Yet another language..Chaga

So my friend Hellen invited me to Moshi today to go to her house in Kili. Moshi is SO much smaller than Arusha. The soil is like the red soil you'd find in the Southwest of the US and there are banana trees everywhere, but it is also MUCH hotter. The first baptism in TZ occurred there too! Beautiful area! Unfortunately it was cloudy so I couldn't see the peaks of Kili and Meru (usually you can). And I found a deal for climbing Kili so it's happening in Dec!!! Have I said how great this week has been :)!

I went to not only a Tanzanian church service, but a Chaga (tribe) service so the songs were in Chaga. It was really cool to hear some of the same tunes though, showing how universal music can be. Regardless of the language change, the music remains the same. On the way out there, we listened to the radio and it was choir music (some even from St. Olaf! talk about a small world!), but in Swahili. I would never have guessed it was an "African choir" because I always think of them having a beat, but once again the stereotype was broken.

Fortunately, most of the sermon and lessons were in Swahili so I could have my friend help me translate. It was really interesting though. The sermon wasn't based on the gospel saying this is the context of this verse, etc. instead it talked directly about what actions we should do. Very different than the US. Also, the service was THREE hours long. Not because it was all part of the service, but because an award was presented, the whole finances were read including how much each area collected, money was raised (yes during the service) for the children's Sun. next Sun., and there were two offerings. Because it was a village there was the typical offering, but there was also the tithes of people's goods such as 3.5 m sugar cane sticks, huge banana bunches, fruits, vegetables, and even a bundle of grass for cows. THEN after the service, we walked outside and proceeded with a 1/2 hr auction of said items. Definitely a cultural experience!

Then we went to her aunt's house for ndizi ya pikwa, cooked bananas with meat in a broth. Basically like a potato stew but with bananas. Quite yummy! We were then going to go hiking, but it was too hot. Banana wine is still on my list of things to try, but it seems many religious TZians don't drink because they know it can be abused. Which kinda bothers me and in my opinion should be all the more reason to drink because I feel that is all the more reason to show there is such a thing as responsible drinking (sorry that was a horribly constructed sentence).

My Swahili notebook probably got filled up with three pages of stuff. So yea, eventful weekend after all! I can't believe it's already Mon. tomorrow. Friends, it was SO good to talk to you!!! Miss you all, but loving TZ and can't even believe I considered rejecting this offer.

Pendo na salamu (Love and best wishes)
Sara

Life just keeps getting better and better

It seems we have a weekly power outage and that is when I update. Tonight we are performing at a nearby restaurant, get paid!!!, and get free food and drinks. Though it will be interesting if there is no power…

I am truly in a routine and most definitely feel like I live here. Teaching is going very well and going to the schools is again my favorite. The kids are so fascinated and today I even introduced what a harmony was and how to breathe when we sing. I can’t remember if I talked about UE so if I didn’t I will in my next post. It would be silly to write about it if I have. There are some REALLY cute puppies there though, but super sad. There are only 2; there were originally 9, but the other 7 have died :(.

I also got an infected knee since I’ve last updated, but thanks to antibiotics, I’m finally getting better. Last wknd I went to the Polo club. Talk about a contrast. Of course it was nice, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt guiltier, basking in luxury while I am passing people working, balancing things on their heads, and children being thoroughly amused with a mere, deflated soccer ball.

Sweetest thing-I go to a gym and the owner there is basically giving me free personal training. AWESOME! I’m finally reading again working out too! J I highly recommend The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner to anyone. You will learn a lot and possibly learn a new country; I never knew Moldova existed! Lots of interesting points about what makes a human happy. Which is why I don’t worry about the future more than I subconsciously can’t help and just try to live in the present. My Swahili teacher gave me a tour of our complex. Little did I know we have tortoises, the place used to be a zoo in some capacity with parrots, ostriches, etc. AND the best part of all, right behind our house is a beautiful river with lush banana trees and honestly a tropics feel and a HUGE veggie garden. It’s not ours, but it still makes me feel at home. And orange, banana, cashew, and MANGO trees. So while I would NEVER go there in the dark, during the day, I have a new place to sunbathe, read, or just get away from the city life-right in my own backyard.

Oh and I taught, not 1, not 2, but 3 piano lessons last Sat. in complete BROKEN Swahili! I’m starting to feel competent but definitely still have a long way to go! I rode in my first dala-dala last wknd but it really wasn’t eventful. It was just like a van ride. And I made my first TZ  female friend outside of work who is a mutual friend with someone from Luther. Really nice and only lives at max. 2 miles away (probably less!).

I’m still trying to figure out exactly what to do for the Oct. break we have in 2 weeks! One week is for sure Cairo and the other….TBD. Probably a combination of the coastal beaches with some type of hiking and DEFINITELY camping. I just can’t get it out of my system!

Okay update after the gig. I guess it went well because not only did we ask to come back since it was so different than the normal guitar/voice combo, BUT we got offered a gig for NYE in Ngorogoro with FREE ACCOMODATION, MEALS, TRANSPORTATION, A REALLY GOOD SALARY, AND A FREE SAFARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And for Oct. break I’m 90% sure I’m going to do just what I described above-mountains, beach, and Bagamoyo all camping. Found some travel buddies tonight so that’s great too! God, this place just keeps getting better!

No electricity again!

GRRRR! Power out AGAIN!!!!!!!!! It was out all day today, finally came on at 7:30 pm tonight and now is back off 3 hrs later. They do power cuts here but no one has any warning of when they will happen so of course scheduling Skype dates is impossible (sorry again Ryan!). Other than that, everything is continuing to go well though I can’t lie. I had a bit of a reality check this weekend, including my phone getting robbed (but I love my new one so it’s okay and let’s be honest I had few numbers in it), but overall it was still a fun wknd. Went to the Arusha International Arts Festival, which wasn’t so international, but still quite cool to see African acrobats, amusing to watch African “hip hop” and a band that is most closely classified as REPETITIVE reggae! I met a lot of young people at church so that was great. Saa Nane taught me how to make ugali, maize flour that you dip in beans, vegetables, and spinach usually. He can cook SO well! We made the BEST guacamole I have EVER had! And today I learned how to make chapati, a TZ flatbread. I feel like I have the advantages of having a host family in that way, but the independence of living without a family. I joined a gym, which while expensive, I really think I won’t regret because it has a roof but is open aired so it’s like you’re outside, has great heart-pumping music, I’m back to reading (sadly, working out is really the only time I have a good 30 min to read), and the facilities are very nice. Calanetics just didn’t give me the same high I get from a good cardio and weight lifting. I am very sore today though since I haven’t lifted weights since I’ve gotten here!

I know I talk about this every time but my Swahili is getting better and better. I had to translate a letter into Swahili for the Umoja Ensemble parents (that starts on Fri!!!) and of course I had MANY errors, but just the fact that I got fragments of sentences right made me very happy and I’m really trying to speak as much Swahili as I can to the house staff even though they speak English. Though it was funny when I got dropped off after work and told Babu he didn’t need to open the gate since I got a ride. I tried to ask him how to say ride in Swahili but all he said was “lifty” in English and I chuckled at the fact that this toothless, leopard hat wearing, old man couldn’t think of word in his own language.

As my Facebook says, I’ve started a granola making business with two customers at the current moment, and have made yogurt, hummus, and bread. The bread turned out SUPER well which I was worried about since it didn’t rise before it went in the oven, but maybe yeast just works differently here. The hummus is a bit too tahini-ified so I need to figure out how to mellow it without adding water and ruining the consistency, but of course the Internet isn’t working to find a recipe.

The African sunsets are so beautiful here-literally looks like a ball of fire in the sky. Have  three pages left of The Legacies of Julius Nyerere which I would recommend to anyone! It’s all different opinions on his discourse on development and then finishes with my favorite chapter, where he defines socialism and makes some excellent points. I’m not necessarily pro-Socialist governments, but I do think he has some very valid points, and especially with the corruption of TZ government today, the power of Mwalimu (teacher) as they call him here, is emphasized.

Jacaranda trees are in full bloom, which is a bright, light purple. GORGEOUS! I’m finally starting to walk around town and know where I am though I still have a long way to go. And my piano schedule is filling up and non-profit work has started so life is in full swing.

Well hopefully the Internet comes back on tmrw morning so I can post this.

Salamu, (Best regards)

Sara

Jacaranda trees are BEAUTIFUL

While much has happened since I've last posted, that's the thing I want to stress most. Walking down city roads and seeing purple trees is amazing. Today we went to the Arusha Declaration museum. Tanzania used to be under German control. It makes me sad that when we learn about WWI we never talk about the German colonies like Tanzania so we don't think about the consequences and fatalities that occurred here. I've been reading The Legacies of Julius Nyerere, which is a fantastic book with so many different viewpoints, so it was cool to see in the museum pics and a bio of the man I've been reading about. The museum also had BEAUTIFUL original paintings that in the US would sell for 1,000 and here were only 100 so i may indulge! The white walls in my house are especially in favor! 100 for a piece of artwork I can have forever I think is a good investment!
Teaching is going well. Not really a lot of news there except that the new teacher at ISM is a Luther grad named Chelsea. That's all I know! SMALL WORLD! And the music director is from Lacrosse. Liza's goodbye party was good, so weird and sad to see her go, but I am so independent now.
Since she has left:
I have arranged a CS meeting and gone out with them (tonight) to the International Diversity Festival involving African acrobats, traditional dancing/drumming, hiphop which was HILARIOUS to watch them dance (NOT hiphop dancing like the States), and, get this-inside the bar they'd hand you headphones that had disco music on them. SO people would sit solitarily listening to disco music!
I went to the other TZ school on Thurs. that was a Maasai school out in the middle of nowhere and a huge maze quite literally to find! But a gorgeous school, really quite comparable to a US school with complex grammar lessons, posters, desks, and computers. I'm SO excited for Umoja ensemble to start!
And I rode a bike from the gym back home by myself. People made this sound much scarier than it is-there are plenty of sidewalks here, quite honestly more here than MN, and people go very slowly since there is basically almost always traffic. I really feel like I can say I feel like I live here and this wknd is already loads of improvement with knowing the city. Walking helps so much!

I bought a kitenge, an African dress, but despite the fact that they measured me, it is still WAY too big so I need to bring it back to get altered. But aside from that, it actually looks really cool and I actually look decent in it ;) We played at a baptism before Liza left and it was really fun to all play together. We also went to a Tanzanian's house for the most delicious chai tea i've had yet (w/ ginger) and butter sandwiches. He's invited us back to cook African food.

Well my eyelids are beginning to close so I'm going to tuck in. First Outreach lessons tmrw (meaning piano in Swahili which will more than likely be Swanglish as they call it here).

Cheers,
S

Safari and Maasai: 1st Weekend in Tanzania!

Sorry for the delay on this update. These past two days have been crazy  busy with lessons starting this week, all going extremely well by the way! I've always loved teaching and now it's so exciting to have so many different kids from so many different backgrounds and a good number originally from the Netherlands, some from India, some from Arusha, very few from the States, and some from the UK. Tomorrow another school gets added to the mix and I take my first taxi, not quite ready for a dala dala, though my Swahili is still dramatically improving and I can understand A LOT! I would definitely say I"m already at survival level :)

So the past weekend, our driver is also a trained safari guide and took my housemate, another American who left today (and took some awesome pics, soon to come!), and myself to Tarangere National Park. I'm glad that for Tanzanians it is very affordable (about a dollar), and non-East Africans is $35 entry fee, but so worth it! The first animal we saw was a zebra, which we looked at, fawning over it and taking multiple shots. Saa Nane told us we'd see more and we were disappointed when he drove away. But then next was elephants, which later ended up crossing the road right in front of our car and eating from a tree right on the side (I have a video!) and were HUGE! A baobao tree is a HUGE old tree and the elephant was taller! Then wildabeests, which not to sound mean, but truly are the ugliest animal. Then warthogs (Pumba anyone?) and Thompson gazelles from afar, later to be closer. The animals continued! Impala, dik-dik, baboons including one tiny baby holding onto her mother as she was carried around, giraffes, which looked way different than the zoo, and two lionesses stalking a zebra. The zebra came closer and closer to the napping lions. Two of the three lions woke up and started to watch the zebra, but didn't move. They got into pounce position and just watched the zebra get closer and closer. The zebra went around the backside of the sleeping lion and the heads of the other two lions turned. The lions didn't chase the zebra until it was down by the watering hole, at least 75m away! They missed, but it was really cool to see a scene I've only seen on Animal Planet come to life. Of course as the lion is sneaking up on the zebra, the safari vehicles are sneaking up on the lion. And then after their futile attempt, they decided to go back into the shade, walking by our car to get back there! Incredible. We saw some birds (lovebirds, ad, imm, vultures, and ostriches) and then went to a picnic spot where there were monkeys and we could look out at the vast plateau around us and see the elephants and zebras from up on a bluff. It felt so good to stretch our legs too after sitting in the car for 3 hrs. It was a FANTASTIC first safari. I hope to do Ngorogoro when my parents come, where there are only ten rhinos left in the world!

Then we met Liza's dala dala and headed to a Maasai village called Ol Tukai. Liza's boyfriend who died (RIP Korbitt) made a 200,000 acre conservancy and taught the Maasai about anti-poaching. The Maasai are a pastoral people who only eat cow meat and drink milk and cow blood, yummy. They have many wives and a woman's only purpose is to have babies. Their sandals are made out of motorcycle tires and many had gaged ears and lots of jewelry. Their dances involved which man could jump the highest and running towards the girls...I never said I approved of the symbolism. Their music was interesting. Acapella and very rhythmic (again I have a video) and lasted a long duration. I've learned so much from my Mapuche paper, which btw will be published in the NCUR proceedings in Nov :) Anyway, after paying each one 5000 shiillings (less than 5 dollars), of course eleven show up, we cooked a delicious meal over the fire on animal skulls and looked up at the beautiful starry sky. I love how insignificant I feel, looking up at the southern hemisphere sky and not recognizing any of the constellations. Though Venus was very bright! In the morning, we mainly hung out, and I took a walk down to Lake Manyara. This is clearly the bush, the middle of nowhere, and this space was so vast and such a powerful, beautiful landscape. Gazelle and flamingos played at the water's edge.

Then we went into town after talking to the oldest, richest ( measured by cattle and amount of wives) man and ate Tanzanian bbq of goat and beef meat. The meat is very chewy here so I wasn't a huge fan. I've only eaten meat 4 times now! But I think from now on I'll stick to pork, chicken, and fish. On the way back, we rode camels (for 5 mins), but it was definitely an experience getting up and down! The camel bends his legs down and it takes everything in my power to lean back and not fall off. Camels walk so slowly. No wonder they trotted through the deserts in Arabia. They'd never get anywhere at a normal camel rate-it's probably 1/2 a human step!

Today was really cool because we went to Makumira University that started as a Lutheran theology school and now has many other degree programs (sound familiar, Luther?) including music. To give you an idea of the Tanzanian way of thinking, the school year has been pushed back so that the gov't doesn't have to pay its deadlines. WE met the two directors who run the school and I'm hopefully going to collaborate with one with her girls' choir and my community choir, and we're going to join an African ensemble class when the semester begins! They will be a GREAT resource and I kept thinking of Luther and their j-term class.

Well my eyes are getting heavy and I have Swahili at 9 am followed by teaching so I'm off to bed. Badai (See you later)

Going to the market and being in a band :)

So yesterday I experienced local life. First I had a Swahili lesson and learned correct pronunciation and spelling, which was quite easy since it's more or less phonetic. Then we went to the local market to practice the names of vegetables/fruits and how to say "which price?" from the day before. Walking into the market, our driver Saa Nane came with us and found a street kid to help us carry stuff. I refused and carried some stuff. it's not like I'm incapable and there's no reason he should carry five bags, when I have two perfectly good hands. Anyway, walking into the market, everyone started showing us what they had, and the buying  commenced. However, while it was significantly larger than Chile, the people were much less obstinate and cogent in showing they were the buyer you wanted. A handy saying,"Tuna chapata (we already bought (that))" definitely was useful. And then they would leave you alone unlike South America. While there were some "oh my god so beautiful" comments, the intensity of catcalls and the quantity was also significantly less. I wonder if this is because we were with Saa Nane or if the people are just more genuine here. They seem so. I must admit I was quite proud of myself. I remembered the majority of the vegetables/fruits, and asked how much everything cost and how much I wanted (in Swahili) on the third day of being here. I loved it so much. Our Swahili teacher told us we went to the "expensive" market, and by expensive, I mean every vegetable you can think of for under twenty dollars! He says the other market is practically free so maybe we'll go there with him next time, but we have a whole fridge to eat first.

Last night, we went out for dinner with plans of discussing work (a meeting over dinner). But then we ran into people Liza knew and ate with them. One of them owns a lot of the restaurants in town and got my number for gigs :) He told us there was a jam session at a club called Colobus and it was his birthday tomorrow along with the Thai restaurant head so we all agreed to go. Liza and Nina ended up staying home, but I'm so glad I went! It began with a Tanzanian band that an ex-pat from the States had joined that would more or less be described as a reggae band. And then they announced whichever musicians would like to come to the stage. Stiggy, the gui who owns all the restaurants, brought a piano for me and another American, some Tanzanians and me jammed for a good long while. It started with a simple chord progression and led to some pretty cool solos, some guys started singing, and was just all around awesome! Afterwards, the band came back and I went to tell Stiggy I was leaving (he went to eat dinner with Deng, the Thai restaurant head), which involved walking through the band to get to the restaurant part. As i was passing through, the guitar player asked me if I'd play piano with him. "Just lay down some chords.." so I did. I ended up staying another good hr playing with the band! It was awesome!!!

So yep that's day 3 in a nutshell. Better go get dressed before our 10 am Swahili lesson :)

Karibu sana

That means very welcome, which I've heard multiple times today. Forgive me if this entry is not organized or in narrative form like I usually write. I managed the day without a nap fighting jetlag and everything is new. You can't just ask, "How's Tanzania?" I say this after the first day! I can't even imagine what it will be like after living here 10 months! If you want a summary, food is so good, people are so wonderful, and Africa is so beautiful. Now for the more in-depth version..

Let me start by describing Arusha, the city where I am living. Even though it is a city, people say it is a small town because everyone knows everyone. It's a city but by no means westernized. People still wear the beautiful traditional clothing, which we are getting measured for tomorrow :):):), and yes, the typical image of women balancing baskets on their heads is completely true. However, the obnoxious catcalling of South America is absent; instead, every 10 steps you run into a new person and it's culturally unacceptable just to say hello. So you stop and time is quite irrelevant because it is more important to see your friend. Arusha is SUCH an international city. Liza and Nina went to a Serbian bd party and UN dinner the two nights before I came. I just got back from a pub with an Italian, sound engineers from NY, and some ex-pats living here and of course Liza. I've learned so much Swahili already! There's no way I will learn this much everyday! Our house is awesome (of course pics will come sometime soon) and we have two cats-Crispy Bacon and el Guapo, whom I have yet to see. Everyone is so nice-the Umoja people, the natives, and the ex-pats. The welcome here is unbelievable! Flights were uneventful besides long, though I must say it was nice to get real meals on a flight and inflatable pillows and Bose headphones were sleepguards with babies crying and what not! With two 8 hr flights I did something that is horrible for jetlag-I slept from 11 AM-5 PM yesterday making me that much more not tired last night and I finally fell asleep at 3 AM this morning (we didn't go to bed till 2:30). I was greeted with Chamomile tea of course accompanied by Zbee honey and fresh papaya, tangerine, banana, and watermelon. My housemate is awesome as are my bosses. One is from the states, 27, and just an incredible person. Very sad to see her go the 7th of Sept. (it's her house that we're living in). The other is from Madagascar and will be my boss for the non-profit work I do. I met her kids today as well-wonderful family and so cute.

The day began with Tanzanian breakfast which consists of Chai tea (which is also chai so it's chai chai) and chapati a delicious flatbread. We talked about the mission and structure of Umoja, which makes me love it that much more because they take the ignored tier of kids, the ones above the poorest of the poor, to give kids who can have a chance an opportunity instead of catering to those who already are supported by all the other non-profits. Hearing the story of how Liza (the director) needed something more than just teaching rich, white kids, and how it is something that they own and is shared, is truly a remarkable story. Ask me more if you want to. We then went and visited what would here be called a private school which really means instruction is in English, but still not comparative to any type of US school. No school is free here. 64/109 of the kids at that school are orphaned. A 4 floor building didn't have railings and one floor didn't even have a wall so it's just stairs suspended by the floors of each level.

Then we went to a local place for lunch which was ugali, a maize flour mixture, and was served with tilapia and a type of spinach, cabbage, and beans. Everything is eaten with the hands and yes, I washed my hands (as is standard) beforehand. I think I agree-food does taste better (and is at least more fun!) when eaten with the hands. Delicious food!

 I fought the jetlag all day :) One of our neighbors just finished high school and speaks perfect English so he is going to give us Swahili lessons each morning. Janet, our maid I guess you could say, cooked us a DELICIOUS dinner. I saw the beautiful Mt. Meru today and a museum and met a ton of people and of course every step is a new sight. The beautiful trees and flowers, the people, the smell of burning (they burn everything here), but I should get to bed.

Life is good. Thank you to all who encouraged me to take this job. You're right-I'm not going to regret it!!!