Habari za Krismas

In an effort to get to know my village better I have been setting out occasionally to have chai and madanzi at a local mkahawa. In case some of you are scratching your heads an mkahawa is usually a little hole in the wall place that serves basic Tanzanian fare; mandazi, chapati, chai, chipsi (French fries) chipsi mayai, wali na maharage (rice and beans) and occasionally meat on skewers. The particular mkahawa that I frequent is the definition of “hole in the wall”. It honestly looks like the incredible Hulk punched a hole in the side of the building because the opening is not a clean cut doorframe, but shards of bricks. The room is probably about 5 feet by 5 feet and contains a small table, two benches; a plastic tub usually full of mandazi and a small sooty corner fire pit…the “kitchen”.  This particular morning the owner of the mkahawa was building an extension to his shop, a small wood hut with a tin roof, so he can cook chipsi mayai without dying of or killing his customers with smoke inhalation. I told him I thought it was a good idea, sat down on one of the benches and ordered my cup of chai and two mandazi. A woman also enjoying her morning grease ball joined me and after a short while went to fetch her daughter. When the woman returned to her seat she was holding her daughter who was crying profusely and clinging to her mother like a toupee to a Politian’s head. Her mother informed me, “anakuongopa” she fears you (I think we can safely add here) because you are white. Everyone around, including me, laughed. I think it is interesting that some children here are so amused by white people and some children are petrified of white people. I guess I was scared of something I do not see on a daily basis or at all when I was three or four years old. On return trip home from the mkahawa I ran into a group of about six  Mzungu-philic Tanzaian youngsters who were all eating boiled potatoes. One of the potato munchers might be my favorite kid I have come across thus far in my service. She was hanging toward the back of the pack and could not have been more than 4 years old, but had somehow gotten a hold of and was wearing her mom’s curly bob wig. Needless to say this made me laugh pretty hard and made me think of that TLC show “Toddlers in Tiaras” because the little girl look liked her mom had dressed her up for a tiny tots beauty pageant. She seemed pretty proud of herself and I guess it just goes to show you that anywhere in the world little girls like to pay dress up! (Reminds me of when Kyle and I used to play Pretty Pretty Princess… never let him win the tiara).

I guess no matter where you are in the world, unless you cannot find that Buzz Lightyear or Tickle Me Elmo doll your child wants anywhere, the week leading up to Christmas drags. This week I learned that I can go about a month without real work before I start going really stir crazy. Of course the best way I have found to deal with this is to eat sleep or clean. I guess this is the answer to the question on the Peace Corps application, “How do you cope with boredom?”. Thank goodness that we will be having a staff meeting on January 3^rd to sort out periods and classes for this coming school year. Yes, it is weird to think, but January 10^th, when school starts here, is the beginning of a new school year! I am really looking forward to teaching, although am still a little nervous being the only science teacher for 440 students. This means that I could potentially be teaching Chemistry, Physics, Biology and also Math for 4 different grades or forms. Clearly this is probably physically impossible, but I know I will probably be teaching at least 24 periods a week with four different preps. I will keep you all updated on how this whole thing pans out. I am pretty sure it is going to get a little hairy because of the Swaenglish (½  Swahili + ½ English= Swaenglish) the meeting will take place in and I will miss some small but very important detail that leaves me biting off a lot more than I can chew.

I hope everyone had a happy and healthy Christmas. From what I was told it was a white one back on the east coast. Unfortunately it was about 70 degrees and sunny here on Christmas, I know that sounds very pleasant for some of you, but in all honesty I would have traded it to be at home! Despite not being home for Christmas, a few other volunteers and myself had a Christmas part complete with tree, Yankee swap, dinner, Christmas cookies and music. I will say there is one good thing about being in Tanzania for Christmas; all of the stores are open on Christmas day.  We went into town on Christmas day to gather food for Christmas dinner and everywhere we went I noticed that most host country nationals were wearing brand new outfits. It would seem that new clothes are a Christmas tradition here. Other than new clothes the Tanzanians spend time with family and eat on Christmas. And far as I know there is little to know exchanging of gifts.

The few days between Christmas and New Years were relatively quiet. A few volunteers came by my site earlier in the week and we hiked down into Ngozi crater. For those you who are keeping track of my trips to the crater this makes number 3. We also went out to get pizza from one of the Mzungu restaurants in Mbeya on the day after Christmas. On the way home, around 8 o’clock we packed seven Mzungu into a daladala. Sadly, I was escorted along with another volunteer into the front seat. If there is one rule while traveling in Tanzania, actually there are many, but the most important one is never sit in the front seat of a daladala. The front seat is known in the small world of PC Tanzania as “the death zone”.  Needless to say I was a little scared to be sitting in the death zone, especially when we were driving on straightaway and the dala driver started to veer into oncoming traffic, aka a semi-truck. I am not sure how most people would react to this situation, but at the time I covered my eyes and screamed…pretty loudly. Thankfully the driver pulled the dala back onto the correct side of the road and proceeded to ask me if I was scared of his driving.  I ended up lying to the driver and then congratulating him on his good driving after he missed our stop then dropped us off further up the road safe and sound. Christmas miracle? I am not sure, but I am just glad that we did not get into an accident. Don't think I will be riding up front again anytime soon.

So I am looking forward to this evening and celebrating the New Year with other volunteers from the region. I think we will be eating dinner out, which means probably means standard Tanzanian fare, chicken, chips and a few Kilimanjaros. It will truly be different to celebrate New Year’s 8 hours before everyone on the east coast (Think about me at 4pm!), but I am looking forward to more new experiences! I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Year’s eve. Say hello to Dick Clark and all of the people freezing their tacos off in Time Square for me! Happy 2011! All my love from TZ!