Monthly Archives: October 2012

Here’s an idea to disrupt higher learning in Dar es Salaam

October 24, 2012

Here’s an idea to disrupt higher learning in Dar es Salaam What do you think? I need feedback! I’m really interested in helping this take off if it’s a good idea. Key words: DVDs, small community theatres, free online courses, free entry. The main idea: Download and copy popular free online courses onto DVDs (e.g. https://www.coursera.org/courses) Persuade small theatres to play a lecture a day. Advertise and get students/anyone interested to come watch and learn. Free entry with small non-mandatory […]

Norms and spaces

October 19, 2012

It constantly surprises me how much social norms can change within different spaces. Every morning, I cross my fingers that I can jump on a dala dala with a seat, but almost full of people. Depending on where and how I catch the dala dala, it might take me anywhere from 20 min to 45 min to get to work. As with the red minibuses in Hong Kong, most dalas only leave the station with enough people on board. Every […]

Neighbours

October 18, 2012

Sky dark, moon bright, cool evening air brushing my face. I love the feeling of cruising home on a bajaji in the evening. The traffic minimal, the city pensive, the flickering lights mysterious. Daylight Dar wouldn’t have been able to recognize her twin sister. The bajaji slows down to cross an intersection near my apartment. Neat rows of bodies lay on the ground. Every time. A few weeks ago, I noticed while flying by that street corner on another bajaji. […]

Social Security

October 16, 2012

One phenomenon really jived with my perceived sense of professionalism when I first arrived in East Africa: almost every single person I knew from work had one or multiple side businesses. (Talk about entrepreneurship!) The lovely Mama is running a layer chicken business, selling eggs, and earning a tidy profit. The manager imports cars after work hours. The dada is involved in a pyramid scheme to sell products. The kaka offers delicious food in a catering business…Everyone, it seems, spends […]