Nane Nane!

8/5/07

Man-o-man am I sore today! I woke up early as usual, around 7:00 a.m., which I found out is called 1:00 in the morning here. I grabbed breakfast and went to the church here on campus. The whole sermon was in Kiswahili and I could not understand. I mainly went just to hear them sing. They locals are incredible singers their voices can harmonize beautifully; I have never seen anything like it. I am glad it is Sunday because I am able to rest.

8/7/07
Wow! I just realized I’ve been gone for two weeks. Two weeks, that’s the rule my best friend and I made in 6th grade for when we dated guys; we had to give them two weeks we before we broke it off. Back then if we didn’t really like them that seemed like years of misery; what a silly rule!

Now, two weeks seems like a blink of an eye and 3 months seems two short to really get to know the Tanzanian culture. Things here have begun to seem normal and routine. Life is simple I wake-up at seven and go to bed at eleven. I go to class, eat, drink, take a nap, and check my email. I find great pleasure in the unexpected during the day.

Like Monday, I spent my afternoon walking with Sister Lalita around the campus. She taught Lacy and I the rosary. As she was repeating Hail Mary full of grace…a small dog began barking at us. Usually at home I would not think anything of this, but I kept hearing my infectious disease doctor’s warning about Rabbis. During these few minutes I heard barking from the dog, my doctor’s words of wisdom, and what I thought to be Hail Mary’s most foreshadowing line at the time, “pray for us sinners, now at the hour of our death.” I kept thinking this is it, rabbis…should have got the shot…thank God I am with a nun (as I am basically pushing her to hide behind her). Then the most humorous thing happened, the sister said to the dog, “go back to your commune we’re on a public road,” with the most faithful, fearless, Indian accent and the dog left. It’s moments like this that I find simple humor and irony.

At this moment I am listening to the sound of a crowd cheering. I am not sure how close it is, but I am told it is from the nane nane celebration. The nights are so quiet her that it could be miles away. I am very excited about nane nane. It will be my first time in town and my first meal away from the school. Listening to the crowd I am wondering what this farmer’s festival will be like. Most of the farmers I know or have seen are from Georgia or Alabama. They have the stereotype of overalls, southern drawls, a lip full of skoal and a bottle of whiskey. Will it be like Talladega? I can handle that as long as there are no Auburn fans!



8/8/07 NANE NANE!!!!

Finally nane nane, the day everyone has been talking about! This day started out like the last class before spring break. I could not concentrate, it was a holiday and I could feel the excitement around the campus. I could hardly pronounce any Kiswahili words. My favorite mistake was trying to say “…Kunywa Kahawa” (drink coffee) instead I said “…Kunya Kahawa.” After my walimu (teacher) stopped laughing she informed me that translated I said “I poop coffee.” How embarrassing, but at least I know a funny word now!

Nane Nane was quiet the experience. When we got there it was not too crowded. We looked at shops, learned about making tea, and observed many animals. I got to see flamingos, pelicans, hyenas, porcupine, a wild cat, snakes and huge turtles. The was a baby baboon there, he held my hand almost as if he was saying muzungu (white girl) get me out of the cage this sucks. I felt so bad for him I had to leave, but being able to hold hands with a baboon is an experience I will never forget.

We ate lunch outside on plastic chairs without a table. The waiter took our drink order and never brought us anything. When we went to order food they were out of chips (fries) and cucu (chicken), but then all the sudden five plates of chicken appeared. I ate the chicken and picked around the random feathers still attached. At that point we were so hungry it didn’t matter, and washed it all down with my Coca-Cola Classic!

The most memorable part about the day was of course the people. I was most fascinated watching women put babies on there back and hold them up with a cloth tied around them. I loved how the little children would stare at us as if they had never seen a white person, point like we were exotic zoo animals saying “muzungu,” and touch us to make sure we were real.

I watched the police drag a man out of an exhibit because he was steeling. They took him out as if he was a drunk being carried out of a bar in Tuscaloosa. Then soon after seeing 30 people gathered around the cops wanting to beat him up. Samson, our local who was accompanying us, said that when crimes are committed here if the cops are not around to take them to jail, the locals will sometimes beat them to death. Citizens arrest? What a different justice system!

Walking back to the car I took in all the commotion, as well as the clouds of red dust in the air. I’ve never been in dust like this; it got in my eyes, nose, lungs, mouths, and all over my skin but this didn’t stop the crowd. I watched as thousands of people gathered to buy and sell old clothes, toys, and house ware that probably come from the western world. I watched mobs of people try to sneak in when ever cars would go in or out of the gate. All the while thinking despite all this I really enjoyed experiencing this Morogoro version of a county fair!