Monday, December 1, 2008
Kwaheri Tanzania!
So I am leaving on Thursday for Nairobi. I know it will be difficult to say goodbye, but it helps that I can look forward to seeing Stephen's family, and then Stephen himself in less than two weeks. To tell you the truth, I am not sure what to do about this blog. I have become a bit addicted, living my life and thinking in my head 'what can I write about now?' and 'what should I take a picture of for the blog?' It has become a bit of an obsession and I will probably miss it a lot. But after all, it is called 'Seven months in Tanzania'- not 'Seven months in Tanzania and One in Kenya.' I know life will suck me back in and my busy-ness will change in the next couple months. I think I am ready but can't help but be sad to leave. It is always that way before transitions though. You would think I would be used to that by now.
Marafiki bomba
I have made a lot of good friends here and thought I might as well introduce them to my friends and family from home. This is Rose, who you have heard a lot about and who I wouldn't be able to live without here. 
As I have said previously, she is my everything. She put up with me when I didn't know how to talk to her at all. I remember the first time I was with her alone and I was trying to explain I wanted to walk around the village with a GPS. I tried looking up every single word in my Swahili dictionary and eventually she said to me in English, "I know a little Bekah. You just tell me in English and we will work from there." Sometimes she is called Mama Casablanca (which is the name of my house) because for the past 5 years she has taken care of the students staying here. She has a lot of stories about the students I haven't even met, but now I feel like I know them from their presence going on through her stories. I will miss her a lot.
As I have said previously, she is my everything. She put up with me when I didn't know how to talk to her at all. I remember the first time I was with her alone and I was trying to explain I wanted to walk around the village with a GPS. I tried looking up every single word in my Swahili dictionary and eventually she said to me in English, "I know a little Bekah. You just tell me in English and we will work from there." Sometimes she is called Mama Casablanca (which is the name of my house) because for the past 5 years she has taken care of the students staying here. She has a lot of stories about the students I haven't even met, but now I feel like I know them from their presence going on through her stories. I will miss her a lot.And this is Jimmy. He is a guide at Ndarakwai and has been a great kaka to me for the past seven months. 
He knows English and has helped me enormously with my Swahili. Throughout my time here I have kept a list of words and questions to ask him every time I see him. He is a fantastic teacher and has been a wonderful resource and a huge help to my research. He likes to learn about everything under the sun, even grass- 
which he likes to talk about a lot and sometimes I just have to ask him to change the subject, even though I am impressed he knows all the scientific names of the grasses on the ranch. Also, he drives a pikipiki and is always willing to rescue me when I have problems with transportation. Many times he has accompanied me to town and showed me where to go for everything on my list. A huge help and a friend I will remember forever as my Tanzanian brother.
He knows English and has helped me enormously with my Swahili. Throughout my time here I have kept a list of words and questions to ask him every time I see him. He is a fantastic teacher and has been a wonderful resource and a huge help to my research. He likes to learn about everything under the sun, even grass- which he likes to talk about a lot and sometimes I just have to ask him to change the subject, even though I am impressed he knows all the scientific names of the grasses on the ranch. Also, he drives a pikipiki and is always willing to rescue me when I have problems with transportation. Many times he has accompanied me to town and showed me where to go for everything on my list. A huge help and a friend I will remember forever as my Tanzanian brother.Here is Francis. He is another guide at Ndarakwai who has helped me with Swahili. 
We enjoy listening to God songs together and I will always remember his listening to the "Revelation Song" and his excitement when I have him listen to a song I just discovered. I have enjoyed hearing many stories about his life growing up as a Masai as he kept me company at the tree house on various afternoons. He knows a lot and can talk about anything under the sun knowledgeably.
We enjoy listening to God songs together and I will always remember his listening to the "Revelation Song" and his excitement when I have him listen to a song I just discovered. I have enjoyed hearing many stories about his life growing up as a Masai as he kept me company at the tree house on various afternoons. He knows a lot and can talk about anything under the sun knowledgeably.It will be difficult to say goodbye, but the next few weeks hold an adventure of a different kind and one I can share with my mapenzi.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Party ndogo
Well, yesterday was the party, but since my neighbors and I were working so hard we really didn't even realize it was a party until it was over. So today, they prepared the guts of the second goat with more bananas in a stew and we had it for lunch. I wouldn't reccommend it after my dawa from yesterday. In fact, I wouldn't reccommend it even for a stomach of steel. After lunch, they came to my house and we looked at pictures from the party and then we had our own little photo shoot. I realized that one downfall of not having another student to train in is that I didn't have a designated photographer and therefore don't have a lot of pictures of me with my friends. So, here are a few of my favorite people on the ranch. This is Kassoni and my cat. 
Actually, I only posted it because it is such a good picture of the cat. Lucky! This is Kassoni and me: 
Here is me, Maxi, and the cat:
And me and Maxi who has looked out for me the most out of anyone here: 
In fact, he seems to be personally hurt when the elephants don't show up at the waterhole and I am not getting data. He has been a great friend providing hours of company and many cups of chai. He taught me how to make uji so that I could feed myself on Sunday when Rose has the day off. Every time I make uji I will always think of him. In fact, most of my memories of Tanzania will be about Maxi and the laughs we have had together.
Actually, I only posted it because it is such a good picture of the cat. Lucky! This is Kassoni and me: Here is me, Maxi, and the cat: And me and Maxi who has looked out for me the most out of anyone here: In fact, he seems to be personally hurt when the elephants don't show up at the waterhole and I am not getting data. He has been a great friend providing hours of company and many cups of chai. He taught me how to make uji so that I could feed myself on Sunday when Rose has the day off. Every time I make uji I will always think of him. In fact, most of my memories of Tanzania will be about Maxi and the laughs we have had together.
Kwaheri Bekah.
My going away party was yesterday. People were invited to come at 2:30, but many people came right after work got out at 12:30. Rose, one of the participants in my study, and my neighbors Max, and Kassoni started cooking at 8:30. Well, if cooking includes killing the meal. I still can't believe I actually paid for a goat to be killed. 
Here in Tanzania, a party isn't a party without killing something. After the first goat was deceased and cut up, Rose arrived and said it wasn't going to be enough to have nyama choma (my favorite part) so someone went off to find another poor soul to sacrifice. 
On the menu was banana and stomach soup (it is a stinky endeavor and not really my favorite), pilau (rice and meat), cooked cabbage, nyama choma (roasted meat), beer and soda. The five of us were so busy the entire time I didn't really get a chance to see who all showed up, but those that were attending the party said everyone enjoyed.
Due to my small fear of large groups paying attention to me, I had some wine set aside for me. Rose told me later that a few people asked what was in my water bottle and she told them it was dawa (medicine) for me only because I was so sad to be leaving. Actually, it was my liquid courage :). These guys are dancing and eating. Looks like they too had some liquid courage.
I had an outfit made for the party, but unfortunately, didn't get a picture of just me in my outfit, but here is a picture of me and my pikipiki driver, Samuel. I am pretty sure if model recruiting occurred in Tanzania, he would be in GQ by now. 
Near sunset, the music was turned off and I was dragged out of the kitchen to face everyone. The mzee of the group announced to everyone that if anyone had any problems with me or if I had any problems with anyone there, it was time to tell them. Oh, and safari njema (safe journey). Then some ladies that work at the office came forward and presented me with some beautiful material. 
I am glad everyone had fun, but my favorite part of the day was talking about it with Rose when it was over. Here we are with the gardener who works at my house.
It felt a little like working at a restaurant must feel before and during the dinner rush. I realized that only two people actually pulled me aside to say kwaheri. But that didn't bother me. I don't like saying kwaheri anyways and it is always awkward because I really don't know if I will see these people again. They could quit their jobs or I could not get a chance to come back for a visit for a long time. Enough about that. The point is, everyone enjoyed themselves and my emotions were dumbed down enough that nothing was really bothering me about having so many people in my "territory."
Here in Tanzania, a party isn't a party without killing something. After the first goat was deceased and cut up, Rose arrived and said it wasn't going to be enough to have nyama choma (my favorite part) so someone went off to find another poor soul to sacrifice. On the menu was banana and stomach soup (it is a stinky endeavor and not really my favorite), pilau (rice and meat), cooked cabbage, nyama choma (roasted meat), beer and soda. The five of us were so busy the entire time I didn't really get a chance to see who all showed up, but those that were attending the party said everyone enjoyed. Due to my small fear of large groups paying attention to me, I had some wine set aside for me. Rose told me later that a few people asked what was in my water bottle and she told them it was dawa (medicine) for me only because I was so sad to be leaving. Actually, it was my liquid courage :). These guys are dancing and eating. Looks like they too had some liquid courage.I had an outfit made for the party, but unfortunately, didn't get a picture of just me in my outfit, but here is a picture of me and my pikipiki driver, Samuel. I am pretty sure if model recruiting occurred in Tanzania, he would be in GQ by now. Near sunset, the music was turned off and I was dragged out of the kitchen to face everyone. The mzee of the group announced to everyone that if anyone had any problems with me or if I had any problems with anyone there, it was time to tell them. Oh, and safari njema (safe journey). Then some ladies that work at the office came forward and presented me with some beautiful material. I am glad everyone had fun, but my favorite part of the day was talking about it with Rose when it was over. Here we are with the gardener who works at my house.It felt a little like working at a restaurant must feel before and during the dinner rush. I realized that only two people actually pulled me aside to say kwaheri. But that didn't bother me. I don't like saying kwaheri anyways and it is always awkward because I really don't know if I will see these people again. They could quit their jobs or I could not get a chance to come back for a visit for a long time. Enough about that. The point is, everyone enjoyed themselves and my emotions were dumbed down enough that nothing was really bothering me about having so many people in my "territory."
Thanksgiving in Tanzania
I went to the tourist camp for Thanksgiving dinner. It was such a treat and it almost makes my rather repetitive diet worth it to have the enjoyment of eating something different. There actually was turkey. I was very impressed. It was juicy and fat and yummy. There were about ten guests in camp and then the group of students, teachers, and camp staff which was a group of about 27. So, on the menu was turkey, spiced eggplant, salad with a very yummy dressing, green beans and carrots, cooked cabbage, and of course the staple rice and sauce. And of course the essential "this-is-a-treat-drink," Stoney Tangawizi (ginger beer). Here is my plate. 
It was my plan to take a picture of the yummy food before I chowed down, but I was distracted by the scrumptiousness awaiting me, and therefore, here is a picture about a quarter into the meal. I went back for seconds and I can honestly say it was the first time I have gorged myself in 7 months. I actually forgot what a 'I'm full' tummyache felt like. The ambiance at camp was very nice too. This is the chandelier 
and here is the bar. 
After dinner, we just sat and digested for a bit, much as people do in America. I was sitting near the edge of the deck-like hut and I was lucky enough to have a genet walk up and sit by my feet. Apparently they feed it at the camp. I was excited to see one so up close, as I am sure the rest of the guests have been. However, it wasn't so tame because as soon as it realized I was a person sitting, he scrambled back into the bush. They sure are cute though.
It was late when it was time to go home, but I wanted to look for an aardvark one more time, so after the students left in the cars, I took off on foot with my super mag-lite. Hamna muhanga. It was nice to have a walk in the dark after such a big dinner and in fact I remembered going on walks with my extended family after dinner when we used to all get together for Thanksgiving.
It was my plan to take a picture of the yummy food before I chowed down, but I was distracted by the scrumptiousness awaiting me, and therefore, here is a picture about a quarter into the meal. I went back for seconds and I can honestly say it was the first time I have gorged myself in 7 months. I actually forgot what a 'I'm full' tummyache felt like. The ambiance at camp was very nice too. This is the chandelier and here is the bar. After dinner, we just sat and digested for a bit, much as people do in America. I was sitting near the edge of the deck-like hut and I was lucky enough to have a genet walk up and sit by my feet. Apparently they feed it at the camp. I was excited to see one so up close, as I am sure the rest of the guests have been. However, it wasn't so tame because as soon as it realized I was a person sitting, he scrambled back into the bush. They sure are cute though.It was late when it was time to go home, but I wanted to look for an aardvark one more time, so after the students left in the cars, I took off on foot with my super mag-lite. Hamna muhanga. It was nice to have a walk in the dark after such a big dinner and in fact I remembered going on walks with my extended family after dinner when we used to all get together for Thanksgiving.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving guests
Some students arrived on Tuesday to camp in my backyard for two weeks! They are a study abroad group from Earlham College in Indiana. 
You can tell from the picture that the months spent alone have made me awfully aprehensive of approaching a crowd. I never liked it much before anyway. Luckily, I had met the teachers of this group back in July so they came over to say hi before I had to approach them. It has been nice to have people to talk to once again, but it is a little sad to think that I will not be alone again until I leave. They invited me to Thanksgiving dinner at the tourist camp in exchange for a lecture. I have never eaten there and always rushed when passing by because I feel out of place due to my grungy researcher appearance tainting the polished look of the camp.
You can tell from the picture that the months spent alone have made me awfully aprehensive of approaching a crowd. I never liked it much before anyway. Luckily, I had met the teachers of this group back in July so they came over to say hi before I had to approach them. It has been nice to have people to talk to once again, but it is a little sad to think that I will not be alone again until I leave. They invited me to Thanksgiving dinner at the tourist camp in exchange for a lecture. I have never eaten there and always rushed when passing by because I feel out of place due to my grungy researcher appearance tainting the polished look of the camp.
Curious monkeys
I was sitting at the tree house one day this week when I though I heard people coming up the stairs. I have been pretty good at picking up on vibrations from people approaching my “territory.” I think I looked carefully three times before I saw a fuzzy little man sitting on the railing of the treehouse. 
I was surprised at how close they got to me without really being habituated. 
Its strange that this is the first time they have visited so up close and personal. Perhaps they have finally gotten used to my presence in their “territory.” Of course, now I am leaving in 7 days. Here's one of his more colorful side. *wink*
I was surprised at how close they got to me without really being habituated. Its strange that this is the first time they have visited so up close and personal. Perhaps they have finally gotten used to my presence in their “territory.” Of course, now I am leaving in 7 days. Here's one of his more colorful side. *wink*
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