Zik's Moshi

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Today our whole group went to Moshi for the day. Moshi is a the next largest city to Arusha about 2 hours from Tengeru. The difference between Arusha and Moshi is apparent when as you drive in. Moshi won the award last year for the cleanest city in Tanzania and you can tell. You rarely see trash and plastic laying around on the side of the street. Traffic violators are required to clean the streets to make up for their violation. It would be nice if other cities could learn from Moshi and adopt this practice.

Zik, one of our program directors, is originally from Moshi and a part of the Chagga tribe so he showed us around so we could see a traditional Chagga home and the caves that they would retreat to when other tribes would come in for raids (or something like that). A Chagga house is basically a small thatched hut and probably about the size of a typical bedroom in the US. Zik said the house we visited was about the same size and set up inside as the one he lived in until he was 10 years old. I just sat inside this dark, smoky hut, with animals inside and a dirt floor and imagined my 10 year old nice Taylor living here for the first part of her life, doing her homework by candlelight as Zik said he did. Amazing.

We also took a little hike to the Ngoro Falls, a small waterfall in town where I also managed to pick up mosquito bite number two. Big one right on my hand. They say the malaria mosquitoes only come in around at dawn and dusk, so I’m hoping for the best. Another highlight of Moshi and the Chagga history are the caves they used to hide in, with their livestock. After crawling in the cave I’m trying to figure out exactly how they got them all in there. The cave is TINY. Bats now live in there . . . good times.

We ended our day at a man’s home who makes Batik, African artwork made on cloth with wax and paint. The owner’s daughter, Suma, was the highlight of this part of the trip. She is definitely used to Mzungus coming by and “turns it on” when we arrive. I wish I could have scooped her up and taken her with me. When you see the pictures, I’m sure you can see why.

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Photos

The Magnificent Baobao Tree
These trees are HUGE!

Chagga Caves
They used hide from raids of other tribes in caves near the hills.

Chagga Cave Entrance
Used for tourists now.

At the Caves
Local boy checking out the Mzungu tourists at the cave.

Chagga Caves Inside
There's bats in there!

Ndoro Water Falls
With that smile, I would follow Bariki anywhere.

Waterfalls
Elimo, Peter, Me and Bariki. Always fun whether it's dropping me off at placement or hiking to waterfalls.

That's the Whole House
Sharing with your whole family AND your livestock.

Zik in front of a Chagga House
He lived in a house very similar to this with his family until he was 10 years old.

Inside Chagga House
They live with their livestock inside the house.

Suma
The cutest girl . . . her eyes say it all.

Posture Envy
I can walk with 1 book on my head, does that count?

My First View of Kilimanjaro
You can see it, right???