Random thoughts from Carrie

Today was “Milkshake Tuesday” a highly anticipated holiday in our world. We have located two places that make milkshakes (not to be confused with a Wendy’s Frosty-because they are nowhere near the same phylum). None the less, it is a fun way to get some calcium.

We have finally connected with the women at the Focolare to find out what we could do to work with students on learning English. First, if you have never heard of the Focolare movement-neither had I until arriving here. In short, it is a Catholic movement started during the World War II by a woman in Italy that has a focus on unity and service for women and men. It can be found all over the world. Here in Iringa, one of the many things they do is to work with school children organizing after-school tutoring. It is meant to help children of many ages who come from vulnerable situations and whose families can’t afford to get them help with their studies. We got a tour on Monday and look forward to beginning next week. Stay tuned as we learn more!

I have had a few thoughts on living in Tanzania rolling around in my brain. So if these seem very random-they are. So bear with me…

Diesel: Most vehicles here run on diesel, including ours. Some run on petro (gasoline) but this is less common. Lately there has been a shortage of diesel. Noel has a much more in depth explanation on his blog, but the short of it is that there is a disagreement between the government and the fuel distributers about pricing so the distributers are not …well distributing. Yesterday there was one station with fuel and there were people lined up all around it, with piles of gas cans and cars waiting in line to get in.We don't know how long the diesel lasted, but each perrson was only allowed 4 liters of fuel (about 1 gallon). Sharon, the kids, and I can pretty much get to where we need to go on foot. We took the car to buy groceries yesterday and tried to stock up on the heavier stuff so we wouldn’t have to carry home another day, just in case. Dale and Noel, however have a little farther to go to get to the University. If this continues, they may have to learn how to take the dala dalas.

Lines of cars and people with gas cans

Smells: When we had been in Iringa about a week, and we were out walking around, my mom and I were commenting on how different Africa smells. Not bad smells, just different. A kind of burning smell. The large majority of the people cook over fires and charcoal is the main thing they buy if they live in town and can’t go collecting wood. If you are driving outside of town, it is not uncommen to see women walking with big bundles of sticks on their head. The sticks look like they are twice as tall as they are-sticking out in back and front of them. Also, the spices, trees and flowers are so different than at home. And then there is the ever present smell of diesel from all the vehicles-which might be waning a bit if no one gets any to put in thier vehicle. However, I have noticed the longer we are here, I am less aware of the smells.

Mama: I am Mama to many people and I am getting used to people calling me Mama. This is a term of respect, so people will ask Dale, “How is your Mama?” and they don’t mean his mother. Or they will welcome me by saying, “Karibu! Mama”  (Welcome Mama)  I have however told Dale, “You may only get away with calling me Mama if you were born in Tanzania or I have given birth to you.”

Look left, look right, look….wait!: This habit confuses me every time I try to cross the busy main street. We don’t ever realize how rote it is to look for traffic left, right, left. However, here they are driving on the opposite side of the road and coming from the opposite direction when you cross the street. I can’t seem to remember to look right, left, right before I cross, so I end up looking both ways about 10 times to make sure nothing is coming (also, because they drive fast, the pedestrians do not have the right of way here, and if you get in their way they will definitely lay on their horn)

Prayers for those affected by Hurricane Sandy as they pick up their lives.

Carrie