Sophie in Africa

Safari

Kategori: Tanzania

I am writing this blogpost after one of the most amazing weekends ever. It was so much fun and I loved every second of it. I loved to see white people again and to talk to them in a western way (africans think completely different, it is nor the same thing). I loved to see all the animals in the national parks and to have this safari experience that is completely uniqe. I had a really good guide, he knew all the names of every little bird and knew a lot of facts about the mammals. We also had a great cook, I ate so much food. I was getting pretty tired of the food at my host family so it felt very nice to taste something different again. I also liked to go camping again, even though it rained the first night and my things got wet.
 
So, what did I see? Most of the big mammals like elephants, lions, hippos, guiraffs, zebras, buffalos... and also many birds, both small and big like flamingos, and many monkeys. To mention some. I saw more animals, but I think you understand. To see them in their natural habitat was amazing, sometimes they were far away and sometimes close. Since these are wild animals you never know where they are, so you drive around and hope you will see something different. Of course the guides know where to look, but you cannot be sure. Still, it did not feel so much like Africa. I think because there were tourists everywhere and not so many africans.
 
There is one thing though that makes me sad. In some of the national parks, the guide told us, there is a big problem with poachers. I realy did not think that, not in these very big and touristy parks. I asked if tourism helps to stop it, but he said not so much because there is a lot of corruption so it is very hard to stop. I feel sad that there are so many tourists looking at the animals (there was car by car by car... busy time of the year now) but that no one is stopping the poaching. Why not charge a little more and help the rangers? Or anything else to protect the animals.
 
This felt like a really good way to end the year. Soon 2012 will be over, and I can only wish you a happy new year. May you have a very good time and enjoy it.
 
And yes, I have to tell you about a little change I made. I am coming home two weeks earlier than originally planned. It just suits me better. Otherwise everything is the same.
 
See you in 2013!

Christmas in Africa

Kategori: Tanzania

It is funny, of all the volunteer blog's I've read no one has ever written about chrstmas and new year. Why? Of course I'm gonna tell you how my christmas was! Firstly, I never really got in the Christmas-mood here, and not mainly because of the weather. No decorations, no songs, no stories, no candy, nothing. Not even the sunday services are different. Also, christmas here is celebrated on the 25th so the 24th is just like a normal day. But my day turned out to be not normal at all, since we had a visitor coming. A friend of Emmanuel's from Arusha had a visitor, a girl from France, and they came on the 24th for a couple of hours to visit the centre and see the kids. We ran around in Namanga collecting kids (since it is holiday) to come to school and then sat there and waited for them. This was the first white person I talked to in Tanzania which felt pretty strange. She also had some gifts with her which I hope we can usenext term in a good way. Anything to develop the school! One thing more, the man from Arusha was a safariguide and I told him about the one I booked. He then said that I was really lucky to get such a cheap safari with a good company. Of course I was pleased to hear that.
 
Then, on the 25th, of couse we firstly went to church. I had to present myself in fromt of everyony which was a little weir since I have been here for some weeks now. They had a little decoration in church but not much. And also, during the day, I noticed that christmas is not a big celebration. People might wear better clothes, but they eat kind of the same food and act pretty like normal. We had made a cake the evening before (they can make cakes without ovens!) and ate that on christmas day with some visitors. I also was at a christening for some kids at the school. There mum is a single parent so that's wy they got christend so late, the church sometimes has some problems with that. That made me so angry to hear.
 
So, conclusion: my christmas was pretty boring. In a way it was nice not to feel the stress and not have to hear the same christmas songs that I know by heart anyway, but it felt strange kind of not to celebrate christmas for one year. I think I will enjoy it even more next year instead.

I am dreaming of a white Christmas

Kategori: Tanzania

So much to write about - where to start?
 
Let's begin with last friday, the 14th. (Over a week ago, I know). That was Noella's, my host sister's, birthday. She turned seven. The funny thing was, I didn't even know it until lunch. That gave me a little chock, maybe because I'm used to birthdays being almost holy in the western world. In Africa, many people don't even know exactly when they are born. And they can definitely not afford to have any party. In the evenig though we did a small celebration. We sang happy birtday about a hundred times and her parents also had bought a little cake (no gifts). Everyone got a small piece of it and Noella enjoyed the attention. She is very sweet but a little drama queen.
 
Then on sunday, the 16th, there was a very speciel day. Confirmation day! Since christianity is big here (not really as big as in Rwanda luckily, but still) confirmation is a big deal. All girls dress in white princess-clothes and the boys wear suits. The service was four (!) hours long. Normally it is two, which also is not short, but four was really just too much. Yes, I enjoyed the singing and dancing, but still. Anyway, after that it was time to go to the private celebrations. We had five on our program but only managed to go to three of them. I felt like I was back in Rwanda, where we visited so many places and got a mountain of food everywhere. This community-feeling is something I miss in Europe. The whole community helps each other and everyone is welcome. The word for "visitor" is in east Africa actually the same word as for "guest". They also greet each other saying father, mother, sister, grandmother... I actually like it when someone says "how are you sister" to me instead of just going by.
 
On wednesday I was in Arusha again doing some Christmas shopping. Emmanuel went with me again, he also had some buisness to do there. It was nice to be back, but it is not my favourite city. Big and crowded and always on the run. This was my second time there and I feel like I understand it more now. Next time I will go by myself.
 
Yesterday we closed down the school, now I have two weeks of completely free time before next term start. I will try to keep my time busy. Next week is the safari, I am so excited now.
 
Oh, and last time I forgot to tell you something about my room. I am not completely alone, I have some small frians - ants! Yes, I have an ants nest in my room. But it sounds worse than it feels, they don't disturb me so much. I am getting used to my little roommates. In all, there are a lot more insects here. Once I discovered ants in the pot of sugar, and in Rwanda I had a cockrach in my bed. Just to accept it.

My new home

Kategori: Tanzania

I think it is time I tell a little more about where I live now.
 
The house and the family: I live in a host family, and my host is Emmanuel who started the school. The other members of his family are his wife Mary, and the kids Meshak (9) and Noella (7). The house looks not like an ordinary house, it is four lenghts of houses that go together in a rectangle with a space in between. There are many people living here, I think six different familys. Around this small open space there are many doors, and behind the doors the people live. I have not yet figured out who belongs to which family and who sleeps where. For example, there are two women here who cook the food, so it is not my host mother that is cooking. There are also more kids living here. The most important thing though is that they are all very nice and greet me and each other. They all seem very happy to have me here.
 
My room: I have a room of my own and a key so I acn lock it. Inside I have two wooden armchairs wth cushions, two stools, a table and a bed. There is no electricity here, but I have a small solar panel with a bulb and a battery to give me light in the evening. Otherwise there is no electicity, also the food is prepared without it. It is actually okay, it doesn't bother me. I am here to discover Tanzanian life, which I am doing every day!
 

Being sick in Africa, last day of school and first time in Arusha

Kategori: Tanzania

Today I've been away for a month, but it feels more like three. Ah, I'm beginning to realize now what a long time six months really is..!
 
Last week I was sick for a couple of days. Nothing serious, just like you can get sick at home as well. It was just very annoying since I don't get sick very often. Why here? I hope it doesn't happen again! Being sick really stopped my appetite which concerned my host family a lot. They eat so much here, and especially they want their guests to eat. Normally you get a big plate of the main dish, a small plate with some vegetables, maybe another small plate with something, a plate of fruit, tea and water. Gah. I really believe I'm gonna gain some weight here.
 
On November 30 was the last day of school here in Tanzania. Short introduction to the school system:
1:st term early January - end of March
April holiday
2:nd term early May - end July
August holiday
3:rd term early September - end November
December holiday
So right now it is holiday, but we are still busy, some youth (from other schools) come in their holiday because they want to continue their studies.
 
Last day of term was not an ordinary school day. Some of the parents and some community people came for a meeting with the teachers and the kids played and got porridge to eat (made of maize of course, they eat maize all the time here). The was also a little incident with a turtoise. Some of the kids found a turtoise (here! I had no idea they could live in these conditions). They treated it really badly, like poked it and lifted it up all the time. It upset me a lot, and I think that amused them so they just kept going. In the end, when they weren't looking, I hid that poor animal. Kids can be really cruel sometimes.
 
On monday I got really excited because it was time for my first trip to Arusha. I was very happy that Emmanuel (my host and head of the centre) went with me, because I really didn't want to go alone the first time. We left early in the morning and the bus trip took about 1,5 hours. The nature chamged on the way, Namanga is pretty dry and dusty and Arusha is much greener with banana trees and some palm trees as well. Arusha is a really busy city..! There are people everywhere, cars and animals and it is very dirty. We walked around and he showed me some of the most inportant buildings, shops and the city-centre. We also went in to the main market, and I can tell you, it is not something for quesy stomachs. That smell! A very mixed smell of dried fish, vegetebles, fruits, meat... you get it. Wasn't very pleasant. I also bought a map (very useful! though very touristy), and after a while we parted and I went round alone. That was fine, I just didn't want to be alone in the early stage. I was mainly in the city-centre looking at shops and gathering information. There are really many tourists in Arusha, and maybe because of that some of the africans get really annoying. They want you to go with their taxi, come into their shop or giude you the way.. Especielly if you go alone you feel a little vulnrebale. If they came to close I just went into a shop and they left. It also helped to be in a hurry all the time, because them they had no opportunity to stop you. You learn the tricks quickly!
 
I also did something I hadn't thought I would do this early, but what I am very excited about. I booked a Safari! Yes! You can't leave Tanzania without have been on a Safari. I wanted to look at some alternatives, but I actually booked one. Three days, three national parks (Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro)  and living on a campsite. You never now if the organizer is good, but they seemed legit and I think they are okay. But best of all, since I am alone here I really didn't want to go on a Safari alone. But this is a "shared-safari" which feels very nice. The others that have booked it already are Germans... why am I not surprised. This will cost me 450 USD, which of course is not cheap but no Safaris are cheap here and I really belive I got something good for that price. December 28-30, I can't wait!
 
The bus trip back to Namanga was pretty funny. I sat squeezed in a mini-bus with 25 other people for the long journey back. It was not very comfortable, and definitely not safe, but, it is all added to my african experience! On the whole, this day made me realize that I am happy to live in Namanga rather than in a big town. It is much safer. For example, I would for general safety reasons not go outside alone in the dark, but in namanga I can do it and don't feel unsafe. In Arusha I would definitely not do it. Namanga has everything I need, so Arusha is just a bonus. I can't go every week though because it is pretty expensive, but every now and then it is nice to see something else.