The best of the best
1. The people. Generally, I have found people to be incredibly friendly and helpful. For instance, the other day I was trying to get through the unseemly crush of people that besets the door of the dalladalla the minute it reaches its final destination. I was having a hard time getting off. This tiny, Tanzanian woman came to my rescue. She pushed people out of the way and then pulled me through the crowd before walking off with a smile and a wave. It made my day. I have found that this lady is representative of the approach to life taken by most Tanzanians.
2. The food. I have an unswerving love of chapattis, which make a great breakfast. Also up there are the various fried goodies, like egg chop (a boiled egg coated in .5” mince meat and deep fried), that are available from the ubiquitous Indian tea shops scattered throughout downtown Dar. And then there’s the meat, the fish and the fruit...
3. The other people. The other people refers to our wazungu friends. The other young, ex-pats who are hoping to do something in Tanzania and want to have fun in the process. Cristiano and I have been extremely lucky to meet a great bunch of people who will lend us a cup of sugar, a smile or a shoulder to cry on depending on the situation. I’m cutting myself off there before I get too soppy.
4. The beach. I know, it is kind of shallow choice, but how can I not mention it. The beaches here have all pretty much been of the tropical paradise variety. It doesn't hurt that we are a skip and a jump away from Zanzibar.
5. Maggie, our maid. I suspect this is not a particularly politically correct choice, but nonetheless. The original motivation for hiring Maggie was laundry. We do not have access to a washing machine and the prospect of doing hand washing for seven months was a powerful incentive. Maggie is great. She keeps everything in ship-shape order and shows us how to cope when things go awry, like when there is no water. We have been spoilt by Maggie who has made it infinitely easier to live in and adapt to Dar.
...and the rest
1. The lack of running water. I find the somewhat unpredictable lapses in running water and electricity incredibly frustrating. As there is always the expectation that the amenity will return shortly, we don’t have the infrastructure, like gas stoves and big containers for water, to deal with long term lapses. Having said that, after the water issues of December and January, we have started to store larger quantities of water in the house.
2. The heat. It is hot in Dar, like 40 degrees hot. We are lucky we arrived in Dar at the tail end of winter, as it gave our bodies a fighting chance to adapt to the heat. From August to November, I embraced the heat and the perfectly sunny days. However, in December and January, the height of summer, the heat has become oppressive. When I wake up in the morning, I am sweating and this sets the precedent for the day. On the positive side, it has given me the excuse to get a little, white hankie to dab my face. I feel very Tanzanian.
3. The dalladallas. The dalladallas are a blessing and a curse. It is incredibly cheap to get around on dalladallas and they seem to run at all hours. However, the dalladallas invariably look like they have two wheels in the grave and are packed to an almost exploding point with people. There is always room for one more person on a dalladalla.
4. The different work culture. Coming from a large, corporate law firm, I found it challenging at times to adjust to a more laid back environment where time is sometimes frittered away and deadlines aren’t really deadlines. Being an A-type personality, I like to get things done as efficiently as possible. However, in Tanzania, the most efficient way is not always the best way, as it may cause you to miss out important relationship-building opportunities. It took me a while to discover the differences between the Canadian and Tanzanian work cultures, and it took me a little longer after that to figure out how to work with the two different cultures.
5. My laptop being stolen. My laptop being stolen was a bugger and it was not helped by the complete inaction of the police, our landlord, and our security guards.
3. The other people. The other people refers to our wazungu friends. The other young, ex-pats who are hoping to do something in Tanzania and want to have fun in the process. Cristiano and I have been extremely lucky to meet a great bunch of people who will lend us a cup of sugar, a smile or a shoulder to cry on depending on the situation. I’m cutting myself off there before I get too soppy.
4. The beach. I know, it is kind of shallow choice, but how can I not mention it. The beaches here have all pretty much been of the tropical paradise variety. It doesn't hurt that we are a skip and a jump away from Zanzibar.
5. Maggie, our maid. I suspect this is not a particularly politically correct choice, but nonetheless. The original motivation for hiring Maggie was laundry. We do not have access to a washing machine and the prospect of doing hand washing for seven months was a powerful incentive. Maggie is great. She keeps everything in ship-shape order and shows us how to cope when things go awry, like when there is no water. We have been spoilt by Maggie who has made it infinitely easier to live in and adapt to Dar.
...and the rest
1. The lack of running water. I find the somewhat unpredictable lapses in running water and electricity incredibly frustrating. As there is always the expectation that the amenity will return shortly, we don’t have the infrastructure, like gas stoves and big containers for water, to deal with long term lapses. Having said that, after the water issues of December and January, we have started to store larger quantities of water in the house.
2. The heat. It is hot in Dar, like 40 degrees hot. We are lucky we arrived in Dar at the tail end of winter, as it gave our bodies a fighting chance to adapt to the heat. From August to November, I embraced the heat and the perfectly sunny days. However, in December and January, the height of summer, the heat has become oppressive. When I wake up in the morning, I am sweating and this sets the precedent for the day. On the positive side, it has given me the excuse to get a little, white hankie to dab my face. I feel very Tanzanian.
3. The dalladallas. The dalladallas are a blessing and a curse. It is incredibly cheap to get around on dalladallas and they seem to run at all hours. However, the dalladallas invariably look like they have two wheels in the grave and are packed to an almost exploding point with people. There is always room for one more person on a dalladalla.
4. The different work culture. Coming from a large, corporate law firm, I found it challenging at times to adjust to a more laid back environment where time is sometimes frittered away and deadlines aren’t really deadlines. Being an A-type personality, I like to get things done as efficiently as possible. However, in Tanzania, the most efficient way is not always the best way, as it may cause you to miss out important relationship-building opportunities. It took me a while to discover the differences between the Canadian and Tanzanian work cultures, and it took me a little longer after that to figure out how to work with the two different cultures.
5. My laptop being stolen. My laptop being stolen was a bugger and it was not helped by the complete inaction of the police, our landlord, and our security guards.
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