Almost one week!

Hello again from Tanzania! We have been in Dar for almost a week now and I think I am finally starting to settle in here. We are all getting the hang of things on campus and trying to get all the things we need before classes start.

 (walking through the university)

            Over the past few days we have been doing orientation-like things, like going to talks and filling out paper work (we just got our university of Dar es Salaam ID cards, which was quite exciting). Yesterday I had my first Dala-Dala experience (which no, is not a fun way to say money). Dala-Dalas are the public transportation vehicles around here, which, although small, can pack in an absurd amount of people and they run all over the city. We were told to watch our things closely because you get really up-close and personal with the other folks riding the Dala-Dala. I rode out to the Milimani mall yesterday, which is pretty much a western mall that you could find in any metropolitan area of America, except that we were the only westerners within sight. There is a Walmart-like store called “game”, where you can get pretty much anything that you would need, from toiletries to food. We also went to a cultural center yesterday, which entailed watching a “traditional” African dance where at the end they force you to get up and dance with them. I’m not sure how authentic the whole experience was, and there are always some moral questions about exploiting the culture that is on display. Never the less, it was entertaining and the dancers were talented.

(Garrett and one of the dancers getting friendly)

            We started our first class today, which is research methods, taught by our Program Director Molly. We brainstormed and discussed ideas for our research project, and talked about the process that will be involved for our preparation. I am thinking about doing a project related to the relationship between animals and the Masaai people, but I will have to do a lot more thinking and research before I start making any decisions. Being all Anthropology, Ecology and Biology majors, many of our projects may overlap and some of us may be doing projects together or in conjunction with each other.

            I have been going jogging in the mornings because my jet-lag and the Ramadan morning prayers have been waking me up early anyhow. We have been going in groups and always get some stares from the morning workers who laugh at the white people running around in shorts. After my run this morning we returned to the dorms only to learn that the water was turned off, so I got to take my first (and I’m sure not my last) bucket-shower of the semester. We save jugs of water in the laundry room just for these occasions.

            I don’t have any more major updates for now – my mind is still spinning since our arrival, but slowly things will start making more sense. Right now I am sitting under a huge Baobob tree where you can get internet on campus, so I’m feeling pretty good about life right now.