I often joke that I could be one of those people who would enjoy going off in the wilderness for a year and be fine all alone. I think of myself as a very independent person, exacerbated by my introverted nature. Well, I certainly have fed my introverted needs this past week. Monday was given to me as an orientation day, and both Wednesday and Thursday were national holidays in observance of Eid, the end of Ramadan. So, I do not have a ton to report… I have spent my free time mainly walking, reading, knitting and watching tv, on repeat.
On my orientation day, my neighbor April showed me around the city. I found out where to buy vouchers for a phone plan, where to do my “wazungu” (white person) shopping and where the local market is. The wazungu shop is a fairly standard American-style convenience store. This is where I buy my milk, meat and household products. However, the market is much more fun. Once I got past the heinous odor of dried “dagaa” (dried sardines, a delicacy of a snack), there were mountains of fresh produce. After perusing my options, I bought a bunch of bananas, 5 avocados, a pineapple and a watermelon–all for the low low price of 7000 Tsh (roughly $3)!
The streets here in Iringa are not necessarily pedestrian-friendly. The choices are to walk on the street with wild piki-piki drivers and cars whizzing by or tramp through the dirt and underbrush footpaths on the side of the road. To make matters more interesting, one-meter-deep trenches separate the road from the footpaths to drain water during the rainy season. On my first solo walk exploring the city, I chose the footpaths, constantly looking down at my feet to make sure I would not trip or run across a snake (I have been told that there are no snakes in the city–jury’s still out as to whether I believe this or not!). I was well into my walk when I realized I had barely looked up to enjoy my surroundings. I had hiked upwards and had a magnificent view of the city below me. I guess my lesson is that I need to slow down and look up–the journey is part of the adventure!
In preparation for my trip, I got the rabies series of vaccinations so that I could jog here (I was warned that the dogs are territorial and sometimes prone to chasing joggers. Read: not good floofs). However, I went for my first and probably last run of the summer on Tuesday. The streets were uneven and I needed to jump to the side every time a car passed, so my run ended up being more frustrating than stress-relieving. I researched local gyms and found a couple options, but one ended up being out of business and the other offered scheduled fitness classes with no equipment. Womp womp. I finally broke out my problem solving skills and designed my own makeshift at-home gym, complete with water jugs to serve as weights.
Although this week has been quiet, it gave me time to acclimate to my new home and rest, and I am looking forward to getting to work next week!
Becky's Summer in Tanzania 