Some Random Musings
As I am two days late with this blog and part of that is due to falling sick to some very small sardine like fish in a soup that was absolutely no fun while traveling from Yulansoni to Singida and then a day later to Arusha, I am not doing a normal blog but instead a couple of small items I thought were interesting. Please feel free to comment if you run into similar situations.
First a note about traveling while having a stomach problem-they don't stop for bathroom breaks or at least nothing that would help. It used to be they stopped at a midway point for a significant amount of time but since they finished paving the roads they no longer do that on the 6 hour trip to Arusha. They did make one very quick stop-not nearly long enough for me to risk getting off the bus for. The second travel day while not pleasant was much better than the first that was at the height of my problems.
Speaking of traveling on buses: It was interesting that a policewoman came on the bus and made everyone buckle up-never had seen that before. Of course our bus pulled around the corner and out of sight of the police station, stopped and let on an additional 20 people to stand in the aisle. Here is an interesting factoid: They don't just stand in the aisle, for some reason they have to walk back and forth to the front and back the entire trip climbing over everyone, using those of us who purchased seats for the trip as hand holds as they climb over another person and step on my feet in the process. Add this to my only getting 2/3rds of the seat I paid for and it is a very long trip. Before the trip was over I basically had one gentleman in my lap as he kept falling over onto me. Secondly they refuse to open the windows while traveling-that is our only air! Reminds me of a trip in 2006 when I got sick and on the way back to town somebody kept complaining that I opened the window for some fresh air because it made me feel better but they were afraid of the occasional dust particle.
Continuing with the travel theme is the concept of no personal space here. I understand when they pack 25 people in the 15 person van that I will go without personal space, but what I don't get is after people get off no one moves to take the empty seats. They stay packed in like sardines (maybe that is why they made me sick) with an entire row of seats empty.
Personal space is not just an issue for traveling though. I have noticed everyone here crowds in. This is something I have found significant in African culture even in my military days. Where those of us from the United States or Europe like a safe distance between us and other people in normal interactions, that is not the case in Africa where they will crowd up on you in any type of conversation or any level of knowledge about each other. The first day of class for Kiswahili the teacher was almost in my lap.
This is of course a tough one for me as I am very security conscious and this sends off all kind of alarms and makes me tense up despite their being no actual threat most of the time. In fact the biggest pickpocket threat has been the two person team where one knows a little English and tries to strike up a conversation and keeps shaking your hand while normally trying to turn you so his partner can pick your pocket while you are distracted. It is fun to dismantle because I normally keep us turning to the point it looks like we are dancing.
Another musing: toothpicks. My dad likes a toothpick after a meal and in a restaurant he normally has to go ask for one or finds it at the hostess desk. Here everyone wants one after every meal. Toothpicks are part of every table setting. If you are in the village area where toothpicks are not available there are the thorn trees that form thorns that are about the size of toothpicks but super sharp and strong (they can puncture a tire) and are used to form fences to keep wild animals away from cattle and goats kept near the home at night. So they just pick a thorn and use it for a toothpick.
William tells me it is because most Africans have wider gaps in their teeth and food gets stuck in there more easily.
Hope you enjoyed the musings for the week. I am in Arusha right now and will be heading back to Singida early next week.
Barnabas says hi but he is upset with me because he was stuck in cargo seating for the trip to Arusha.
First a note about traveling while having a stomach problem-they don't stop for bathroom breaks or at least nothing that would help. It used to be they stopped at a midway point for a significant amount of time but since they finished paving the roads they no longer do that on the 6 hour trip to Arusha. They did make one very quick stop-not nearly long enough for me to risk getting off the bus for. The second travel day while not pleasant was much better than the first that was at the height of my problems.
Speaking of traveling on buses: It was interesting that a policewoman came on the bus and made everyone buckle up-never had seen that before. Of course our bus pulled around the corner and out of sight of the police station, stopped and let on an additional 20 people to stand in the aisle. Here is an interesting factoid: They don't just stand in the aisle, for some reason they have to walk back and forth to the front and back the entire trip climbing over everyone, using those of us who purchased seats for the trip as hand holds as they climb over another person and step on my feet in the process. Add this to my only getting 2/3rds of the seat I paid for and it is a very long trip. Before the trip was over I basically had one gentleman in my lap as he kept falling over onto me. Secondly they refuse to open the windows while traveling-that is our only air! Reminds me of a trip in 2006 when I got sick and on the way back to town somebody kept complaining that I opened the window for some fresh air because it made me feel better but they were afraid of the occasional dust particle.
Continuing with the travel theme is the concept of no personal space here. I understand when they pack 25 people in the 15 person van that I will go without personal space, but what I don't get is after people get off no one moves to take the empty seats. They stay packed in like sardines (maybe that is why they made me sick) with an entire row of seats empty.
Personal space is not just an issue for traveling though. I have noticed everyone here crowds in. This is something I have found significant in African culture even in my military days. Where those of us from the United States or Europe like a safe distance between us and other people in normal interactions, that is not the case in Africa where they will crowd up on you in any type of conversation or any level of knowledge about each other. The first day of class for Kiswahili the teacher was almost in my lap.
This is of course a tough one for me as I am very security conscious and this sends off all kind of alarms and makes me tense up despite their being no actual threat most of the time. In fact the biggest pickpocket threat has been the two person team where one knows a little English and tries to strike up a conversation and keeps shaking your hand while normally trying to turn you so his partner can pick your pocket while you are distracted. It is fun to dismantle because I normally keep us turning to the point it looks like we are dancing.
Another musing: toothpicks. My dad likes a toothpick after a meal and in a restaurant he normally has to go ask for one or finds it at the hostess desk. Here everyone wants one after every meal. Toothpicks are part of every table setting. If you are in the village area where toothpicks are not available there are the thorn trees that form thorns that are about the size of toothpicks but super sharp and strong (they can puncture a tire) and are used to form fences to keep wild animals away from cattle and goats kept near the home at night. So they just pick a thorn and use it for a toothpick.
William tells me it is because most Africans have wider gaps in their teeth and food gets stuck in there more easily.
Hope you enjoyed the musings for the week. I am in Arusha right now and will be heading back to Singida early next week.
Barnabas says hi but he is upset with me because he was stuck in cargo seating for the trip to Arusha.
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