The big guy: Mt. Kilamanjaro 

What a day! And what a trip it’s been, even though I am barely a week in. How to describe Tanzania? People are so lovely here. So many smiles and waves. I’ve only had one guy mutter “muzungu” when I passed (if you recall from my Congo blog, that means “whitey”). For the most part, people are lovely and welcoming; in fact, the first thing anyone ever says is “you’re welcome”. Literally, “you are welcome here.” And I certainly do feel welcome. It is just magical here. I can tell I’m close to the Serengeti—the birds are amazing!

Today after work my colleague and I went to a fabric shop to pick out some patterns that would look nice for a dress (this is becoming my fieldwork tradition, by the way; getting a dress made in the local fabric). Then the shop owner closed up his shop to take us to where we could find the best tailor in town. Really. Can you imagine that happening anywhere else?! When we got to the tailor, he asked me what kind of dress I wanted and when I couldn’t tell him, I looked around at the women in the market. There was this stunning young woman in a green dress that hugged every curve and had puffy sleeves. “That one,” I told him. And it was done. He took my measurements and then I have him my mum’s. He was like “you’re basically the same size, you and your mama. I can picture her in this dress.” What a lovely man. I think our dresses will be fabulous. Don’t worry, they won’t be made of the same fabric; that would be a bit much.

Oh, I wish I could talk specifically about the work, because it is so inspiring and fascinating. But I’ll have to be vague and just say that I have been so struck by people’s eagerness to learn and to teach others. There’s a real “we’re in this together” attitude that I’ve never encountered in any of the other countries I’ve worked in. They are thinking about their children and the future and the earth and it nearly brings tears to my eyes. It just usually isn’t that way with artisanal miners. Of course, coming from Congo, most mining will look pretty swell! I know, I know, I’m such a softie. But in this line of work, you so rarely hear positive stories. This project is a real pleasure.

I’m not sure when I’ll be able to post this until next week when I’m back in internet land. But I wanted to get this down while it was fresh in my mind.

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11 February 2015

I am just wrapping up the Tanzania portion of my trip (Kenya is next!) and wanted to take the opportunity to reflect a bit. Tanzania is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. The country is rich and mild…by which I mean, most of the the roads are tarmac, many people speak English, tourism is booming and the landscape is unreal. It’s really not that difficult to get around as a single white woman.

I’ve been fortunate enough to get to see a lot of the country: from Mwanza, the Rock City, see photo below; to Geita, the gold mining town, where everything costs twice as much as the rest of the country ; Moshi, a cute backpackers’ town at the base of Mt. Kilamanjaro and Arusha, the humanitarian capital of the nation. I’ve had long (and I mean long) car rides and short flights, many delays and lots and lots of hurry up and wait moments. People keep their own sort of time here and I’ve really had to slow down.

Mwanza 

It has been a bit of a surprise, what little I can accomplish in a day here. First, there is all the driving: everywhere we’ve had to go takes 1-2 hours by car, which is where, I reckon, I’ll have gotten the majority of my tan! Then we get there and often end up waiting for an hour before our meeting can start. Why is it like this? I’m not entirely certain; Congo was CERTAINLY not like this. Nynke and I were booked from 8am-6pm or later on most days and people showed up. Hm, it’s a bit ironic, as Congo supposed to be a failed state, no? Not to complain; the people who I’ve gotten to meet and speak to on this trip have been incredibly generous with their time and have given me insightful and helpful answers to my questions. I am really really excited about this project am actually looking forward to writing up my report.

There’s been so much time on my own on this trip, which was also an adjustment from my Congo trip, where Nynke and I carried out the mission together. Lots of time to think and daydream; listen to music and write. I don’t always enjoy this solitude, especially compared to my life at home that is packed full of loved ones. But it’s given me lots of time to reflect on how things are going at home. So, while this might be a bit of an overshare, I’m supremely grateful that I have this time  on my own, with no commitments or partner to keep me grounded. It’s not always easy to have to be this independent, but this lack of attachment has given me the opportunity to explore the world and widen my horizons, both personally and career-wise. I also have the most amazing group of friends all over North America and Europe who mean the world to me. I’m not sure I would manage that depth of friendship if I were tied down.

I guess I’m feeling a bit emotional today, being on the road and reading about that young woman from Arizona who died at the hands of ISIS. She was an explorer as well and she only wanted to be helpful in this world. It reminds me how vulnerable we all are and how precious this life is. Let’s be mindful of that, and look after each other.

Up next: giraffes, zebras, lions!!!