a chemist in africa: Settling In

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Settling In

At dinner tonight, I noticed that my bottle of Malarone is about 3/4 full, which means I've been here for a bit, but I'll be here a bit longer. Yesterday, June 24th, marked 2 weeks since I left Seattle. Yesterday also marked 2 years of marriage to my amazing wife Kiana, who is still in Seattle. (I missed her birthday this year, too, thanks to a chemistry conference, which means I'm 0-for-2.) I'm starting to get used to being here, which is good in that it means that I'm learning the language and culture (See the list of useful info at the right of the screen). Unfortunately, being used to being here also means that the thrill has worn off a bit. The Swahili classes make my brain hurt, the engineering is difficult, the engineers can be difficult, and I have homework. Yesterday was particularly hard as I tried to talk to Kiana over internet telephone and a 10 hour time difference.

I'm really glad I'm here.

I guess the purpose of this post is to remind myself and anyone else who is considering this particular brand of adventure that good work is not always easy work, and that there's a level of sacrifice that differentiates a vacation from...whatever this is. The EWH organizers told us right from the beginning that every single one of us would experience culture shock and homesickness. I didn't believe them then. I do now.

In a funny way, though, it's sort of a relief to be tired and homesick. It means I'm ready to get down to business. I've been here two weeks, which is longer than most people spend here on vacation. The honeymoon is over, but as Kiana and I can tell you, the end of the honeymoon is the beginning of the good stuff.

Tutaonana baadaye (We'll see each other later)

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Good things to know if you visit Tanzania

Bring a jacket - while it is arid and hot in the lowlands and the coast, the Kilimanjaro region is at high altitude and rather damp. The weather during June/July is much like Seattle in the winter: overcast, drizzly, and 20 degrees celsius (colder at night). Buildings are unheated and uninsulated. Bring more pants than shorts, and pack some polarfleece and a raincoat.
Carry-on Luggage - In addition to my courier bag, I carried my guitar on all three planes I took to get here and no one hassled me about it. I packed a whole extra set of clothes and a toothbrush in my carry-on bag, which was very nice to have after 26 hours of travel when my luggage didn't arrive.
Don't ask "What part of the cow is this?". At least not until after you've eaten it.
Food and Drink - Bottled water is widely available for less than US$1 per 1.5 L. Only eat what is cooked or peeled (oranges and bananas o.k., tomatoes and spinach not o.k.). Some restaurants run by Westerners will have specially cleaned their fresh produce, but it's best to ask first.
Know the lingo - Learn some greetings before you come. The beginning of a conversation is very important here, and it is rather rude to jump right to buisness without the appropriate formalites. (See "Slow Down".)
Make friends with the hustlers - The guide book calls them "touts", the guys that wander the streets of Arusha attempting to get you to come to their store or safari company. Many are aggressive. Ignore them, or firmly-yet-politely tell them no (Hapana, asante = No, Thank you). Don't give them any reason to think that you might be interested in their services, or they'll follow you all day. If you make friends with one of them, he'll protect you from the others.
Slow Down - Seriously. There are no bus schedules. Planes leave if and when they feel like it. Nothing ever starts on time. And Tea is more important than meetings.
Sniffles - Everyone on our trip has gotten sick, whether a sore throat, a cold, allergies, or toilet-bound tummy troubles. Bring chewable antacids, (i.e. Tums, Pepto), kleenex, cough drops, and EmergenC/Airborn. These things won't take up much room in your suitcase, and you won't have much luck finding them here.
Stay off the grass - Tanzania has a lot of insects that bite very hard, and they like to live in the grass. If you sit, you will be bit. You can also expect to find insects while walking through the woods, walking between buildings in the dark, taking showers...you get the idea.
Visa - A multiple entry visa for a US citizen can be purchased for 100 US dollars, cash, at the airport when you arrive. You don't need to bring visa photos - they'll take a digital photo of you at the counter.
White People - Mzungu (singular) or Wazungu (plural) is Swahili for any white foreigner. It's not really a racial slur, but it can feel like it at times. It's not uncommon for children or the occasional truck driver to point at you and yell "Mzungu!". Don't take it personally. You stick out, and if you're here, you're probalby spending money and they know that. Roll with it. Have fun. Try out some Swahili. They'll laugh with you. Unless you don't laugh, too. Then they'll just laugh at you.