Daily Life

Tuesday, January 8, 2018

Kate Sowers, who had been a student in Tanzania with us in 2012, stopped by for a visit this morning. She had come to participate in the confirmation ceremonies for one of her host family’s sons last month. Two friends had come with her, and they spent several weeks an exploring Arusha, taking a safari to several game parks, and visiting Zanzibar. Kate was staying on for a bit more time with her host family and happened to be here just long enough to cross paths with us for one day. It was very special to see her again in the very place where we first became acquainted seven years ago. Africa builds strong long-term connections for many who come to learn and work.

After Kate’s visit and lunch, John and Mary Lou set out again on a long walk to explore the neighborhood and buy some more vegetables, carrots, cucumbers, and potatoes this time. While they were out, I did my first two loads of bucket-plunger laundry. The same red plastic bucket—5 gallon?—and our faithful plunger were still in our bathroom this year. So, with a lot of water, a little laundry detergent, and some physical exertion, I washed and rinsed all our dirty underwear. As always, I hung the newly washed clothes on vinyl covered hangers on the frame of our mosquito netting frame and tuned on our floor fan to help them dry more quickly. It’s a tedious process—especially because I have to wring every thing between the wash and three rinses—but it works, and I always feel so proud of myself. Next, I will attack our socks. I’ve softened enough that I now send all our shirts and slacks to Kundayo’s laundry instead of doing them myself as I used to.

John and Mary Lou returned hot and tired, but the walk seems to have been a success. John hopes that giving Mary Lou some orientation both downtown and in our neighborhood will enable her to go out on her own soon. However, we’ve only been here for four days, and comparing that short time with our 50 years in and out of Africa, seven of which have been our annual times in Tanzania, helps us to recognize that what seems so common and familiar to us may not be all that comfortable for her.  We come here to spend relaxed time in a special place with good friends, not to go on safari or explore new places. I just hope that the routine of our daily life does not become too boring for her.

[ For Mary Lou’s account of this and other walks, go to her blog at
https://adventuringwithmarylou.blogspot.com ]

For dinner, I made the eggplant stew I first learned to cook during my second year in the Congo long ago. It was based on what we could get from local gardens: eggplants, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. That’s pretty much it, with simple seasonings. Stews and rice, or ugali, are ubiquitous in Africa, but I think this eggplant stew is a wazungu invention. It’s delicious, however. Our meal ended with John’s usual fruit salad, made with mangoes, pineapple, and bananas. This time the pineapple was particularly delicious.