Our Last Week

Last Week: March 18 -

On Monday I panicked. There was only one more week until we drove out to Kilimanjaro International Airport and began our return to Spokane. Since this year, I insisted that we fly on KLM, our flights and transfers should be low-key and easy. However, I don’t feel ready to re-enter the amped up life back in the States. If it weren’t for children and grandchildren, I would never return. Life here is often inconvenient by our First World standards: the electricity often goes off; the internet is very spotty; finding certain items in stores is random and even impossible; nothing happens on time; the traffic regularly ignores the usual rules of the road; police regularly stop vehicles just to hassle drivers and get “money for chai,” etc. But, in general, the people are extremely friendly and hospitable, and life is far more connected and communal than it is in the States. I never feel anxious or stressed here.

We’ll once again pack a large box of the items we leave behind to await our return the next year.  I traded 3 large tubes of sunscreen for a large plastic tub, which we hope will be more rat proof than our previous box. I’ve bought some items for gifts, but we bring gifts, too, and we pack many items we use up here, so we should have plenty of room in our 3 suitcases for all we are hauling home. I also give away some of my clothes each year, which helps keep our return luggage light. — OH! I just remembered that I am planning on packing some rocks. John has the luggage scale here, so I’ll know if I get over the weight limit.

The only real excitement we had on Monday was late in the evening when a neighborhood cat came into our kitchen looking for food. We were watching a bit of MSNBC before going to bed and heard a strange noise in the kitchen. John went to see who/what was there and bravely chased away an invading cat. I hadn’t ever seen a cat at Kundayo before, so I can’t imagine how it got to our apartment.

We planned to take MaryLou with us to Uzunguni City Park restaurant this day. That meant we had a nice free morning to do whatever we wanted at Kundayo before going for lunch. John wake down to a nearby photo shop and had prints made of photos I had taken of Mama and others on the staff here at Kundayo. I always give out photos each year before I leave. I stayed behind on the garden terrace and became acquainted with a young man who had checked in on Monday.

Alex looked African but said he was from Denmark, so I assumed he was from an immigrant family. In fact, he was adopted by a Danish couple when he was 7 years old. His biological parents were Ethiopians working in Iringa when Alex was born. He didn’t mention why he wasn’t kept with his birth family, but he spoke strongly about the love and opportunity his Danish parents have given him. Now, Alex and one of his brothers are in Tanzania attempting to start up a niche coffee company to compete with the big companies which are already in Denmark. We strongly bonded with our mutual dislike of Dar es Salaam.

Around 1:00, we had Ray drive us to Uzunguni for lunch. It is a big sprawling complex of grilling spaces and three separate dining areas set in a lovely garden. There is a constant flow of vehicles in and out, and the place always seems full. We chose to sit in the terrace under an awning cover so we could look out at the garden. This is a truly African place with dishes not on most other menus at the places wazungu frequent. In fact in the 2 hours we were there, we were the only wazungu we saw.. The clientele are business and other professional people, so we were very casually dressed compared to those around us.

John ordered grilled goat; MaryLou got a chicken plate; and I had tilapia mkenga. We also ordered mboga, which we definitely did not need. There was so much food! There was also a lovely breeze, and it was wonderful to just sit and take in the whole scene of people coming and going nonstop. Restaurants here always have a set up for washing hands since most Africans eat with their hands. At a large, busy place such as Uzunguni, there are wash stands all over. We washed out hands both before eating and, of course, after.

MaryLou at a washstand.

My tilapia

John had called Ray to come for us, but MaryLou wanted to explore the curio shop next to the restaurant. I visit there every year, so the guys inside know me well and always ask if I am bringing them another group of customers. This year it was only MarLou, who wasn’t all that interested in buying more gifts or souvenirs. However, the prices at this shop are very tempting, so she finally gave in and bought a long flowing dress for herself and another small item for a gift. I unfortunately bought more, but I justify it as a way to support local craftspeople.

After we had been back at Kundayo for awhile, MaryLou put on her new dress, and Beatrice took a shawl and wrapped it around MaryLou’s head. Wow! what a transformation! Such a costume would not fit in back in Spokane, but it certainly looks great here.

Beatrice decided to use MaryLou's hawl as a headtie.

The new MaryLou

 Wednesday was another day with the albino women for MaryLou. John and I waited until after 10:00 a.m. to walk up to Terry African Design to pick up the dresses Terry was sewing for Peri and me.  They were finished, but I thought the sleeves on mine needed to be altered a bit. So, while I waited for that to be done, John walked to where the sandals are made and got the last pair we had ordered there. Before we left Terry’s shop, I gave her my favorite bag/purse, which had a broken zipper and asked her to repair that if possible. Of course, she could do that for me. I’m very happy to have my usual purse here restored for use again.

Terry is making a slight alteration to my dreaa.

 Closer to noon, we took a taxi into town to have lunch at Kitamu one more time. I also wanted to finalize the refund of a double charge on my credit card. That happened last Friday when we made repeated tries to get our credit cards approved and were constantly denied. Apparently, there was more than one approval on mine. The ever helpful women at Kitamu assured me that they would have their bank refund to my account. John wanted to try the wonderful stuffed chicken breast MaryLou had ordered last week, and I ordered the avocado salad with chicken strips. Both were very delicious. My salad was so large that I ate less than one half of it, so we have that to be our lunch tomorrow, too.

We took a bjaji back to Kundayo. Instead of lying down to rest as John did, I walked over to Mama’s courtyard to visit with her. She is now well enough to come outside in her private garden area, but not out to the main courtyard, where we usually visit. Beatrice came to translate, and we had a long chat. I gave Mama all the photos I had taken of her since January as I do every year at the end of our stay here. She always laughs at how I memorialize her costumes.

However, most of our conversation focused on the Ngaisi saga. We have heard nothing at all from her, and the hospital has privacy laws which prevent us from finding out if/when she is there. Mama had a hard time understanding why there would be such laws since this is Africa where everyone wants to know everyone’s business. She must think it’s just another crazy mzungu idea, and perhaps it is in this culture.

We have Ngaisi's layette ready to go.

 When I awoke and realized it was already Thursday, I had a moment of panic. I’ve done absolutely nothing to begin sorting and packing our things. It’s as if I’m frozen and unable to prepare to leave Arusha and return to Spokane. I wish I could have both: live in Arusha and then take a short drive to Spokane whenever I wanted to visit there.  Some day far in the future, if we don’t all become extinct, something like that will likely be possible, but it won’t be in time for me to enjoy the benefits.

John and MaryLou both had errands downtown, so they took off on a dalla-dalla about 10:00. I stayed behind in the garden terrace and read, worked on my Facebook and email accounts, and chatted more with Alex, the young Ethiopian man from Denmark. He’s very interesting and very open in talking about himself and his experience here in Arusha. We know we must be careful about what we say these days, but we also both love Tanzania and hope it will continue to have peace and a bright future.

Later in the early evening, after a dinner of kuku na chipsie, I walked over to Mama’s private compound to have a chat. MaryLou had gone over earlier and when I arrived was eating a plate of rice and cooked cabbage Mama had given to her. It was nice to be together again, telling stories and laughing. It was very good to see Mama looking so much better. A few afternoon showers had cooled the air and the stars were bright. it was a lovely end to the day.