2nd Installment from Africa

Next Installment of the Journey,

It’s my August 7th 2007 I’ve arrived in Arusha and am staying at the Aquiline Hotel near the bus terminal. As an aside it turns out that my team is being farmed out individually so I’ll be going to Nakaranga Hospital by myself. I arrived after 3 am and I’m supposed to meet Paradise or Prince (depending on who is talking to him) and Ally my guide to Arusha. Prince is the local person for Global Crossroads. As well as the local rep for a Safari Company. So of course he is trying to sell trips. Meet the guys at 8:30 am for breakfast. At 9:30 Ally and I take off for my “orientation” to Arusha and AruMoru (this region of Tanzania ). He is a Muslim born in Arusha and raised here and in Kenya . He is a local guide and computer tech. Arusha and Moshi are huge tourist centers. Most safaris and climbs or Killi and Mt Meru (2nd highest mountain in Tanzania / 5th Highest in Africa ) are originated here. Plus trips to the Ngorogoro Crater, Lake Manyara Park and the Serengeti also start here. Arusha is also the home of the UN Genocide tribunal for Rwanda . The clock tower in Arusha is also the half way point between Cape Town South Africa and Cairo Egypt . It’s a mid sized city of about 800k people. Ally shows me the major points of interest. How to catch the Dala Dala (the local transport here) bus and where the banks and internet is. We did stop into the court to hear the trial which is translated into many languages. But the trial was in adjournment. Then we went onto the Mt Meru Massai Market. This is the local spot for craftsman to sell there wares to each other and Mzugus (white person … which I have learned now includes me.. I think I’ll join the Klan when I get home…LOL). Spent 3 hrs going from stall to stall not buying anything yet but everyone was very cool. Not too many people with the “welcome home to Africa now buy something from me”. Most folks were interested in where I come from and why I was there. Met a couple of people that had met Bill Clinton when he was in country as president and also most recently (2 weeks ago). There is a lot of good stuff and a lot of tourist crap around. Ally and I then stop off for a beer and then to sit down for a moment. We had been out almost 6 hrs. Then off the exchange money and find internet access point. Ok, internet service in Arumaro sucks. Even a good line is only 384 kbs. There is wireless satellite type service but it is not the best nor does it have high throughput. Climate and terrain - wise Northern Tanzania is very much like the West Virginia Mountains . Its spring time for temp is in the 50’s – 60’s during the day, high 40’s - 50’s at night. Very hilly and green. One downside is that Global Crossroad over sold the prevalence of English in Tanzania . People are friendly and do work with you but there definitely is a huge language gap. My Swahili leaves a lot to be desired.

For dinner I met up with another volunteer from Global X-roads. She is working in Dar Es Salem. She took the 10 hrs bus ride up to go on Safari. Gloria a 21 year old senior at Barnard. She is working in School in Dar. She had similar transportation issue. Even flying into Dar. No one picked her up. Then they sent someone who did not speak any English. Walked up to her with his cell out. He handed her the phone.. The local coordinator is on the other line saying that this is the driver to ride with him… Yeah right !!! But what are you going to do. But worse for her was that after 2 weeks in country. Her clothes still have not arrived. Air Tanzania !!! But she is in good spirits and going up to Ngorogoro crater and Lake Manyara for 4 days. She is enjoying her volunteering. We had a good dinner and I played some music with the local band. Back to hotel and bed. In the am we head to the hospital Nakaranga Hospital It’s 25 km outside Arusha on the road to Moshi the town is Kelala. The back of the grounds re the back side of Mt Meru. But not the side that can be climbed, it’s a former German Hospital/Dispensary now run by the Lutheran Diocese. After driving 6 km up a dirt road we hit the hospital. Think Lighthouse Lane before they paved the roads in Sag for 5km. It’s a hospital/orphanage/school compound. As I have found the time and communication in Africa work very differently. We arrive at the hospital to find that no one knows that I coming. The Dr is in surgery and I have to wait. We sit in the canteen and have lunch banana stew. I did not realize that there are 15 different types of banana. I will some be sick of bananas. I also learned the phase Pole (Poo lay) Pole. Or slowly slowly. Rich and Dinorah would not make it here. Me I think I found my people. LOL.. Strangely Pole by itself means sorry. Some my Swahili is now Hello ( habari, Jambo , Mambo, Salame), all the above are greetings. The response can be Nzuri, Safi , Poa,. The next word that you hear all the time is Karibu ( welcome) or Karibu Sana Very welcome, next is Assante (thank you) … Assante Sana. So that is my Swahili. Anyway after 1.5 hrs the Doc is still in the operating theater. So we walk up to meet another volunteer couple, Susan and Emily a mother and daughter from LA. There are working in the orphanage. Susan grew up in Inwood and went to GW HS. A Former actress now special Ed teacher. Emily is 20 year old senior we would spend quite a bit of time with each other soon. But for now Prince is working with them on planning their Safari.

Finally I get my housing. The house looks like back in the day it was a very nice place. But now it’s serviceable. It’s 4 bedrooms 1 bath, kitchen with an upstairs that will never be used again. But we are living large cause the hot water heater works. For if you wait 2o minutes and the electricity is working a hot shower is possible. This is relatively large. The only other person in the house is Mai a Danish pharmacist from Copenhagen . But she was raised on a Christmas tree farm of all places. She is with Pharmacists without Borders on a 6 month placement. Her family had just left this am. Plus 2 days before all the other volunteers staying in the house had left. Susan and Emily are in another house. Anyway Mai gives me the tour then lets me know that they have no idea why I there… Just great… Anyway I pick a bedroom and unpack. Not bad at least I have a bed but no linen nor towels. Luckily I have a sleeping bag and a camp towel, Mai is good enough to lend me a real towel.

I go down with Mai to the pharmacy. She shows me around. The first thing that I learned is that the thing most needed here is not stuff but expertise. They had 3 containers of donations that they could not sort thru. More on that later. I immediately get into the mix as the nurses are asking her about a patient with bedsores. She points them to me as she doesn’t know how to dress wounds. No words can do justice to this wound. The pics will be posted. This man had no butt. This wound went all the way to the bone on the butt and both thighs. They were using gauze and padding it with sanitary napkins and tape. Back in the pharmacy I start looking for a better solution. But all dressing supplies are unorganized and just stacked in a room. Plus the head doctor only lets the pharmacist dispense any supplies including dressings bandages and other stuff. But she doesn’t about alot of the things in the boxes. She has arranged all the medication and trained the staff to get it properly dispensed.

It’s not that the people are ignorant. The opposite is true they are very smart and good at what they do. They are just massively under trained and understaffed. Anyway after a few hours I meet Dr Julius the assistant chief doctor. We discuss my placement and he tells me to meet him after morning chapel for rounds. We are requested to attend chapel at 8am every am. Cool… I head up to the house. I grab the donations and walk up the hill to the orphanage. Susan and Emily introduce me to the mommas in charge, The orphanage has for kids 0-5 years old, But they are not orphans in the way we think of orphans. All but 2 of the kids have fathers that are still alive. 1 was found in a dumpster at about 3 days old and another lost both parents to Aids. But the others will stay here until they are 5 then be place in other schools/orphanages or back with their fathers or other family. All of their mothers have passed on and it appears that men don’t take care of young children in this society. The fathers are supposed to come and visit once per month although it is not enforced. I don’t quite understand this whole thing. I make the donation… Help with the kids for awhile then head home. Mai then tells me that I’ll have to go up every day from a little while to ensure that the Mommas don’t sell/or take the donations. I don’t know what to say. But over time I would learn that it is not uncommon for things to go missing cause nobody is well paid, So I head back to the house and get ready for bed.

Two more observations.

It gets dark here early by 7pm it’s dark. We are close to the equator so the days are even year round. 7am – 7pm sunlight.
Coming to Africa is not the homecoming that I thought it would be. I mean that I don’t feel like a lot of people have described. Crying and shit when they get off the plane… Or an overwhelming feeling to belonging. I feel more like I’ve come to a grandparents house. You are welcome and comfortable but it not your house. Everyone I’m met and spent time with has been great. It’s good to be in a place where almost everyone is black. The history and variety of people and places is stunning. I could stay here for a long time. But I’m still a welcomed distant relative. I’m not sure if this is coming thru clearly. But I’m happy to be here and liking what I see. And what I’m going. Just not having the overwhelming feeling that so many people have described. But that could just be me. I do know this much. I will come back here not just to Africa .

More soon. Next installment is come up