Fast and Loose for you, the reader

What I written was a gem oa passage. It was 1500 words of witicisms, hilarious stories and insightful remarks. I have done my best to recreate it here, but I can't garauntee anything.

First off, so much for me updating my blog everyday. I can't even seem to manage to blog everyday that somethings exciting happens. The problem is I either do little in my day that I think would interest someone other than me that I don't think it is worth my time to write or I do so much that I am exhausted. Either way, when I finally do sit down to write, I find myself either overwhelmed by what I thought were a boring few days or by one clearly action packed day. (As an aside, boring is a relative term. I'm never bored, but somedays I don't have anything inherently exciting happen. For example, my walk here took a half hour longer than unsual, because I was distracted my vervet monkeys, a resident baboon, and a hoard of mongooses (mongeese?). And Kiswahili is exciting and difficult, but trust me, you don't want to know all the details on a daily basis). As I go about my life I think of smart things to say, of funny comparisons to make, and in general look forward to blogging about everything I'm seeing and doing. Yet, at night, when I sit down to blog, I suffer from sudden-onset amnesia and my bed calls out to me in a particularly alluring manner. I tend to oblige it and go to sleep.

As a result, anyone actually reading my blog- I'm guessing my mom, dad, and maybe a few friends- knows almost nothing about what I am actually doing in Dar es Salaam (henceforth known as Dar). So, in order to get back on track and actually keep my few readers in the know, I, in the words of J. Martaan Troost (author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals, the book I am about to finish), from here on out I will be playing a little fast and loose with space-time continuum. I will do this for you, the reader. I will write when I can about what I can, and attempt to present it in a manner that is at least slightly comprehensible.

I had also planned on sharing a story now about our first Friday in Dar, when 19 of us went out to see the most second most popular musicians in Tanzania. But Val is waiting for me to finish up and getting impatient, so I will do it later. She disagrees. So nevermind. She isn't bothered. *wink wink* I still have to go though. I swear that I'll follow up soon though.

And val is not a naggy girlfriend. I've exaggerated for comedic purposes.

Caleb

THBBT

So I just lost the 1500 words that I wrote last night.

I'll rewrite it and post it later, but for now I have nothing.

Dang it.

Caleb

Post Moji (One)- Introduction week

So here it is, the first real blog post from Tanzania. Thought I won't post it until tomorrow, because of where I can get online, I am writing this in my dorm room on Sunday night, before our first morning of class. Tomorrow we will all be in intensive Kiswahili classes. And I don't really know where to begin. I managed to wait such a long time to write my first post that I can't possibly describe everything the group has done in the last week. But i'll try, thought it probably won't be nauseating detail. So, one, two, three, GO.

I flew in with five other people: Val, Karin (who goes by her middle name, that I can't spell), Mat, Dana and Ian H. We got into the airport in Dar es Salaam at about 1:30 PM on Monday, August 16th. After we got through customs (which is significantly less stringent than it is anywhere I've ever been before), we looked wround for Dr. Roberts, who had been described to us as “the white guy”, finding no one, not a single “white guy”. So we borrowed a man's cell phone and called him, and, after we tracked him down, proceeded to wait at the airport for about an hour and a half waiting for another student, Karma. After he finally came (his flight was late), we jumped on a bus that took us to our dorm, Hall 3 on the UDSM campus. We all went up to our rooms in the late afternoon sun (at four- its “winter” here) and were carefully assigned roommates based on who walked up the stairs together. I landed on the second floor, in room 763, with Matt. Dr. Roberts, our program director, treated the five of us, as well as Katie and Allison, the two students that arrived on Sunday, to dinner at Hill Park restaurant, within walking distance of the dorms. After a great meal of goat, plaintains, and vegetables, washed down by a Kilimanjaro beer (Kili as we call it), we dragged ourselves back to the dorm, and I unpacked and unceremoniously passed out. Of course this was after I brushed my teeth with bottled water because, in case you don't know, the tap water is not safe to put in your mouth. And god forbid that we drink it. Even the locals drink the bottled stuff. Anyway, that was day one in Africa, or at least what I remember of it six days later.

Day two started bright and early for me, because, foolishly, I got up to run with Dana, one of the girls. I probabyl should've slept and recovered from jet lag, but I wanted to hit the ground running, literally. Dana and I ran for about a half hour, along the busy morning roads of UDSM- I think we ran in Simba Road, but I'm not really sure the name. After the run, I went back to the dorm, showered, saw all the new people that arrived over night, and went downsatirs with the rest of the group to meet Dr. Roberts to walk over to the ACM house, about two blocks away (not that there are really blocks here). There we milled around a bit, going through the awkward small talk that is un avoidable in a group of mostly strangers, before breakfast. Breakfast was a buffet table with several different things: we had chai tea, andazi (big fried circles of dough),fried sweet potato, kitimbua (saucer-like things made from thick rice flour), watermelon and little pieces of fried doughwith chili sauce. It was great, if a little heavy, and pretty unusual (though I now know that it is common breakfast- I've had andazi and chai everyday since). After we ate, we met Mama Jane, our Hall warden (like an RA, but for all of us- and what a position title, huh?), Paulina, Dr. Robert's assistant and an employee in the housing department and Emanuel Kessy, our curriculum coordinator and a PhD professor here. We also met Hamida and Emanuel, two Tanzanian students, for the first time- they have been a huge help to all of us, from teaching us basic phrases to taking us to the beach. They rock. After introductions, we went to meet a woman from the LINKS office, responsible for all the international students at UDSM. She told us about everything they had to offer and introduced us to two more Tanzanian students, whose names I don't even remember. After that, we grabbed lunch at the cafeteria, where I got a huge plate of rice, veggies, beans, and a couple pits of meat in a stew for about 66 cents. After lunch, I don't really remember what we did-I just know that we had dinner at Hill Park, and hung out in Noah and Sam's room until about 9:30 drinking Konyagi, a local spirit similar to gin (the legal drinking age here is 18, and we didn't drink much- no one should worry).

That was a relatively typical day, thought we had to find breakfast for ourselves. I tend to prefer the cafeteries, where I spend about 500-600 shillings (30-40 cents), but you can also eat at the Kiswahili cafe. The offerings are all pretty much the same- chai, andazi (a fried swet dough thing, in a ball or log-like shape), chapati, which is flat bread like naan only thinner, and doughnuts without all the sweet glaze. Sometimes they have eggs, sometimes sausage, and, at Kiswahilie they have milk and fruit, from papaya to bananas. Throughout this last week we also had several different lectures- on security (TRUST NO ONE- and don't go wandering around alne at night, health (DON'T DRINK THE WATER AND ALWAYS WASH YOU HANDS. Oh, and shower), culture (Respect elders and expect lots of very friendly greetings), and gender issues (MEN ARE NUMBER ONE!!). We had lectures usually at 10AM and 2PM, and I usually ate in between and did various group stuff afterwards. One day we played a big ultimate game, another we went swimming (I didn't- I watched a vocational school's girls netball game- basketball without dribbling or backboards- and a soccer game), and we just chilled a lot. We also went out a couple nights and had some beer after dinner; we figured out that Serenghetti and Kilimanjaro are the two best beers, but a cider drink called Redd's is also pretty darn good. Another favorite beverage is Stoney Tangawezi, a super-gingery soda made with real sugar (just like all sodas here).

And that is how the first wek was. I'm sure I am forgetting details, but we did so much and waited so long to write this. From here on out, I am going to try and blog everyother day, and more if my life is extra exciting. Until then , I hope my writing isn't to dry.

Caleb

PS- A note on Tanzanian Time- The clock starts at 6 or 7, and ends at 6 or seven in the evening. Which means that 7 is actually 1pm. Confusing enough? People also run habitually late, so much so that you can practically expect informal meetings to be at least a half hour later than planned. This country just runs a little slower and is less concerned about punctuality. I knew I wasn't doing things wrong in the US. I just treat time “differently” so to speak, and I fit right in here.

Live from Doha

At the request of "Jason" Zhao, here is how the pretrip London Adventure went. Bear with any mistakes I might make, as I am writing this on the floor of the Doha airport at 2:40 in the morning. I'm a little bit delirious, but I don't know when I'll have another chance, so here it goes.

After I left home, I went briefly to my ranch in West Texas with my family, friends and girlfriend, Val. After that, I flew from San Antonio to Minneapolis, where Val's mom picked Val and I up and took us to her house. Then, on Wednesday, we got on a plane to London Heathrow and my trip really began.

We got into London at 8AM, with more luggage than we could possibly need- we each have three bags, all of which are probably at least forty pounds. We dragged our stuff across the airport and onto the underground, which took us right to our hostel, the Picadilly Backpackers Hostel. Located right off picadilly circus, it was in the perfect location, surrounded by nightlife, tourist attractions, restaurants and theaters (or, in London, theatres) playing everything from Grease to Sherlock Holmes. The hostel itself, however, left something to be desired. It was a run down, very loud, and, as we found out, not that safe (Val and I were both fine, but the same can't be said about our stuff: we were flat out robbed over our last night).

After we lugged our stuff across London and checked in, we dove in, with Rick Steves as our guide. Exhausted from the plane ride, we grabbed sandwiches and yogurt from Tesco (a mini-grocery store) and did the most touristy thing of the whole trip: we took a "Original Sightseeing Tour" on a double decker bus around London's major sights. We saw Westminster Abbey, the Houses or Parliament, Big Ben, Trafalger, Tower Bridge, City Hall, Cleopatra's Needle, Trafalger Square, etc, etc, etc. We got a whirlwind tour of the major sights of London, for 23.50 Pounds apiece. We were tired, and it was worth it, especially because we didn't tour all of the major sites. We didn't go into Westminster. We didn't climb on the famous lions surrounding the towering statue of Horatio Nelson in Trafalger. We didn't tour Buckingham Palace. We didn't see Shakespeare's globe. We never went up on Tower Bridge. Heck, we didn't even see the changing of the guards at Buckingham (not the main show any way...)

What we did do, however, was see Avenue Q, a Broadway musical, with songs like The Internet is For Porn and If You Were Gay That'd Be Ok, as well as puppet sex scenes and saw a London play, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, acted out superbly by only two men (the secret is that Holmes is Moriarity. Cue dramatic music). We toured the Tower of London for half price, saw where two adolescent kings were likely murdered, gazed at the armor of British kings, and saw the brilliant crown jewels (including the remarkable emerald from King Edward the Confessor himself, from the 11th century). We happened upon a part of the changing of the horse guard, across from St. James' Park, with approximately nil other tourists. We walked down Fleet Street, saw the Cabinet War Rooms, mostly undisturbed since Germany and Japan surrendered in the 1940's and learned about the man who got Britain through the blitz, Churchill. I ate savory pies and mussels, drank cider (the hard kind), beer and ales. We ate at pubs, crepe places and churches, and rushed through the British Museum, what Rick Steves calls the greatest record of civilization anywhere. We also went to a street market, the best I had ever seen with a combination of antiques, food, and new items

Did we do it all? no, of course not. At times we were lost and tired, and Val and I didn't always see eye to eye. But we saw a lot and most importantly, we enjoyed ourselves immensely and left happy about the trip. Apart from a few minor hiccups and one major one (that I am currently not at liberty to elaborate on) Val and I's London adventure went marvelously. It was long enough for us to see London and short enough not to keep us from Tanzania. We left Heathrow happy and healthy, ready to start the next four months.

Now i just need to figure out a creative way to end my blogposts... And that's the way it was? I think that has been used already. Until next time? Over and out? Reporting from Doha?

I'll figure it out. For now this is Caleb Ray, reporting from Qatar, and thats the way it was.

Over and out.

K Ray

Profile, Finale

Now that you know why I chose ACM Tanzania, you might be able to guess what I am excited about. And as you might assume, I am excited about learning a new language, meeting my host family and simply experiencing a new culture and lifestyle. As I mentioned, it is an opportunity unlike any I have ever had before. Even if I were to travel to Tanzania, I would not be able o learn the language, live at the University of Dar es Salaam, study the Maasai outside of Tarangire or archaeology within Tarangire, or live with Tanzanians. I am excited about the multiple once in a lifetime opportunities that the I hope the program will provide.

Something that you might not expect me to be excited about, however, is the food. When I travel, I usually research my destination, not wanting to make a misstep during my short stay. I read up on the sights, the lodgings, the dining, the shopping: everything that I want to see and do while I'm there. Most important to me is the food, as I think that what, how and with whom a group of people eats is the best way for a a traveler to touch into the local psyche and get a feel for a place.

For my trip to Tanzania, however, my preparations did not include research into dining, shopping, sightseeing or anything of the sort. Since I have four months in Tanzania, I can explore the people and places. I have the time to make mistakes and discover what the country has to offer me by myself, as I have more that a week or two at my destination. And, more than everything else, I cannot wait to explore Tanzania food and dining traditions. Because I am exploring Tanzania without a guidebook, I will need to depend mostly on my own experiences to learn about the people and places. Because I believe that food and dining is the most accessible window into another culture, I am very excited to explore Tanzania's eating and dining practices, from new ones in Dar es Salaam to personal ones with my host family.

But first, I have to get to Tanzania. my trip will involve stops in Sonora, Texas, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and London, England. When I do get to Tanzania though, I will begin to keep my friends, family, and anyone else following my blog, informed on my adventures and misadventure. Until then, goodnight and good luck.

PS- IF YOUR INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT MY PRE-TRIP TRIP TO LONDON, COMMENT. IF ANYONE CARES I'M HAPPY TO SHARE.

Profile, Part 2

Why I did I choose Tanzania? Several reasons. I was interested in studying abroad since high school, but never actively pursued it. As soon as I got to college, in an attempt to pique my interest, I went to see Laura, the woman in charge of all Lawrentians studying abroad. I was inundated by the 30+ programs that she presented to me, but two stuck out, ACM Tanzania and ACM India. Both offered exotic locales and more exciting opportunities than the traditional European abroad programs (not that there is anything wrong with Europe, but I wanted something unusual). Europe, I reasoned, was easier to access as a tourist- I wanted to study somewhere that I might never visit otherwise.

As I went through my first year at Lawrence, studying abroad got pushed to my backburner, replaced by tennis, school, and my social life, mainly girls. However, when I returned for my sophomore year, I took another look at all the programs and immediately knew that I wanted to participate in ACM Tanzania. It had everything. I would get the spectrum of living experiences, living in a foreign dorm, the field and with a host family. The host family was especially important to me, as I think that it is an essential part of my cultural experience: with my host family, I imagined (and still imagine, as I write this), I would actually be forced to live something like a Tanzanian. I would not be able to lean on my fellow students to avoid cultural exposure (even if unconsciously), and would get to truly live in a foreign culture.

In addition, the combination of structured curriculum and independent study sealed the deal for me. The program's set curriculum offers me the opportunity for me to learn about Tanzania's historical, cultural and ecological background and to learn Kiswahili, while the independent study will let me pursue my own particular interests, using my education from both my first to years in college and the first part of my stay in Tanzania.

I hope that the combination of living situations and academic opportunities will help me learn both about Tanzania and the world in general. Ultimately, I chose Tanzania because I think that studying abroad is an incredible opportunity that will forever alter the lives of those that undertake it. I think that the combination of educational opportunities and cultural experiences that the Tanzania program provides will maximize its effect in life, enriching both my academic and my experiential education