Mazuka Time!: Things that don't, but do, make sense, some more than others....

I wanted to start a post here about things that are done differently here but also make sense, some things more than others… I’ll let you be the judge!

You give the bus driver money during or after your stop, not before they’ve taken you somewhere. We have been on a bus that broke down and giving back 400 shillings in change to dozens of people would be difficult math-work. Of course in Canada a new bus would come and pick everyone up for free, the buses (dala dalas) here in Tanzania appear uniform yet at least semi-privately owned and I don’t think that would work.

Reporters are paid for coming to your event for a story, but may never actually report it. Not corruption or bribery, it is simply the way things work here. Because I work in an organization that operates under a human rights based approach to advocacy, as opposed to a charity-based approach, having the media cover your story is an important resource to reach a wider audience and frustratingly, one that is so valuable, you are willing to pay for the chance for them to come. But, try explaining that to donor organizations. “Where did that 80,000 shillings go?” “We had to pay the journalists for coming to check out our story” “But… It was never aired?”….. ayyeeeee…..

You negotiate the price of a taxi/bajaj (three-wheeler motorbike with a resemblance of a gold cart) before you get in. I’ve been in taxis in Vancouver where there have been new drivers that don’t know the city well. One time we went around in circles and we ended up paying way over what we wanted to because he had lead us in the wrong direction, and we didn’t know the city that well, but we recognized the same buildings had gone by. (I choose to believe he was a new driver and not intentionally driving us around in circles ripping us off...)

Conferences put on by my organization that children/adults/other organizations attend for awareness raising and skill building are paid a generous amount for transportation costs. This is to ensure their attendance because why else would they miss school, pay for transport or volunteer to drive kids away from school for it? It makes sense, but is also very hard to explain to donors.

In Tanzania, a lot of food is eaten with your hands. So it makes sense to leaving your pinky finger nail long to use when eating or for getting stuff out of your teeth after. At restaurants, before you eat they bring around a water jug and bucket and soap for you to wash your hands before you eat. They also return after your meal to repeat it!

Women pat their own heads all the time. This is to itch their heads, without loosening their braids or messing up their incredibly straight and perfectly combed hair.

At first, I didn't understand why I had banana in my rice dish, and then I tried it. It is awesome and it counteracted the spicy rice pilau. Next on the table, egg and peanut butter sandwiches!