Things I've Heard And Seen Here

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Below are some things I have witnessed with my own eyes, heard with my own ears, and have experienced all in the name of international travel. Some are silly, some might disgust you, and some will make you think how the world you live in is so different than the one I have the privilege to be a part of for the next little while. I hope none of these deter you from thinking of visiting me…..


The first song I heard on the radio, after arriving in Tanzania, was “My Heart Will Go On” (the theme
from Titanic), by Celine Dion.

That woman is everywhere!!! While I am not a huge fan of Celine, I will admit that it was kind of nice to hear a voice from home. They love her here. In fact, one of the women in my office has her cell phone programmed so that when her husband calls, the ringtone is a Celine song. If you ask me, he calls her far too often during the work day.

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Waking up at 630AM every morning is something new to me after all those months not working at home, but I do it happily and I get on with my day. I have always been one who wakes up happy.

Anyway, one morning after showering and getting dressed, I was standing in the kitchen making toast with peanut butter and having yogurt. This is a routine I do every day and that morning didn’t seem to be any different. I glanced out the window, which overlooks the neighbour’s roof (made of sheet metal) and I couldn’t believe my eyes… There were two big crows fighting over the carcass of a dead rat. Trust me, I know what a mouse looks like, and this was no mouse.

I watched for awhile. I finished my breakfast. I brushed my teeth and went to work.

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Walking hand in hand is not a new thing. In North America, men and women have walked down the street holding hands for centuries. No one seems to care or notice. These days, it is even common to see same sex couples hold hands in areas and cities where they feel safe.

Here is Tanzania, it’s common to see two grown men walking down the street holding hands. It is nothing more than two straight friends walking down the street holding hands. The first time I saw this, I did a doubletake. You would never see this at home.

Public displays of affection between men and women don’t happen in Tanzania. If a woman is expecting, you don’t ask her when she's due, unless you know her very well. You would never dream of putting your hand on her stomach.

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I attended a meeting at work the other day. A spokesperson from UNICEF was in to give us results of a study they had conducted. The study was on Gender Based Violence.

According to UNICEF, more than 60% of women and 50% of men surveyed condone physical violence against the woman if she a) goes out without the man's permission, b)if she talks back to him, c)mismanages the family funds, or d) burns the food.

As you can see, there is plenty of work still to be done to bring equality to the sexes here.

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The neighbourhood around my compound is full of music, laughter, and conversation at night. Often we hear Tanzanian music being played on stereos. There is a lively feeling to the area. The other night, I was taking the garbage out and the neighbourhood was eerily quiet. Suddenly over the wall, I heard a familiar voice singing in the distance. Someone was playing Kenny Chesney quite loud. Who knew country music has made it to Africa?

My room-mate thinks I am making this one up. I am not. I know Kenny Chesney’s warble when I hear it. That was a strange moment. American country music is the last thing in the world you expect to hear in Tanzania.

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The city of Dar es Salaam does not really have a system to dispose of their garbage. I have only seen one city garbage can in my travels. That being said, it is common to see people burning their garbage in the street or at the side of the road. People sweep up the garbage and light it on fire… food remnants, plastic bottles, glass jars, styrofoam, whatever they don’t want or need.

When we fill the garbage bag in the kitchen, we take it out to the back of the compound and put it in a barrel. When the barrel is full, the security guards burn it. Nothing smells nicer than garbage day at our house!
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