Hello
there,
My
feet have landed again on Tanzanian soil and the hot sun that beats
down on East Africa kindly rested as a way of welcome.
As
the plane landed in Dar es Salaam the rains came down. Our taxi
driver maneuvered us around potholes of water and flooded roads until
we arrived at the JV house in Dar when the rain ceased at last. I
did my best to navigate the unkept road while balancing my backpack
on my back and another volunteer's plastic tub of clothes in my arms,
all the while looking down at the simple Tom's shoes on my feet as
they side-stepped pools of water and mud pits. If you are not
familiar with Tom's shoes, you only need to know that they are less
than ideal in wet conditions and there is no better way to break in a
new pair than by soaking them completely.
The
morning after arriving in Dar we took a bus for Dodoma. The breezy
ride was accommodating for sleep and the occasional bump in the road
reminded me to take a look outside to see the landscape change from
the green, humid city of Dar to the brown, desert landscapes of
Tanzania. Then, at last, Dodoma!
Many
people here call the city of Dodoma the Shamba (farm)
because it is a quiet city that stretches out close to villages.
Methods of agriculture are known by many and few buildings rise above
three floors. Compared to Arusha the streets are calm, the people
more genteel and very few other Wazungu (people
of European or North American descent) wander about. A short bike
ride takes me out of the city completely and onto a dirt road that
passes homes, rich and poor alike, in neighboring villages. Cacti
and Christmas trees give shade to the roads near our house while
roosters, goats and playing neighbor children are the background
music for each day. In the heart of the city is the marketplace.
Wooden stalls and a tin roof shelter the core of the market and the
sacks of grains and rows of produce that lie within. This maze
eventually leads you outside again, to the street lined with stands
where kitchen supplies, fabrics, shoes, household cleaners, and
nearly anything else that you need can be found. Beyond the market
are business buildings, banks, cell phone stores, a post office,
photo shops, restaurants, churches, and schools. The city is growing
quickly and construction abounds throughout: newly paved roads; the
building of a two-story, state-of the art medical center; even a stop
light was sighted at one intersection. The daladala is
perhaps the most common means of transport. These twelve-passenger
vans are often crowded with twenty, stopping frequently to drop off
and pick up more passengers. Motorcycle taxis are probably the
fastest way to navigate through the city and bicycles are common for
personal use. Car taxis are also available and useful when loaded
down with luggage. Walking is a great way to greet others and be
welcomed into the new area. During the day the sun is hot, blazing
down on the skin and blinding the eye that dares to look up. But,
our arrival must be blessed with good luck because the rains have
followed us from Dar to Dodoma and during the first evening here the
rains came (the first since March) and nearly every evening since a
cool downpour settles the dust, pollen and heat of the day.
And
so, with the help of my community mates, bug spray, and sunscreen, I am slowly making a
home and adjusting to life in Dodoma.
In
peace,
MLS
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| Our humble abode. |
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| A front porch view of the first downpour of the rainy season. |
