For the next 6 weeks I am based in the city of Arusha, located in the north eastern part of Tanzania, approx. 170 miles south of Nairobi, Kenya by road.
To say it hasn’t been a complete culture shock would be lying. Since disembarking my plane at Kilimajaro International Airport (picture a single building plonked in the middle of baron land at the base of two beautiful mountains, Mt Meru and Mt Kilimanjaro), I haven’t stopped being overwhelmed by one eye opening experience after another. The drive from the airport took about an hour, along a sealed road lined with everything ranging from corn fields, open paddocks, goats, cows, rabid stray dogs, Maasai and Meru tribal people,Msugu (white people), and intermittently dispersed small villages comprising shops tattooed in pepsi cola signage and houses that resemble something between a mud hut and a concrete building with a tin roof. I was collected by a lovely gentleman named Paulo, and his driver, Jason. Paulo waited for me outside the terminal with a handwritten sign, which put a lovely smile on my face after what had been two very long days of travelling to get here.
Before long we arrived at the homestay house in the suburb of Sakina. I was greeted with a warm hug from my host mama, Merylin, her husband, Talent, a daughter, Novian and two grandchildren, Nobete (8 years) and Jericho (2 years). Mama had prepared lunch for me, which I kindly obliged despite wanting nothing more than a long hot shower and a sleep.
My host family are simply stunning. Their hospitality and kindness is indescribable. It is hard to say exactly how many family members live in the house as there appears to be so many comings and goings I struggle to keep up. I can say though that Mama has an open door policy and welcomes everyone that wants to stay. She and her husband have seven children, Joanne (usually lives in South Africa), Catherine (usually lives in Dar es Salaam with Nobete who is orphaned), Thomas (Dar es Salaam), Noela, Novian(mother of Jericho) and Norman (all in Arusha) and Nora (deceased mother of Nobete). I have met all of them except Thomas.
Mama spends most of her days cooking and cleaning. The food she prepares is simple but most certainly sufficient, both in terms of its nutrition and quantity. Breakfast typically comprises “white bread” with peanut butter or jam, black tea (as milk is both expensive and impossible to keep fresh), and fruit. My allergy to bananas has never been so problematic as the staple fruit in Tanzania is the humble banana, but mama has kindly substituted this for oranges or papaya. I provide my own lunch when working in the hospital, and we eat dinner at around 8pm in the evening. Dinner always consists of rice and/or chapatti, meat and vegetables (sweet potato, peas, carrots, cabbage, kale and avocado). For good measure, the others throw a banana in the mix!
The biggest challenge in Arusha seems to be a reliable electricity connection. Power is typically cut for up to 20 hours of the day and my host family cannot afford a generator or solar power. A hot water cylinder hangs precariously from the toilet ceiling, but is simply a vessel for holding cold water. With no power the water never heats. Showers are cold and from a bucket and the flush toilet has no seat. I currently have a bedroom to myself, although should another volunteer arrive I will share with them. The house is situated within a large compound that is locked at night (for my own protection more than anything). I discovered last night there is a bar situated right next door that has generators, wide screen TVs that play football and delicious beer. Mama and Catherine both needed to charge their phones so we decided to head over there before dinner, and 5 beers later (kindly donated by other patrons as I was somewhat a celebrity) we stumbled back to the house at 10pm. At least I now know where I can charge my laptop, camera and phone should I need to.
The city of Arusha has a population of 400,000. It is elevated so enjoys a much cooler climate than coastal Dar es Salaam. That is if you can call 30 degrees cool?! It is currently the dry season, so dust is a big problem. While the main streets are tar sealed, the footpaths and side roads are not, so dust gets everywhere. It is completely impossible to avoid and you are resigned to the fact that after every venture out on to the street you will return completely coated in a layer of dust in places you never thought possible. Street vendors line every metre of available space, each and every one of them relying on the custom of others to survive. I really don’t see how many of them make any money as I am yet to see people stop and buy things. There are two or three large markets within the city, where most people buy their produce as they can barter for their goods. A large supermarket (Nukumat) is located in the Msugu area, which caters for the travellers and rich Tanzanian locals.
Public transport is an experience not to be missed. There are three options, all of which would scare even the most seasoned traveller. Pikipikiare motorcycles which you double on the back of but the driver is the only one that wears a helmet and the speeds at which many of them drive has visions of near death experience written all over it. That, and the fact that so many patients at St Elizabeth Hospital come in with Pikipiki related trauma. Oh, and there is apparently no road code so it’s a free for all. Honking the horn and weaving in and out of cars going in all directions is the only way to get to your destination. The second option is the Daladala. This is a minivan, with 10 or so seats, and anywhere in the region of 25-35 passengers. The driver and his assistant will not leave the side of the street until there are sufficient numbers of paying passengers. The assistant hangs from the window, yelling at potential passengers as the daladala screams along the over crowed streets, dodging pikipiki, people, street vendors and anything else that might get in its way. A single fare (unlimited distance) costs 400 Tanzanian Shillings (approx. 40c NZ) so is a suitable option for locals and budget travellers looking for a bit more excitement in their day. The third, and most reliable and safe option is a taxi. I’m yet to experience a taxi so can’t comment but I’m pleased to say I have survived both the pikipiki and daladala, although I don’t think I will be using the pikipiki again during my stay in Tanzania. Once is certainly enough for me!
