Nothing much has changed in the last few days, but I guess stuff is still kinda crazy.
We are finishing up classes, even though they never really started. Today I had a test scheduled at 4:00 so I went to the room. At four, I called the teacher (which is already really weird) and he said, of course, that he forgot, could we please reschedule. Oy.
we are planning to cook a very ghetto, but legit Thanksgiving dinner at our program coordinator's house on Saturday. I am making chickens, since you can't really find turkeys in this country. It should be funny.
Miss you all.
Also, CONGRATS to Mike on landing an amazing new job.
Amani,
Rachel
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
I bought a cat and other news
Hello all,
Well, I'm getting to the 6 week mark which is absolutely crazy. Things have gone so fast but they also have become strangely normal.
Last week Stephen visited and it was tons of fun. We went to Zanzibar, the movies, the beach and shopping, and it opened my eyes a little to remind me how rugged my life here is. Its also so nice that someone will understand a little bit when i get home. We took the craziest 3-wheeler ride ever. Three wheelers are the mini-taxis here. They are like motorcycles with seats in the back, or something. I will take a picture. Anyway, we took one home from the airport after flying to Zanzibar, and it literally swerved through all of the traffic and then went up on the bumpy sidewalk and sped through massive crowds of people, barely missing them as it honked its way through. Oh, Dar.
This week we have spent a lot of the time getting classes organized. Essentially, we need to have a midterm, paper, presentation and final for each class all in the next 2 weeks. But, we've only had a few real lectures in each class, there are only foreign students in the classes and the teachers are not very excited about it all. Its especially weird calling and texting teachers. I have yet to work out 3 of my classes.
Natalia and Megan both got Malaria this week. Its not as big of a deal as it sounds. But they still feel sick :( So, Julie, Tony and i went to go get tested to be sure. (Tony has malaria but no symptoms) and they (the dispensary) had a bunch of new kittens whose mom had abandoned them. So, today, I went to the tailor and asked her if she wanted a cat, and she was like, "sure, bring it here," like it was no big deal. So I went back to the clinic and got a kitten and brought it to her and her niece/daughter. The cat cost me $1.80.
Alrighty, off to bed.
With Love,
RQ
Well, I'm getting to the 6 week mark which is absolutely crazy. Things have gone so fast but they also have become strangely normal.
Last week Stephen visited and it was tons of fun. We went to Zanzibar, the movies, the beach and shopping, and it opened my eyes a little to remind me how rugged my life here is. Its also so nice that someone will understand a little bit when i get home. We took the craziest 3-wheeler ride ever. Three wheelers are the mini-taxis here. They are like motorcycles with seats in the back, or something. I will take a picture. Anyway, we took one home from the airport after flying to Zanzibar, and it literally swerved through all of the traffic and then went up on the bumpy sidewalk and sped through massive crowds of people, barely missing them as it honked its way through. Oh, Dar.
This week we have spent a lot of the time getting classes organized. Essentially, we need to have a midterm, paper, presentation and final for each class all in the next 2 weeks. But, we've only had a few real lectures in each class, there are only foreign students in the classes and the teachers are not very excited about it all. Its especially weird calling and texting teachers. I have yet to work out 3 of my classes.
Natalia and Megan both got Malaria this week. Its not as big of a deal as it sounds. But they still feel sick :( So, Julie, Tony and i went to go get tested to be sure. (Tony has malaria but no symptoms) and they (the dispensary) had a bunch of new kittens whose mom had abandoned them. So, today, I went to the tailor and asked her if she wanted a cat, and she was like, "sure, bring it here," like it was no big deal. So I went back to the clinic and got a kitten and brought it to her and her niece/daughter. The cat cost me $1.80.
Alrighty, off to bed.
With Love,
RQ
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
2 Pieces of Not-so-great News
1. I found out from my mother, that my puppy, Layla has recently died. This is the message from my mom: "at 5:00 pm yesterday we put Lovely Miss Layla to rest. She was down to 7.5 pounds and more than weak. She was 15 1/2 years old. She was a brave fighter who lived life her way. She was loved and will be dearly missed everyday." I am quite sad but it is particularly difficult for my mom, who put so much time and energy into keeping this dog healthy. Rest in Peace, Layla.
2. Today the University of Dar es Salaam was closed indefinitely, following 3 days of protests and student strikes. The students were striking about loans and financial aid, and the minister of education refused to meet with the student leaders. According to UDSM policy, if a strike lasts for 3 days, the school is closed. The army drove all around campus today announcing that everyone except foreign students had 3 hours to evacuate. Supposedly they will continue holding classes for us (I am the only foreign student in a few of my classes!). I am sad especially to see my roommate leave, since we have spent so much time making Tanzanian friends, and now they are leaving! :(
On a happier note, my friend Stephen from Stanford is visiting and I am giving him a crash course in Dar es Salaam life...tomorrow we are going to Zanzibar! Wooo. It was an exciting time for him to be on campus, eh?
Ok, I will write more soon.
Go hug your dogs.
Love,
Tumaini...haha Rachel
2. Today the University of Dar es Salaam was closed indefinitely, following 3 days of protests and student strikes. The students were striking about loans and financial aid, and the minister of education refused to meet with the student leaders. According to UDSM policy, if a strike lasts for 3 days, the school is closed. The army drove all around campus today announcing that everyone except foreign students had 3 hours to evacuate. Supposedly they will continue holding classes for us (I am the only foreign student in a few of my classes!). I am sad especially to see my roommate leave, since we have spent so much time making Tanzanian friends, and now they are leaving! :(
On a happier note, my friend Stephen from Stanford is visiting and I am giving him a crash course in Dar es Salaam life...tomorrow we are going to Zanzibar! Wooo. It was an exciting time for him to be on campus, eh?
Ok, I will write more soon.
Go hug your dogs.
Love,
Tumaini...haha Rachel
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Guest Blog Entry
Hello to Rachel’s blog readers. This entry comes from Rachel’s Mom and Dad (Janet and Brian).
We had an amazing trip to Tanzania and, with all the traveling, now really understand that Rachel is truly on the other size of the earth!
With all of the amazing things we saw and experienced, the best part was our visit and time spent with Rachel, touring Dar and the University, meeting the Brown gang and providing Rachel with a few hot showers and some fancier meals. We were able to view, first hand, her good work at the orphanage. But, best of all, we saw how well she speaks Swahili! Though she’d argue that she isn’t fluent, there wasn’t one situation where she wasn’t able to fully communicate with the locals. And they really get a charge out of seeing a white girl from America speaking their language.
We had a relaxing couple of days in Zanibar then it was off on the safari!
We spent about 10 days with our driver/guide Shaaban (just the two of us and Shaaban) touring around northern Tanzania. We experienced the whole spectrum of accommodations, from a 5 star hotel down to a two person tent. We spent time in the Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Recreation Area and the Serengeti.
We saw all of the Big Five (the lion, the African elephant, the Cape Buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros), plus giraffes, zebras (LOTS of zebras), wildebeest (LOTS of them too), impalas, cheetahs, hippos, ostriches, baboons, hyenas, jackals, and more. We were quite happy to see paved roads when we got home.
We met people from all over the world (not too many Americans) and found everyone very friendly and accommodating.
This was truly an experience of a lifetime. It took us 41 hours to get back (from leaving our final accommodation to our front door in California), with a small plane ride (landing and taking off from a dirt air strip and three stops), a few layovers and two international flights (one for 10 hours and the other for 11 hours). But it was all worth it!!
We look forward to having Rachel home in January.
We took over 1,100 photos and have posted three short slideshows (if you’re interested):
http://web.me.com/bquint/TanzaniaAdventure/TanzaniaMovies.html
Also, just 6 photos are posted below. Thanks for reading.
J & B
We had an amazing trip to Tanzania and, with all the traveling, now really understand that Rachel is truly on the other size of the earth!
With all of the amazing things we saw and experienced, the best part was our visit and time spent with Rachel, touring Dar and the University, meeting the Brown gang and providing Rachel with a few hot showers and some fancier meals. We were able to view, first hand, her good work at the orphanage. But, best of all, we saw how well she speaks Swahili! Though she’d argue that she isn’t fluent, there wasn’t one situation where she wasn’t able to fully communicate with the locals. And they really get a charge out of seeing a white girl from America speaking their language.
We had a relaxing couple of days in Zanibar then it was off on the safari!
We spent about 10 days with our driver/guide Shaaban (just the two of us and Shaaban) touring around northern Tanzania. We experienced the whole spectrum of accommodations, from a 5 star hotel down to a two person tent. We spent time in the Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Recreation Area and the Serengeti.
We saw all of the Big Five (the lion, the African elephant, the Cape Buffalo, the leopard and the rhinoceros), plus giraffes, zebras (LOTS of zebras), wildebeest (LOTS of them too), impalas, cheetahs, hippos, ostriches, baboons, hyenas, jackals, and more. We were quite happy to see paved roads when we got home.
We met people from all over the world (not too many Americans) and found everyone very friendly and accommodating.
This was truly an experience of a lifetime. It took us 41 hours to get back (from leaving our final accommodation to our front door in California), with a small plane ride (landing and taking off from a dirt air strip and three stops), a few layovers and two international flights (one for 10 hours and the other for 11 hours). But it was all worth it!!
We look forward to having Rachel home in January.
We took over 1,100 photos and have posted three short slideshows (if you’re interested):
http://web.me.com/bquint/TanzaniaAdventure/TanzaniaMovies.html
Also, just 6 photos are posted below. Thanks for reading.
J & B
Update!
Alright, I have had a lot of requests for a blog update so I will do my best to write a long one.
So, I think Mom and Dad will write a little on this blog as well, but I can just say they had a fantastic time. They saw every animal anyone would ever want to see on safari...I don't think they realize how lucky they are to have seen so many cats -- eating, sleeping, mating, etc. So, they left on Sunday and I went back to "school." Classes are happening, but they are just so different than classes at home. Once in a while a professor won't show up, but most of the time they are lectures that are in English, but taught by teachers who don't really know English that well. The resources available here are not great, so a lot of the time teachers are lecturing about really outdated material. I have made a few friends with Tanzanians in various classes, but its harder than you might have expected, especially because the students are not really here to socialize, much more to get an education.
Tony and Megan had their birthdays last weekend, so we did a lot of celebrating, including going out to a club in the city which was really fun. What else to report? I've been doing some tourist shopping which is really quite fun and going out for fancy coffee more frequently. I really am excited to get back to the states for real, good food, and coffee shops that have soy milk. Mmmm. We are planning on making a version of Thanksgiving dinner here, using the kitchens of various women we are friends with and a lot of canned versions of food we like. I am in charge of the chicken (there are no turkeys in this country).
This weekend I went out with a Tanzanian friend to a concert which was really fun. Megan and I were the only non-Tanzanians there and a big hit.
Last night Miriam and I went to visit an American family that she knows that is living in Dar for the next few years. (They are teachers at the International School) and it was really interesting to see that ex-pat world out here. It is a whole other world, much nicer than the rest of Dar, but you can't really blame them for wanting running water, electricity, internet, etc.
So, I'm half way around the world and the only thing anyone can talk about is the US election. I would say 99% of people here want Obama, and everyone is interested in talking about it. Not like this will make a difference, but: PLEASE GO VOTE!
Alright, off to lunch soon.
With Love,
RQ
So, I think Mom and Dad will write a little on this blog as well, but I can just say they had a fantastic time. They saw every animal anyone would ever want to see on safari...I don't think they realize how lucky they are to have seen so many cats -- eating, sleeping, mating, etc. So, they left on Sunday and I went back to "school." Classes are happening, but they are just so different than classes at home. Once in a while a professor won't show up, but most of the time they are lectures that are in English, but taught by teachers who don't really know English that well. The resources available here are not great, so a lot of the time teachers are lecturing about really outdated material. I have made a few friends with Tanzanians in various classes, but its harder than you might have expected, especially because the students are not really here to socialize, much more to get an education.
Tony and Megan had their birthdays last weekend, so we did a lot of celebrating, including going out to a club in the city which was really fun. What else to report? I've been doing some tourist shopping which is really quite fun and going out for fancy coffee more frequently. I really am excited to get back to the states for real, good food, and coffee shops that have soy milk. Mmmm. We are planning on making a version of Thanksgiving dinner here, using the kitchens of various women we are friends with and a lot of canned versions of food we like. I am in charge of the chicken (there are no turkeys in this country).
This weekend I went out with a Tanzanian friend to a concert which was really fun. Megan and I were the only non-Tanzanians there and a big hit.
Last night Miriam and I went to visit an American family that she knows that is living in Dar for the next few years. (They are teachers at the International School) and it was really interesting to see that ex-pat world out here. It is a whole other world, much nicer than the rest of Dar, but you can't really blame them for wanting running water, electricity, internet, etc.
So, I'm half way around the world and the only thing anyone can talk about is the US election. I would say 99% of people here want Obama, and everyone is interested in talking about it. Not like this will make a difference, but: PLEASE GO VOTE!
Alright, off to lunch soon.
With Love,
RQ
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Wazazi Wangu
My parents have come and gone. I am sad to see them off but it was so wonderful to see them and show them around here. Thursday I showed them around Dar - we visited all of my friends, the orphanage and the market and then had a delicious Ethiopian food dinner with my group. Friday we headed to Zanzibar and took a tour of the city and had a spice tour, followed by the long (1 hour) drive to our BEAUTIFUL hotel on the beach. Saturday we spent relaxing by the pool - Mom even swam! They fed me unbelievably well (this previously vegetarian girl ate a hamburger for lunch and a steak for dinner!) Now they are up in Tarangire National Park and seeing all of the animals you could imagine. Yesterday they saw a mother and 3 baby lions eating a freshly killed zebra! Mom is particularly happy to finally see all of her National Geographic photos in real life.
School is finally starting to happen. Sorta. I didn't realize "African Time" tramnslated to weeks, not just hours. Oy.
Much love.
Rachel
School is finally starting to happen. Sorta. I didn't realize "African Time" tramnslated to weeks, not just hours. Oy.
Much love.
Rachel
Saturday, September 27, 2008
All Kinds of Things
So, I haven't written in a long time, so I will try to give a whole bunch of information today.
We are just waiting around for school to start and our roommates to arrive and nothing is very clear. Apparently classes will begin tomorrow, but we don't know which classes, or exactly how to register. Its crazy how, as the biggest, most prestigious University in the country, they are this unorganized. It also just shows how crazy organized Stanford is. Also, I got clearance to volunteer at a local hospital, so we will see if I can get there sometime this week.
Transportation in Tanzania
I've gotten so used to the transportation here that I almost forgot to write about it. In Dar, and the rest of Tanzania, most people travel via Dala-Dalas. They are small, 16-seater Toyota vans in which all of the original seats have been removed and replaced with more seats (the ultimate goal is to get as many people inside as possible). The ceiling is usually covered in some kind of wildly tacky cloth, and the back is painted with an often religious phrase, sometimes in English and terribly misspelled (example: "Grory to God" since Swahili speakers tend to mix up their Ls and Rs.) If you want to get anywhere in town, you wait at a "bus stop" (a cut out in the road) and a Dala will swing by to pick you up. There is a driver and a conductor ("conda") who shouts at people to get in and collects money. They drive specific routes and when you want to get off, you call "shusha," which means "get off" and the conda will get the driver to stop at the next bus stop. The whole system is really efficient, and besides being periodically sat on by mamas or forced to stand with your butt in someone's face, it's quite easy to use. Plus, each ride is 300 shillings, equivalent to 27 cents. Recently, Tony got a chance to be a conda for a day, and he is now seriously famous. Everywhere we go, people shout, "conda!" at him. Also, there are taxis and mini 3-wheel taxis. When mom and dad come (in less than 2 weeks!) I think we may stick to taxis.
Food
Food is definitely what I miss most about home (after the people of course). Tanzanian food is almost always fried carbs and ridiculously chewy meat. For breakfast, Tanzanians usually eat mandazi (fried pastry), chapati, samosas, or supu, this disgusting meat broth with pieces of literal cow foot. The rest of the food (aka lunch and dinner) is rice, ugali (corn maize mush), cooked bananas with beans, peas, okra, or meat. Also, chipsi (aka french fries) is often served as a main course with meat, or cooked with eggs as an egg-french-fried-omelette. The saving grace is the availability of fresh fruits and veggies, which I can buy at the cafeteria and the guy will cut up for us. Plus, there are some more American and Asian places around that we can get to for special occasion. Oh, what I would do for a turkey sandwich!
Greetings
Greetings here is a huge part of daily life. Every time I enter the dorm I have to greet the guard (who, incidentally is a little old women who frequently loses her voice and sits on a chair all day listening to the radio - good to know we have a fierce attentive guard!) Greetings go something like this:
Me: Shikamoo (repsectfully greeting her)
Guard: Marahaba (I accept your respect). Hujambo? (how are you?)
Me: Sijambo (I am fine), Habari za kazi? (how is your work?)
Guard: nzuri (good) za kwako? (your home?)
Me: Nzuri (good)
Guard: za shule? (school?)
Me: nzuri (good)
Guard: za siku? (the day?)
Me: Nzuri (good)
Guard: nzima? (are you whole?)
Me: nzima. (I am whole.)
...all before I can get into the dorm! Other variations ask about your night, your morning, even the last 5 minutes if I have been up to my room only briefly and heading back down. Oy.
Alright...off to have some amazing Tanzania food....
RQ
We are just waiting around for school to start and our roommates to arrive and nothing is very clear. Apparently classes will begin tomorrow, but we don't know which classes, or exactly how to register. Its crazy how, as the biggest, most prestigious University in the country, they are this unorganized. It also just shows how crazy organized Stanford is. Also, I got clearance to volunteer at a local hospital, so we will see if I can get there sometime this week.
Transportation in Tanzania
I've gotten so used to the transportation here that I almost forgot to write about it. In Dar, and the rest of Tanzania, most people travel via Dala-Dalas. They are small, 16-seater Toyota vans in which all of the original seats have been removed and replaced with more seats (the ultimate goal is to get as many people inside as possible). The ceiling is usually covered in some kind of wildly tacky cloth, and the back is painted with an often religious phrase, sometimes in English and terribly misspelled (example: "Grory to God" since Swahili speakers tend to mix up their Ls and Rs.) If you want to get anywhere in town, you wait at a "bus stop" (a cut out in the road) and a Dala will swing by to pick you up. There is a driver and a conductor ("conda") who shouts at people to get in and collects money. They drive specific routes and when you want to get off, you call "shusha," which means "get off" and the conda will get the driver to stop at the next bus stop. The whole system is really efficient, and besides being periodically sat on by mamas or forced to stand with your butt in someone's face, it's quite easy to use. Plus, each ride is 300 shillings, equivalent to 27 cents. Recently, Tony got a chance to be a conda for a day, and he is now seriously famous. Everywhere we go, people shout, "conda!" at him. Also, there are taxis and mini 3-wheel taxis. When mom and dad come (in less than 2 weeks!) I think we may stick to taxis.
Food
Food is definitely what I miss most about home (after the people of course). Tanzanian food is almost always fried carbs and ridiculously chewy meat. For breakfast, Tanzanians usually eat mandazi (fried pastry), chapati, samosas, or supu, this disgusting meat broth with pieces of literal cow foot. The rest of the food (aka lunch and dinner) is rice, ugali (corn maize mush), cooked bananas with beans, peas, okra, or meat. Also, chipsi (aka french fries) is often served as a main course with meat, or cooked with eggs as an egg-french-fried-omelette. The saving grace is the availability of fresh fruits and veggies, which I can buy at the cafeteria and the guy will cut up for us. Plus, there are some more American and Asian places around that we can get to for special occasion. Oh, what I would do for a turkey sandwich!
Greetings
Greetings here is a huge part of daily life. Every time I enter the dorm I have to greet the guard (who, incidentally is a little old women who frequently loses her voice and sits on a chair all day listening to the radio - good to know we have a fierce attentive guard!) Greetings go something like this:
Me: Shikamoo (repsectfully greeting her)
Guard: Marahaba (I accept your respect). Hujambo? (how are you?)
Me: Sijambo (I am fine), Habari za kazi? (how is your work?)
Guard: nzuri (good) za kwako? (your home?)
Me: Nzuri (good)
Guard: za shule? (school?)
Me: nzuri (good)
Guard: za siku? (the day?)
Me: Nzuri (good)
Guard: nzima? (are you whole?)
Me: nzima. (I am whole.)
...all before I can get into the dorm! Other variations ask about your night, your morning, even the last 5 minutes if I have been up to my room only briefly and heading back down. Oy.
Alright...off to have some amazing Tanzania food....
RQ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)