Conversation with Barnabas #7

Welcome back to Conversations with Barnabas Bear. A couple of items up front, the conversation is fictional (hopefully that was obvious) but are pulled from some of my conversations and observations during my time here in Tanzania.  The main purpose of these is to help everyone get to know the people in Tanzania a little bit better while having a little bit of fun.  I would love some feedback on these so I know if I should continue and if so what types of conversations Barnabas needs to be having.  The stories are told from Barnaba’s point of view and because of that they are in English though I try to reflect some of the problems with the English translation.

Today I got to spend time with Alec (best I guess to spell the name as he got really quiet every time he said it) while he was getting water for his family.  He does this at least once a week and sometimes twice.  He has 2 each 6 to 7 gallon containers and one that is around a gallon.  He ties the two larger ones with a kitanga (cloth) and stradles them across the back of his bicycle then ties the smaller one across the back cargo hold.  Those that follow Dad on facebook saw a post of him and some of his friends at the well before.  

The interesting part is when he comes by himself because he probably only weighs about 60 lbs at 10 years of age.  Those two large containers that have to be lifted at the same time weigh around 96 lbs.  That was probably why he was happy to see me because he knew I would get dad to lift them while he held the bicycle steady.

B:  "Hujambo"

A:  "sijambo"

B:  "Habari mchana?"  how is the afternoon

A:  "Poa"  fresh

B:  "Time to get more water I guess?"

A:  "Yes"

B:  "How is school going?"

A:  "Why do you always want to know about school?"

B:  "Nice try at changing the subject and because school is important"

A:  "it is ok I guess.  I have a lot more to memorize for the upcoming tests"  Government type tests seem to happen a lot and at random times.  

B:  "But do you understand the material"

A:  "What do you mean, all they tell me to do is copy what they write on the blackboard and memorize it"

B:  "You need to understand why those things are important and not just memorize them"

A:  "I don't get it"

B:  "Trust me or have Dad explain some of your science lessons"

A:  "you think he will give me a ride in the truck.  I have never been in a car or truck"

B:  "never?  not even one of the Noah buses?

A:  "No just the bicycle when I get water or walking places.  I walked up the mountain to Kinampanda last year, that was the furthest I have ever been."  Kinampanda is about 10 miles away.

B:  "Where do you want to go?"

A:  "Will you drive me to America?"  First most Africans only refer to the USA as America so please forgive the insult all my South American Friends.  Second the idea of the ocean will be a hard concept.

B:  "You can't drive there.  Did you do Geography yet?"

A:  "Yes"

B:  "Did you notice that thing called an ocean between Africa and the United States?"

A:  "Something about the Indian Ocean off our coast"

B:  "yes the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean between your coast and west coast of the United States or what you would think of as California and the Atlantic between the western side of Africa and the Eastern side of the US which you would probably think of as New York."  Most folks from rural Tanzania only know New York and California.

A:  "Ok"

B:  "Well an ocean is a body of water a really big body of water that you can not drive across.  You have to fly to the United States."

A:  "Oh well then drive me to Singida."

B:  "how about I talk him into driving you to your home one day."

A:  "That would be great."

B:  "For now let me get dad to load your bicycle since those containers weigh more than both of us combined."