Yesterday, as a group, we took a bus to the other end of Unguja island (about 60 km away, I believe) and stopped along the way to see seaweed farms, boat building, the fish markets, a sea turtle sanctuary, and a few other places. We passed through lots of villages, all very different- where the huts were made of bright red mud, white coral and lyme, palm-thatched roofs, or homemade cement blocks. As we were driving, though, I realized that the scenery that we were seeing could have been from a hundred years ago and I don't think it would have looked any different. There were no identifying markers that we were living in the 21st century-- that's when I started talking with another guy here (Nick- from Idaho) about how time just seems different here. At home, everything is very linear, and you do things for a reason. I feel like I always have a goal in mind at home. Here- time is more circular. People just hang out everywhere on benches, on tires, in the shade, at home, on the streets... Most people aren't going anywhere or trying to accomplish anything in particular, they're just living. It's weird how there's such a little sense of the future-- everything is about the present. Someone said to us that in Zanzibar there is no stability of the future, and I think it makes so much sense. People here die so young but live so joyously. I can't really explain it, I guess, but I'm starting to understand it...
It's also really strange to have people, especially kids, ask you for things that seem so basic. Yesterday I had kids ask me for water, for pens, for paper, for food. I was in an elementary school about a week and a half ago, and they were telling me that there is no potable water in the school. A group of German people donated a water tank for them to fill with water for the kids, but they didn't have the $250 to build a stand for it. So kids have to go home from school to get water to drink when they are thirsty. It's crazy to me because I know that where I grew up, if an entire school was without potable water and it was going to cost $250 to install it, the money would come instantly. Here, though, in the entire village nobody had even a fraction of that to spend on water. Monthly salaries are around $50-80, and like the family I am staying with, that might have to support 8 people. It's really a different world. I wish Mr. Bush would donate a little more money for kids to have water...
Also -side note- yesterday on our drive home the bus got a flat tire, so we all got out of the bus in the middle of what seemed like nowhere, but LOTS of people came, including a man with a monkey on a leash. He let us pet it and play with it- it was pretty funny to see everyone jump every time the monkey made a sudden movement. Laurie- I thought Jared might like that... :)
Today is our last day with our homestay families. To say goodbye- my family gave me this lovely pink dress and khanga and painted my hands and feet with beautiful henna. We had a reception yesterday with all of the families- I have never seen so many kids in one room. My family alone brought nine of them (3 were neighbors, the rest live with us). Later my mom is going to teach me how to cook Chipatti! I've had a really great time living with them, and I'm sad to leave, but I am SO EXCITED for the next part of our trip! We are going to another island tomorrow, and ion 2 days we're going to Dar Es Saalam for 2 weeks! THEN, we are going on safari for two days- to see hippos! I can't wait.
Well, the power is out everywhere in the city (I think this place has a generator), so I'm going home to our candlelit home. But I will send more news soon!
PS Janine- thank you for the letter- it was so great to see pictures of everyone!
PPS Bad news about the pictures- none of the internet places have a fast enough connection to upload pictures, but I will keep trying. I tried to upload one and it still hadn't loaded after about 10 minutes... Oh well.
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2 comments:
sheesh... i'm so jealous of you anna. it sounds incredible. not that cairo isn't buttloads of fun, too. i know what you mean about frugality. i pay a buck or two for most meals here, and in spite of how cheap everything is, a third of the people in this city have no running water. in other ways these places sound so different. hard to believe we're on the same continent. peter and i really want to come visit you for our spring break, but it turns out it costs about 900 bucks to fly from cairo to zanzibar. laaaaame. oh well. you should come to cairo though!
lahfing the blahg.
Beware the monkeys! They are not to be trusted! I suppose, in all fairness, I should say that I am not qualified to pass judgment on Zanzibarian monkeys, but if they are anything like Rajasthani monkeys, they have a larcenous streak and are prone to temperamental outbursts and sudden mood changes. Guard your mangoes, but not at the expense of your fingers!
A few questions for our blog-reading pleasure. It is not expected that all will be answered.
What did you not bring that you wish you had brought? What did you bring that you wish you'd left behind?
Are you finding it difficult to be vegetarian...or at least fish-etarian? What's the strangest thing you've eaten? The most delicious? The most unpalatable? Can you buy chocolate...nutella...pastries?
How did you end up with a cell phone? Are you able to charge your camera batteries? Are you going to be able to burn photos to CD at an internet cafe? How much does an hour of internet cost?
How much peanut butter do you have left? Have you played wiffle ball? Have you taught kids to play jacks? Have you given away coloring books and colored pencils? Hair scrunchies? (Other readers, these are all things she brought.)
Do people listen to radios or recorded music, and if so, is it mostly local or international? Can you dance to it?
How many freckles do you have today?
Do many people have bikes? Bikes?!? BIKES!?!?!?! (inside joke)
Okay, I could go on and on and on, but that's enough for now.
We love you and miss you, though in some ways you feel closer than people who are several thousand miles nearer.
Have a great adventure.
Dad
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