1 month in Africa

So today is the 1 month anniversary of coming here and I cant belive how fast time is flying. It seems like yesterday that we got in from Nairobi and had our fist Swahili lesson.... granted I didnt pay too much attention because i was nackered but that is beside the point. Life had been pretty easy to adjust to here seeing goats an chickens on the way to work now days is completely normal. My record for people on the Dallla Dalla is 27 people 9 chickens and 2 babies. It was quite cosy to say the least. My Swahili is slowly improving working at the plasterhouse you pick it up very quickly, I can understand people decently well now its just talking back is difficult so I make an effort to look at my Swahili book most nights. Our water is still tempermental so going to the pub to use the toilet is still a regular activity.School has been chaotic and my lessons get cancelled regularly due to school being re-decorated so things are kept interesting. I have been lucky I have not faced too many challenges the only real ones were when a teacher asked me why the Europeans made Africa poor and when someones me to explain 9/11 when they had never seen a skyscraper.

Tanzania is a very interesting country it is the most stable and peaceful in Africa and they are extremely proud people. I had a discussion with one of my teachers at my school about the real success stories of Africa  in terms of stability no necessecarily ecomonic growth. Tanzania, Ghana and Senegal after independance adapted socalist policies. In Tanzania under Julius Nyrerera, he implemented polices where " you where and Tanzanian first and your tribe second". As a result the country has no tribal conflicts unlike some of Tanzanias bordering countries like Kenya and Burundi. Ghana and Senegal are the same sort of deal.

South Africa seems to have a huge influence over Tanzania every morning at school they sing the national anthem and it sounds the exact same and Nkosi Sikilele Africa, the South African national anthem and is even sang to the same tune. The only supermarket is Arusha is a South African one. People here idealise South Africa economic growth but at the same time they know its very messed up and has alot of problems. One thing I learnt from one of the teachers is that Tanzania is very wealthy in natural resources, they have Tanzanite, Oil, Copper, Diamonds so the country has a lot of potential to be an African economic power house. The country is already a big military power and gives a lot of funding to the East African Union.

I really like my life here a lot and I find it very satisfying I get up early go to teach go to the Plasterhouse and have a bit of a routine here where I circulated between children who are stuck in beds, playing with the little ones and giving them a fair amount of cuddle time a day. Then coming home walking past cows, goats and trying to avoid stepping on a chicken, having conversations with the locals trying local food. My new favorite snack is Cassava and Chilli Sauce. Then coming home and going to sleep or sometimes going for a beer at a local pub.

This weekend we are going hiking around the waterfalls near bye so that will be fun. Euro 2012 has started and so its everywhere the country is also football crazy so things remain as lively as ever.

Anna