friend right now! Full of food and nice and chilled, We decide to spend the afternoon exploring more of the city when the weather clears. Nina has an itinerary planned out in her head, she has taken it upon herself to be my guide for the day, since I'm really new to all this I don't complain, first stop the city centre. I get to experience once again the beauty that is the 'Dalla dalla' transport system, It never ceases to amaze me how many people they can pack into these vans, space equals money.

The city centre or 'posta' as it is called is close to the beach, the walk along the coast is nice as there is a breeze scarcely found anywhere else in Dar. It is unlike the large cities of other countries I have been to like Japan, the U.S, New Zealand or Australia, the shops look run down and some don't look like shops at all. People are persistent, they haggle and scramble for your attention, taxi drivers scavenge for your attention yelling 'taxi', 'taxi', I had many smooth talking Swahili men trying to persuade me with the little English they knew to buy stolen watches or cheap nik naks, unfortunately for them I'm implementing a no purchase policy until I have had a decent look right around Dar, so i can compare prices, goods and what is on offer. The mish mash of people in the city is something to see business men in suits, homeless with drugs and everything in between, blanket man would feel at home I'm sure. I study the malls, stalls and busy streets buying water all the time, I buy a paper written in English 'the guardian' sounds British, I buy it to get some sense of whats going on. Nina shows me the local park full of peacock roaming wild, with piercing screeches and beautiful displays we chill for a while.. As we are chilling i spotted the largest snail I've ever seen, its like the damn thing was on steroids, the bugs over here are like super bugs, cockroaches are three times as big as ours, snails and slugs are ginormous and lets not mention the spiders again. after a good look around we head to the waterfront and admire the dingey boats that float lifelessly in the water, to me every part of this cities daily life is of interest.

Nina's next planned stop is the largest market in Dar the infamous 'kariakoo', she gives me a foreboding warning to hold on to my wallet and camera tight and embrace for impact. I was not ready at all for these local markets, there is not an inch of space, people are jostling about the packed streets where all sorts of make shift stalls, heaps of clothes, piles of fruit, indistinguishable foods and smells where intent locals and ever present thieves reside. We just have to join the movement, hands in pockets protecting valuables and enjoying (or attempting to) what we see. There is literally no space, people everywhere and these people are the poorest of poor, thousands of them, ripped shirts, red eyes, wary stares, many shouts, so it goes on, these people live day to day on what they can muster from street sales, i gather it is not a lucrative business. I stick out like a sore thumb, the only white man in sight and I definitely feel uncomfortable about it, there is no way I could take a photo it may get stolen or start a fight, everyone hates getting their photo taken in Africa, especially the poor so you have to be surreptitious. This goes on forever, no end, street after street, left, right, up down. I made the mistake of asking for the toilet and felt it better to hold on. For me this place could be described in many vast pages, the artists imagination could run wild, I will settle for the brief description of my encounter with two cheeky, large Masai tribesmen. Nina attempted to buy bracelets from these two, first they tried to rip her off, then they tried to steal from her purse while distracting us, then somehow it escalated into an argument, we backed off as quick as anything, I was way out of my comfort zone and in no mood to stick around. I am grateful for the experience and will maybe venture there again sometime, it is unlike anything I have ever seen....

30th of November 2008

Last night we had a leaving party for my room mate Ray... Raymond is another Chinese finance student working in the banking sector, astonishingly Ray who is a very busy man always manages to have an impeccable fashion taste and the cleanest of clothes, this is quite an achievement in our household where washing is ten times more time consuming then it would be in New Zealand. Recently though I have discovered the source of his uncanny ability, not one or two, but three different suitcases full of high fashion designer clothes! unbelievable, you'd think the man was packing for a month long G8 summit in Dubai... Still Ray is a good guy, unfortunately we haven't been acquainted for that long, but I have a vivid memory of our first quite comical encounter, I arrived home after a late night on the first evening accidentally waking Ray during my post bedtime process, his first words to me in that dimly lit, muggy, mosquito filled room will stick with me for a while, he just blankly said,"welcome to the jungle" turned over and fell asleep again. Ray is the one guy most responsible for putting the fear of god in me when it comes to mosquito's he's more paranoid than I am and it really rubs off...

So anyway Rays leaving party was meant to be a low key blow out session filled with close friends. Someone forgot to tell the army of Tanzanians and Kenyans who piled into our flat and partied till the break of dawn. These people weren't dodgy in the least, but I can honestly say that I have never seen people party more ruthlessly than this bunch, their shirtless, sweaty games of dare or command were border line equalled only by their dancing technique and love of the local spirit 'konyagi'. I was hit by a mix of culture shock and jet lag that evening, all my full on brave attempts to keep up with my fast paced introduction to this city were finally catching up. Try as I might I could not con myself into the party mood, it is a weird feeling being completely uprooted from your daily life that you are so used to, to be planted in a place where every thing is different.. EVERYTHING is different! The whole way of life here has to be learnt from scratch, it makes for a great time, but can occasionally run you down. I spent most of the evening yarning away with Raymond, Nina and Jim about their differing encounters with the initial shock of the place and began to feel like a shower and a good sleep would be my best medicine. It seems that whenever you are in need of a bit of advice there are twenty people willing to give you differing, sometimes conflicting versions, some you have to take with a grain of salt given that this was a party and the wine was flowing...

I woke in the middle of the night last night in a terribly tired state to find to my dismay that my mosquito net had come untucked and had ridden up over my head. I don't think I could possibly express my head space in that moment, somewhere between a nightmare and frantic panic or scramble to cover myself in repellent, put on a longer shirt, readjust my netting and spend the rest of the night worrying about what might have been.

29th of November 2008

Teaching has become my weekly routine now, I'm getting up at 5am every weekday to catch the school bus which stops directly outside my gate. Our neighbours children, Joanna and Anna both attend my school, they are beautiful, friendly children who are always so bright and bubbly, coincidentally the bus stops outside our gate specifically for these kids, so I also am able to hitch a ride. The Kids at my school are amazing, just like the Bill Cosby show, kids say and do the darnedest things, they are so much fun it makes working with them more of an enjoyment than a job, they are always smiling and greeting you with joy even at 5 in the morning!

The drive to school is something else, as Ive said the roads are rocky and sandy, uneven, full of puddles, animals, rubbish and a collection of who knows what, this makes for quite the bumpy ride as we swerve all over the road dodging pot hole and other obstacles. The driver is a Swahili man who seems to follow his own set of road rules, he loves the sound of his bus horn which he uses to get the waiting children's attention, to alert pedestrians and other road users of his presence. Pedestrians here are expected to get out of the way of any vehicle travelling on these roads, this is not an easy task as there is often no footpath besides the sandy road itself. So early in the morning the driver is tooting all about the neighbourhood at all the local as they scurry out of his way, I think he really enjoys this task as he sometimes swerves non-existent obstacles. The way the driver deals with traffic is also unbelievable, there doesn't seem to be any give way rules in Tanzania, but surprisingly as of yet I have not seen any crashes. When our bus comes to a busy intersection the driver just drives out in front of traffic enthusiastically using his horn hoping I guess that others will stop or slow down, I have seen many interesting gestures directed towards our vehicle which leads me to believe that this is not common courtesy, however he is efficient and we always tend to arrive on time. With a bus full of children ud think he'd take it easy, but no, not our driver that's not his style, strangely though I always feel safe and feel a crash is unlikely. The only problem with this form of transport has been the fact that it weaves through so many streets without names that look so similar that by the time we reach our destination I have no idea where in the world we are, so I am forced to take this bus until I become direction savvy. The country side that I get to experience on the trip is great, it gives you a feel for a third world capital. We stop at some very plush houses including the deputy Attorney Generals, which are nothing like the squalor of some neighbourhoods.

Today I began my seminars with the soon to be rugby coach, it took all my power to bring my explanations back to the basics, what is a scrum, lineout ruck, mall etc... I'm trying not to overload the poor man so I'm easing him into it. I brought pictures of New Zealand over to the school and they have become a real hit with the teachers, most of whom believed our beloved country was a part of that semi/marginal continent of Aussy. The Maori people and their culture really strike a chord with the locals here as many of the concepts can be seen in their own traditions and history.

It rained from about lunch time onward today, I tell you the whether here is extreme, if it decides to rain, it really decides to rain, but if it wants to be hot you'll also know all about it, I actually think their sky gods have a few attention issues. One of the great things about rain is that it turns alot of the roads into rivers, so as if the morning dilemmas on the bus weren't enough, try adding lots of water to the mix, conclusion=getting stuck. Yep, we pushed that bus out of the mud three times today and I expect that we will be doing it again before the end of term. It is hilarious, me and the Swahili driver are the only ones old enough to give direction to this procedure and yet we cannot understand each other for the life of us... ah the beauty of communication barriers...