To Paradise and Back

Moshi, Tanzania

It comes in waves, but I think things are finally starting to get easier. Sometimes I am so excited to be here and interested to learn. Other times I just miss being around people I love and things I know. It feels like I have been in a time warp; I can't believe I have only been here for 11 days. I think experiencing so many new things makes you feel like more time has passed.

On friday a bunch of us went to visit the "hot springs". It was a pleasant surprise to find that they were actually pretty cold (they may be hot compared to Canadian water right now but definitely not for Tanzania). It was nice to have almost a full day of not being overheated. We drove for an hour over roads that looked like they were made from a pile of fist-sized rocks with sand sprinkled on them, through tiny villages where the children stared and waved and yelled "mzungu!" (SIDE NOTE: mzungu means white person. Although we would find it strange and rude to yell "black man" at someone in Toronto, they frequently call you mzungu or yell it at you as they walk by). The villages looked like they were built on desert with just a few lion-king-style trees around, which made the springs all the more shocking when we arrived. They were quite literally exactly what I would picture a mirage to look like. You approach this group of trees out of nowhere and as you drive in the entire ground is covered in dried leaves. There are so many trees that you can't really see much at first, then as you move in closer everything opens up. The spring is entirely surrounded by dangling trees with water so clear you can see the details in the moss on the rocks at the bottom. It was actual paradise. They also had a swing hanging from one of the tall trees that you could swing on to jump into the water. I was terrified the first time I did it, but it was crazy fun.

On Saturday Anna and I drove to Arusha with our host family. On the way there I got to witness a 50 year old muslim woman grooving along to gangster rap. The combination of the blasting rap and driving style gave me the sensation that I was in a highschool boy's car. As a special treat, the road to Arusha has actual lines on them, not that anyone actually follows them. Road etiquette is very different from Canada. It is very acceptable to come within three cars length of the car coming in the opposite direction before you swerve back into your lane. Motorcycles are generally expected to swerve onto the side of the road if someone is trying to pass. I also noticed that the relationship between car and pedestrian is different as well. In Canada, the driver takes responsibility for not hitting the passenger. If someone runs out into the street then the driver will slow down and generally honk at the person to get off the street. In Tanzania, the onous is generally on the pedestrian. From what I can see, the proper way to cross the street appears to be to look for an opening in traffic at any point on the road (whether neighbourhood street or highway), and it is your responsibility to get across the street alive. Cars do not slow down. It took me a while to get used to crossing the street with cars speeding towards me.

Arusha itself was a nice change from Moshi with it's multi-storey buildings, sidewalks, gutters, paved parking lots, automatic doors and even paved roads with lines! Best of all they had North American toilets, toilet paper, sinks, and hand dryers. I should explain this. I had my first experience with an African toilet when I went to the YMCA for my swahili lessons last week. It essentially looks like a sink burried in the floor that you have to squat over. I haven't really figured out how to use them yet without it resulting in disaster. I guess I will get some practice.

The house I am living in is beautiful and I am very spoiled. They clean my room, cook for me, and wash my laundry. I think Anna and I are going to try and find a house downtown for next month. If I get used to this kind of living I think it could mean very bad things for my happiness and ability to cope in my future travels.

I have my safari this weekend of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Will write again soon!