Week 5&6

14th November


Well, so week 5 was a week of FINALLYS:
I finally.. started work; well, in a manner of speaking
I finally moved into the house.. well, I say “my”.. more about that another time

So I’m working at TAP- the Teachers’ Advancement Programme at the National Teachers’ Resource Centre, based just out Stone Town on the beach. It’s stunning place: on the coast, green, grazing cattle, peaceful, little beaches..I’ll stop there..

The people in the office are just lovely; there’s a wonderfully fun and friendly atmosphere, with lots of banter.

The week has been very gentle.. with lots of orientation and tons of reading. Although I’ve been out of the office a bit getting stuff for my house. I’ve been lucky enough to be driven about to buy stuff and sort stuff out..

So here’s some highlights:
1. Stopping for tea on my way home from the market this eve: sitting as the dusk fell, sipping my spicy sweet Zanzibari tea and being laughed at by the children for drinking out of the cup not the saucer; discovering that the latter is infinitely better, firstly, because it cools quicker, secondly, the saucer was considerably cleaner and thirdly, it’s quite clearly, what you’re supposed to do.

2. The children laughing as I pretended to find a lion in my shopping basket.. one little boy actually dared to have a look.. guess he thought you never know with these white people..

3. Finding that the most humorous response to give to a child calling out the declarative “Wazungo!” (White person!) is “Mtoto!” (Child!), delivered with a broad smile. Well, I enjoy it anyway; it leaves them a bit perplexed!

3. Hiring a boat with 2 Canadian friends to sail out to Prison Island for snorkeling and feeding giant tortoises.

4. Seeing Hassan, our driver, crying with laughter at something I said…

5. Whizzing through Stone Town on the back of my friend Katie’s piki-piki (Don’t worry, not going that fast really, ma and pa!)

6. At the market: bargaining and buying; meeting and greeting; laughing and smiling. I’ve noticed I have developed a ‘market walk’- kind of loping stroll. Nice!

7. My night guard ringing me at midnight, wondering where I was, if I was ok and when I would be home. I was in fact out, not in bed.. just thought I should clarify that..


What I’ve learnt..
“Tomorrow” rarely means tomorrow ..but rather next week or some unspecified time in the future or not at all..

If you think you’re crawling with flying ants then you probably are

To drink tea out of the saucer

Plastic really is the work of the devil. See below

There is no rubbish collection here. Which generally works, as rubbish degrades / is eaten by goats / cattle.. but of course that leaves an unattractive sea of blue plastic behind. Grrrr!

Realising what we do in the UK isn’t any better.. it’s just conveniently dumped out of sight..

Teaching using English as the language of instruction for most subjects at secondary level is at least daft and at worst damaging, alienating, wasteful.. imperialist bull and should stop now!

Rah! (That one’s for you Manz xx if you ever read this)

I probably don’t have any belief in the value of my job, due to point 7
Oh dear…never mind..


What’s annoying..
Jelly fish stinging my boobs! (Whilst snorkeling, not loping through market. At least that’s something.)
Getting fat (I knew it)
Having to surrender passport for my visa extension so I can’t go to lovely Will’s birthday party camping fest..13 hours away on the mainland, up country ..boo hoo
Not being able to upload photos..sorry!
Water…
Wrestling to assemble water filter
Spending an hour trying to heat 2 pans to a ‘rolling boil’
Having to settle for a gentle simmer
Producing foul tasting, cloudy water
Dropping stupid filter candle and breaking it
Not being able to face repeating the process
Having to buy bottled water, thus adding to growing evil mountain of devil plastic..




What’s bewildering
How people control their bladders for 10 hours bus ride.. v bumpy ‘roads’ mind! (only plus point for not going to Will’s.. I have a little more time to work out my pee strategy)
While I’m on the subject ..how ladies manage ‘on’ Tanzanian squat toilets; the whole malarkey of rolling trouser bottoms up while rolling rest of trouser down is a logistical nightmare

What’s funny.
Meeting people called : Ali Baba and Bahloo (not at the same time, phew, that would have been just too much)

What’s wonderful
Zanzibar Tea (Hot, sweet, spicy)
Any food with coconut
Zanzibari pizza (actually closed pancake type affair)
oohh bit of a food theme here methinks..

What’s weird
1. Getting used to having ‘domestic staff’.