Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Msimu

BTW..right now is the season of short rains. When the rain hits during this time it hits hard. But when there is no rain it is absolutely beautiful outside. I heard that the Northeast got hit by a big storm..how weird. And it's already Halloween in the States? That is amazing..I would never know.

Hakuna Umeme..

What if there was no electricity? Well I can tell you the things I have done with no electricity. One day we made sambusas which are similar to Indian samosas. I can officially say that I know how to make them. We made them with potato and pea filling. And the trick to the dough is to add oil which is similar to chapati dough except uses white flour. Then we fried them on a charcoal stove. So for those of you who actually do visit me..let's make them! You definitely need to do this one with someone else. Sorta like making dumplings. There is a Tanzanian woman next door who was married to an Indian guy. She taught me how to make them..next I want to learn how to make alu parathas.

The other thing I just did the other day without electricity was teach computers. How? Well I taught computer theory. It wasn't too hard. Explain about the different parts of a computer and point to them. And then give them definitions of different security issues. Thursday will be my last day internship teaching. And then in a few weeks (3 to be exact) we will be at our sites. Scary prospect, huh?

This weekend some volunteers may come over for dinner. We'll be making American food with electricity hopefully using my mama's oven. Chocolate chip cookies, chips and guac and the American favorite pizza (with mozzerella cheese..sorta fake stuff).

On a random note as I was walking home from school I saw two guys hold hands. I would never see that in America but here all it implies is friendship. If only there was no stigma attached to a simple act.

Oasis..

So this week has been a week of changes. In that change we went to Oasis Hotel for dinner. This was my first experience of Indian food in Tanzania and I can tell you that it was good. The malai kofta was alright but the palak paneer here was fabulous. The best part of it all was that when I said I wanted spicy they made it spicy. :) And I had garlic naan..yum. As we walked home there was fireworks for Diwali. On our way to Oasis we had a funny daladala ride with a old Tanzanian man who was just talking random stuff..maybe a bit crazy..but it was fun. :)

Friday, October 24, 2008

Elections

As I am slowly learning a little bit about the Tanzanian system of things, I must tell you guys about the most important thing. I finally got my absentee ballot! The funny thing was it came in a Priority Mail envelope..as if that means anything here in TZ..ha ha. :) I mailed it immediately upon arrival..it costs $3.50..3500 shillings..so the guy I voted for must win! Just kidding. I discussed the elections with my mama's friend who is very well educated. He is a Tanzanian man who used to be general manager for a telecommunications company in TZ. He spent 8 months in Japan which is awesome. That was the first deep conversation I have had while coming here..it felt great. :)

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Mwalimu

That is what I soon will be after training and as I am interning as a teacher I am amazed at how they learn with so little resources. The computer lab at the secondary school is made up of Windows 95, computers with differing keyboards (German, US, etc) which can be confusing for the students, and 300 MB hard disk space. It made me realize how far technology has gotten since then and how far behind it is in that school. Yet at the same time I know that just because it’s Windows 95 doesn’t mean that it is any worse than Vista. Every form (it’s like grade in the States) is learning the same thing like what is a computer, what is a mouse, etc since the school just got computers. Even though it would be more fun for me to teach programming, these basic things are essential as most Tanzanian families do not own computers. If they do have exposure to computers most likely it would be in the internet cafes in town. The States doesn’t have internet cafes like they do here because most families own computers or can access computers through public resources like libraries. The only problem is they don't understand how to type or what is meant by a right click of the mouse. The syllabus instead focuses on definitions. They first need to learn typing and using a computer. The school we are student teaching it isn't taking the national exams yet. I think they may start to take them next year.

Teaching is going ok but at the same time frustrating. We have 40 minute periods only once or twice a week. I definitely have to slow down my English but that is alright with me. Though sometimes students understand the concept but just don't talk because they are shy (which I can totally relate to). When I see a student get a concept they didn't originally understand it makes me so happy. We end our teaching next week. We are currently teaching Excel in Form 2 and teaching why technology is important in the real world in Form 3 for O levels. I think I like teaching, but I do miss programming. Maybe I will create a program to teach typing in my spare time..who knows. We'll see.

On other note: I can't wait for pineapple and mango season in December! I will be buying them frequently when I get to site. :) If they are available. Also my favorite soda is Tangawizi..a ginger soda that when you breathe in while drinking makes you cough..potent like wasabi. We also just had our mid exams this past Friday. :) I know I probably did better on the writing than on the oral, but that is life. :) We changed language teachers as well. We got write in ballots so I am definitely voting yet I haven't received my absentee ballot from Michigan. And Diwali will be the end of this month. And I got a dress made here with the local kitenge fabric. It is a wrap style top, a head scraf, and a pencil skirt with a flared bottom. I think it's pretty cute, new clothes just in time for Diwali! And on that note, the Hindu temple in town is having fireworks so I might go for that. Apparently there is an alright Indian restaurant in town which I will have to check out sometime as well, it's called Oasis. Some of the volunteers have already checked it out. We will find out where we are going to be posted near my bday (Nov 18th) in Dar. So I will finally be 28 then! Finding out where my site is will be a bday present for me! :)

Friday, October 17, 2008

My name is a wimbo in Tanzania...

Two interesting things about names. My American mother's name is uma, in swahili that means fork. :)

Another interesting thing. Apparently there is a really popular Tanzanian Bongo Flava song called Anita by Matonya. It was real popular last year for a few months which explains why people's eyes light up over here when I tell them my name. So thank you mom and dad for calling me Anita...just kidding. The song is about a husband telling his wife (named Anita) to come back home (she's staying at her parent's place). Apparently she leaves to her parent's place after learning that he is cheating on her from other people. In the song he says I would never cheat on you, all those other people are lying and I only want to be with you. It's basically a love song with an interesting beat.

Here is a link to the video if you want to watch, unfortunately I can't as the network is to slow here so tell me what you think as I have no idea what it contains. It's probably not as good quality as the States as most music videos here aren't as good in production quality.

Video of Anita by Matonya

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

On how to make coconut milk….

I have learned a lot about cooking here in Tanzania and at the same time I have taught my mama some things as well. To make coconut milk: First grate coconut (kuna nazi). Here in Tanzania they use the same grating device that they do in South India to grate coconut. A wooden block with a sharp serrated blade protruding out of it. Put the grated coconut in a bowl and add enough warm water to make a paste with the coconut. Then take put a colander over a bowl and put the coconut in the colander. Squeeze the coconut into the colander, what falls into the bowl is the coconut milk. Add more warm water and repeat squeezing the coconut into the colander. Interesting enough huh? Some other useful things is to using a mortar and pestle to mash garlic and ginger. Also, cutting a tomato in half and then using a plastic grater to make a tomato sauce by grating the side without the skin. That’s it, there is your Tanzanian cooking lesson for now. I find that a lot of Tanzanian cooking has no measurements- like most cooking around the world. I find that my taste buds are the true measurement here. Here is my favorite recipe so far in TZ, so simple yet so flavorful:

Peas (njegere) with coconut milk.

You need peas, coconut, tomatoes, and onions.

Make coconut milk as above. Grate the tomatoes to make a liquid, like a tomato sauce. Cut onions into thin rounds. Add oil, and onions into a sufria (saucepan). Add peas with tomato sauce. Cook till peas seem cooked (these are much firmer peas than what is found in America). Then add the coconut milk and heat till warm. Fresh coconut milk tastes better than that canned stuff in the States..it is also a lot more watery than the canned stuff.

Surviving in Tanzania

Some survival skills you need to know here are how to take a bucket bath, use a pit latrines, to use a charcoal stove, wash clothes by hand (without a machine) and then dry them on the line, to mop the floor with a rag, cut veggies without a cutting board, peel veggies without using a peeler- just a knife, bury or burn your trash (there is no curbside pickup here), carry various heavy objects on your head, do things (like brushing your teeth, washing your hands, etc.) without running water, and to cut grass using a machete (no lawn mowers here). Also it helps if you are strong enough to fetch water. But no worries you will learn most of these things if you have been here long enough. I am still learning many of these things (luckily I have been exposed to many of these things when I visit my relatives in India) but I have been given the stamp of approval at washing my clothes by hand. :) Look at how many things we take for granted in the States and there are more things as well. Like there are no school buses. Some children walk for 2 hours just to get to school! That is if they can't afford public transport. Yes, people get their daily exercise just living life here as opposed to having to do additional stuff. No wonder they think I am crazy when I go running just for fun.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Star TV

So the favorite show among my housegals is a novella (soap) from the Philippine's called Till Morning Comes (Darating Ang Umaga). It plays on Star TV. I wonder if you can find it on YouTube. :) Nothing too thought provoking in this post.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Chakula cha Marekani..kupika pamoja na wamarekani

We made pizza for the first time today. It turned out pretty good considering we had to make the dough and sauce from scratch. We made it at my mama's house because she has an electric oven. Here is a picture with a fellow trainee modeling our creation.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Shikamoo

As I run down the street saying Shikamoo I felt as I truly belonged- passing the elders and having the young people stare at me like I am crazy because I am running for fun. A daladala stopped thinking that I was running toward it. People on bikes were offering me a lift thinking I needed one. But pretty soon all that speculation will stop, pretty soon they will accept me for who I am…just a girl running in the street.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Miasha..life..

That is life..here. No water, electricity goes and comes, malaria and HIV are prevalent. But there is also the beautiful kangas, the great music, the interesting dance. Life. It is everywhere. I realize how much of it I take for granted as I sat there today contemplating whether I should take two baths a day so as not to use the water that we have. It can be brought by filling buckets at the neighbor’s house but it is a tedious task. It is amazing how much water we use in a given day and how we don’t realize it till we are without. Lot of things are like that. Little things that I never think about in the States I think about now. Like using a charcoal stove. That is so hard and it takes so much time to cook little things. So many shortcuts we have in life over there and here we have none yet people still work full time jobs and manage to get things done. I should mention that most of the people doing the housework here is still the women and some of them do work full time. Amazing, but alas that is life.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Pamoja na daima..together with always (from a Vodacom commerical)

Habari za wiki? Nzuri sana.

Basically I just asked how is your week and I said mine was very fine. Yes I have to start writing with a greeting too. Things have been great here yet I am getting kidogo homesick but that is normal for everyone. I have that marathon mentality right now where I just got to get through these initial few months and I will start feeling like it’s home again.

But it is home here and that is what I wanted to start my post with. It’s community. You see it here all over. Last week we celebrated Eid in the fact that we got a day off from school. Most people get 2 days off but that was alright. My mama and I tulienda kucheza musiki (we went dancing) to celebrate. But that night some kid in the neighborhood got in an accident. The neighborhood all came together to comfort the mama and the neighbors all went to see the kid in the hospital even after they found out that all the kid has was a broken arm. When our neighbor has water and we don’t, they let us use their water. When we have a fridge and a neighbor doesn’t, we let them use our fridge to keep the sodas cold. You may see that in some parts of the States but chances are you won’t. You definitely see independence in the States..that is our culture. I admit, I am that way. But here I see that community is important- it is alright to depend on another. That is why I am guessing they greet one another- to create that community. It’s something I can get used to and it is very comforting.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Daladalas

How many people can one fit on a daladala? 20? 30? A daladala is a small minivan used for transportation or a small bus. They try and put many people in one as they can. Some interesting positions I have seen. A daladala is my main transport into/out of town (besides walking 3 km).

In town today I visited a Hindu temple. Interesting how a culture that doesn’t exist in a society still has a place. They were celebrating Navarati, a Hindu holiday. It was a tiny one room temple and it was amazing how welcoming they were though neither of us spoke the same languages. I also have found various shops with Indian spices supplies. My one true happiness was finding cilantro! I made some guacamole with that find. Someday soon my fellow trainee and I plan to make pizza for our host families. Stay tuned for updates!