“Sisi kwa sisi” literally translates as “us for us.” But it actually means amongst us. For some reason I really love this word. I learnt this because it’s the name of one of the mtaa (pl: mitaa) or sub-wards (smallest government level).
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.”
– E.F.Schumacher
My favourite weekend afternoons are still those with interesting conversations that effortlessly jump from topic to topic, a delicious home cooked meal, and laughter. I find you can have conversations like these anywhere in the world. It makes me feel at home.
Yesterday was the American Thanksgiving. My American roommate and friends decided to put on a huge thanksgiving dinner. It was amazing. The food was so good and the atmosphere just ‘homey.’ We went around the table to say what we were thankful for. (I had never done this before; my family doesn’t celebrate thanksgiving – my mind actually went blank for a while) Tears almost started coming up (well, this isn’t a hard feat for me, but still I was touched).
So here’s what I’m thankful for right now.
It’s a good tradition, eh? At least once a year, we need to really sit down and think about what we’re grateful for in life. We don’t live life on a deserted island. We are where and who we are, because of everything we can be thankful for around us.
That a higher up force is on our side?
That’s what’s been happening a lot during the process of legitimizing urban agriculture (part of my job) here in Dar. As I’ve explained before, I work a lot with government officials. Sometimes, it’s frustrating, but sometimes you just feel like everything is happening to help us get our jobs done.
Today was such a day.
First I must explain, though. Currently, we’re asking each municipality (there are three) to write a strategic document to legitimize urban agriculture for submission to the Dar es Salaam Master Plan (in the process). So far, this is what we’ve done:
So far, that’s how much we’ve done. Still long process, but in good time. Anyways, today…
So we set up a meeting between the town planning and agriculture departments in one of the municipalities. Town planning departments are generally perceived to be high up and agriculture people never really talk to them. So that’s why I have to set up these meetings (yes yes yes, as a foreigner, people pick up the phone when I call and don’t just brush me off). This was an important meeting, and I had already stressed that the ag. department should be on time and that they should bring enough copies of the document so we can go over it.
The time comes. The town planner is already waiting. No sign of ag people. Shoot.
I had just confirmed 30 minutes ago that they were coming….so I phoned again. “We’re coming. But there’s no electricity so we couldn’t print the document.” My supervisor and I look at each other. Ahhh!!!
We make small talk with the town planner. Then he notifies us that he has to leave for a meeting soon, that’s why he told us we can’t be late. He seems pissed.
So I send a text. “We’re on our way.” No idea when they’ll arrive. That sentence can mean anything from 5 minutes to 2 hours.
No choice. I take out my computer and try to print the previous draft we had (very bad draft). The USB stick doesn’t work with the desktop in the office.
The ag. people walk in. Thank goodness. But the town planner has to leave.
Luck number one. The town planner suggests that we can meet in the afternoon when he comes back (it’s actually very nice of him to say that. Most people would probably just say come back another day).
Fine, it’s going to take up our whole day (and both my supervisor and I have tons on our plate), but at least we’ll get the meeting done. So we try to print the updated document. The print takes 5 minutes to print one page when there are photos.
Luck number two. The town planner walks back in. The meeting he had with the district commissioner was cancelled (!).
So we print the document and start the discussion.
Luck number three. The town planner was quite receptive of the proposal. And gave very good feedback.
Luck number four. The head of the agriculture department is in Scotland. Let me explain. The head of the ag. department in this municipality is an elderly man who is super enthusiastic about urban agriculture but has this view that the town planners are always enemies (they have been in the past, UA hasn’t really been accepted as a legitimate land use – hence my job). So he’s always defensive. But today he’s not here, and the rest of the ag. department actually has a good dialogue with this town planner. hurrah!
Four lucky breaks. Do you still call that lucky? Or is it more than a coincidence? :)
Days like this just make me love my job. The meeting went so well, I’m just ecstatic.
But 2 down, 1 to go. This last one is going to be tricky. I just know it. But maybe luck will be on our side again.
Big meeting this morning.
One of the trainers from the urban agriculture training week (goodness, that was more than a month ago) finally came with her report for the training (I’ve been calling and texting for 3 weeks now).
I was so excited to see her at this meeting and to get the report that I completely forgot to think. Oops. I just handed her the money in front of everyone after the meeting.
Shit.
My supervisor calls me aside. “What are you doing!? Now everyone is going to think that we paid her for coming to the meeting.”
agggggggggggggggggg……………………………………..
…sigh….just another day of learning local work customs.