Side Effects May Include: Patience

One’s capacity to accept or tolerate delay develops immensely while in Africa. Whether you are traveling, shopping, teaching, working or just trying to have conversation, patience is needed. 

I have come to understand that patience is necessary in living here because of the slow pace of life. It can become tiresome and stressful, but rather than getting uptight, which will do no good, you must be able to just relax and, as I’d say, chill.

Some of my Frisbee kids!

Additionally, because you learn that things take a while you begin to plan ahead. If you know you will be travelling it is smart to leave a day early. If you don’t want to stand on the bus then you have to get there early. If you want a conversation to go more smoothly then you must study Swahili. Everything takes time. As a result, whether you have patience or you don’t it is almost guaranteed you will by the time you leave Africa.

Along the topic of patience, one must be accepting of the fact that many here do not know what something’s are back home, even if they are common to us. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays my students have sport time in the afternoon. I have brought out my Frisbees and have begun teaching them how to throw and catch. They were extremely interested. I wasn’t surprised to find out that they had never seen or heard of a Frisbee so it was fun to show them for the first time.

Imagine 400 kids leaving their classrooms and heading out to the football pitch to begin sport time while a white guy shows up with this strange flying disc. Yeah, those 400 kids quickly surrounded me while trying to explain and demonstrate how to play. It was funny.

There are four things I picked up on during sports time:

1. They couldn’t get enough of my red hair. Many would come up and start touching or playing with it. Some of those who did also asked if they could have it. I had to sadly say no considering the fact that, yes; it is attached to my head. Haha!

2. Many would call me Uncle Joseph. I asked them why and they told me that when they don’t know someone very well they call them Uncle. Interesting. They told me that they would just call me Joseph from now on, though.

3. Once again, my name was a major topic of discussion. Students that had names that started with the letter “J” seemed to be very happy. Who knew this would be the cause of popularity in an African high school?

4. In an earlier post I mentioned before the exchange of the greetings “Shikamo” and “Marahaba”. I also said that you must bow when a young person says this to you. Correction: even though you may bow sometimes I must say that I think it is more common not to. This is because a lot of the time you will pass a large number of kids who will all say it and bowing to each one so they can touch your head would take forever and be a bit absurd. Therefore, in situations like this you end up just replying and moving on.

So, after their initial fascination of both the Frisbee and my red hair wore off they began to quiet down. Some went off to play another sport, but the majority stayed. I have a number of Frisbees so I was able to form multiple circles for them to play in. Then they went about throwing the Frisbee. I wouldn’t say throwing a Frisbee is difficult, but when it’s your first time it can be a bit tricky. Therefore, even though I know how to play well I needed to be patient with the kids and wait until they got the hang of it.

Saint Monica's!

Hanging out with the kids is a lot of fun and they have asked me to make sure I make it to each sports time so they can play Frisbee. I, of course, said I would.

In the carpentry shop we have begun making chairs and a bed. It can take some time getting involved with more of the interesting aspects of carpentry (I do a lot of sanding), but it is fun to be in the shop anyways.

After work I enjoy going on my walks into the fields which extend back behind the village. However, there is also a road that runs past Hanga and into another surrounding village and then out into the countryside. It’s wonderful to walk down and it’s always fun to pass by the houses and say hi to the people. They can’t get enough of the uzungu (white man).

Lately we have been graced with some great weather which makes the walking much more enjoyable. The norm in January and February is rain and we have had plenty of that, but the past couple of days were very sunny with a high around 80 degrees. It was nice to get out and enjoy it. Yet, rain is a major part of this time of year so it is nice to have a rain coat for those days that aren’t 80 degrees and sunny. I’m one who doesn’t mind a bit of cold, but I do think the weather I am having here beats what the east coast just got caked with. Enjoy digging yourselves out of that New York.

Check this out: I have heard that in one of the many national parks that span across Tanzania an extremely rare white giraffe was spotted. I could be wrong, but I think this is the only one that has ever been seen. The pictures of it are really cool. Check it out!

To wrap things up, a common phrase to religious here in Tanzania is: Tumsifu Yesu Kristu (We Praise Christ) which you then would reply: Milele Amina (Forever Amen).

I suppose as January comes to a close and February begins to show itself you all move one month closer to that beloved Minnesota summer and I move a step closer to the African winter. Ah, but who am I kidding, those two are practically the same thing! Ha, the one big bonus of living so close to the equator. Happy February everyone!

Thanks for reading!

Choosing Poverty

If you were to look at the timeline of my service from the eyes of my grandfather, Richard, who is an avid golf player, I have come to the back-nine. Since this is the case, in my blog I will begin to add a few life lessons or major aspects that I have experienced.

One main component of coming to live in Africa is choosing poverty. Voluntary poverty is what a volunteer from any first-world country must be okay with when signing up for Africa. However, two things before I continue on with my point. 

One: this isn’t to say that all of Africa is in shambles and everyone lives in poverty. No, but I would argue that the majority or even 85% do. 

Two: Even though I, along with others, have chosen poverty it doesn’t mean we truly understand exactly what these people actually go through. How could we? We have lived our entire lives in first-world countries and from what I have seen they are almost incomparable to the third-world. Yet, with that being said, us volunteers have a much better understanding of what life is like here. I think a major problem is that people who have never seen or experienced this kind of life still feel as if they know what it’s all about. No way, José.It’s just not possible. I’m no saint for choosing poverty, but I am a better man because I have. The lessons you learn and the experiences you gain are ones that really teach you about the world and help you understand how the choices you make affect more than just you. 

Alright then...

Sleeping in a small hut or never being able to bathe is a reality for many people here. Now, I do get to bathe and I have a bed, but when coming from the suburbia in Minnesota to the villages of Zambia and Tanzania the standard of living drops tremendously. I use “choosing poverty” to describe this drop. 

I don’t know how many on earth live in poverty and I don’t have an internet connection right now to Google such a question, but I would guess the majority do. Otherwise they at least don’t have the comforts we enjoy at places like home, college, shopping centers, etc. The third-world is, well, a different world. 

Something I have come to really enjoy is having my own space. Humans naturally gather together in order to survive and progress. There is a lot of space throughout these African countries and yet the cities are packed. People live in close quarters with one another. Yes, we live close to other people in the U.S., but not like this. There isn’t much privacy or personal space once you enter the city; crowds of people. 

I won’t ramble on about every topic that is involved when talking about poverty, but I would like to say it makes you realize what you take for granted back home. It brings things that you never even thought of into perspective - such as having space. Having personal space, the ease of travel, the abundance of fresh water (both hot and cold), being unburdened by the effects of weather, electricity, cleanliness and the ability to perform bodily functions (bathroom) in comfort all come to mind. After experiencing poverty it makes you realize what you have and what you can do to live a life that is simpler and less taxing on the earth and the one’s you share it with.

As for recent events in the life of me…

I’m a guy who loves to get everything possible out of his experiences so when the BVC emailed me back in August about a theology graduate course being offered through the Saint John’s School of Theology (SJU) I quickly applied to become a student in the class. If accepted, the BVC grants a scholarship to cover the cost of the course which was great because they aren’t cheap. The ‘educational opportunity’, which is what they called it, was an online course for volunteers who were living on the margins. There were people positioned in the U.S., South America, Africa (me) and Europe. We would read a piece of text and then every week post a response to the online forum where other students in the class had to reply. Additionally, each week we had an individual project that focused more on the personal aspects of your area (mine being Zambia/Tanzania). 

Well, two problems came into play real quick. The course started on October 12^th and they sent me books for the course on October 12^th. Ummmm….dude, I live in Africa! Additionally, I had limited internet access and when taking an online course you kind of want internet access. Yet, being determined not to blow three free graduate course credits I made my way into town to access the internet every week and used other online sources of the books while I awaited mine in the mail.

Finally, in December, I received the five books. At this point I was used to going into town for internet and now that I had the physical book in hand things were good. My move from Zambia to Tanzania also interfered with a week of school, but luckily I was able to turn in my assignments a week in advance so I didn’t have to worry. 

I actually thoroughly enjoyed the course. It focused on a spiritual and theological background to volunteering on the margins (with marginalized people); a great topic, especially for someone living in Africa. After the many hours spent travelling to get internet and the copious amount of pages of discussion posts I have typed, I am glad to say I have submitted my final exam today. Woop, throw that ‘A’ and those three graduate school credits my way! It feels good to have that taken care of and I’m glad to have done the course.

Like the graduate course, other things also continue to go well. My Mom sent with Fr. Nick a large bag of Jolly Ranchers which I have shared with the guys in the carpentry shop and my class at the secondary school. They freaked. They loved them. In school I ask them a question and if they get it right I give them a Jolly Rancher. By the way they were acting you would have thought I was passing out $20 bills. If you give a kid a Jolly Rancher…haha

My students at Saint Benedict's Secondary School!

John and I have come to the conclusion that Chips Mai-Aye is a drug. It has to be. It’s so good! We have determined that a small little restaurant named Saint Monica’s in Hanga village serves the best one. We head over there to eat and play cards every few days. It’s fun! There is one lady who works there and she is super nice. Her name is Ester, but we didn’t know that until yesterday so we would always just call her Saint Monica and even though we know her name now we still call her Saint Monica. 

One thing that takes time is getting a bit of Swahili under your belt. It really is needed when working at most places, but especially the clinic. When someone is asking you something or telling you the symptoms they have it helps to understand the language they speak. For this reason it can take some time to get involved in a job. Though, little by little, it happens.

It has rained quite a bit the past few weeks and so on Sundays when I do laundry I just have to get out there and do it anyway. The clothes I’m washing are going to get wet either way so I just do it. I wear my rain coat which helps. 

The internet café in Songea town offers a bit of WiFi which is a lucky find. John is really into podcasts and I have begun to enjoy them as well. We are able to download a few podcasts each time we go to town which is fun because it is nice to listen to something while back in the village. I now know a little of what is happening with the rest of the world, especially the presidential race in the U.S. 

The Abbot election has ended. Fr. Octavian has been elected the new Abbot of Hanga Abbey. He is currently studying elsewhere which makes me wonder why they elected a person who isn’t even around, but he returns in August so that is when he will start his new role.

To conclude, I have heard that there is some unrest in Burundi which is one of the countries that borders Tanzania. I believe it has something to do with its president, President Nkurunziza. The United Nations Security Council has issued warnings and urges inclusive dialogue and expanded international presence. Hopefully things don’t get too out of hand. 

Thanks for reading!

Similarities and Differences

Through daily runs and exploring the village I have been able to find some great paths for my long walks. There are quite a few paths that wind and bend outward from the village and into the bush and surrounding land. I haven’t mapped them all out, but they seem to be great walking paths. In Katibunga I would just walk on the main road that led from Mpika to Katibunga. The paths here are different, but nice because I won’t have to deal with cars and the dust they tend to kick up. 

Another week has passed and I have become accustomed to life here in Tanzania. It’s a nice one and I have enjoyed getting to know the people and ways of life here. After living in two other African countries I have a good sense of how it goes, but each country is a bit different so it is fun to experience the changes and new aspects. With the Abbot elections taking place a few monks from Katibunga have come to Hanga to take part in the elections. This is normal considering Katibunga is associated with Hanga. It is nice being able to see some of the monks from Katibunga that I have become friends with over the past 6 months. Br. Barnabas sought me out after mass one day to say hi. It is nice to have friends from other places. They think it is neat that I am getting to experience both Hanga and Katibunga. 

My work continues to go well. Working in the carpentry shop is like being deaf. Well, not completely, but I must learn by seeing what others do and then copying them. The language barrier is strong so showing me what to do is better than trying to tell me in Swahili. If I do want to talk then I must use my Swahili book. I bring it with me wherever I go now. We are finishing up our work on the desks and will be moving onto start a new project soon. 

Teaching Excel to help organize records

I have finished up teaching Br. Peter and his employees how to keep their records on Microsoft Excel. I probably will have to assist them again soon, but I think they understood the gist of what I was teaching and saying to them. It can be hard to teach someone how to use a computer program when they have never used a computer before. Also, Microsoft Excel isn’t the easiest program to teach either. We have recorded the amount of eggs produced by each house of chickens (there are three) as well as the total number produced and sold.

I was able to stop by and help out in the dispensary yesterday. It is much more organized than Katibunga’s (I tried my best at keeping things organized in Katibunga’s clinic but there is only so much I could do) and has an abundance of medication whereas Katibunga’s was beginning to run low. There is also a large wall that blocks the patient from entering into the medication storage room. There is a hole in the wall to exchange payment for medication. This was also something that was different. In Katibunga you are up close and personal with the patient. No wall blocking out the patient or the ailment they bring with them. I spoke with Br. Joseph, one of the monks who works at the clinic, and he said I could stop by whenever to help out. I still would like to get work in a different part of the clinic, but we will see. One step at a time. 

Another difference I have noticed is the way Tanzanian’s tell time. There is Swahili time and English time. English time is what we all know, but Swahili time is a system that runs from dawn to dawn rather than midnight to midnight. So, considering it becomes light out around 7:00AM it is referred to as one o’clock and midnight is referred to as six o’clock. What you must do is add or subtract six hours from the standard time. Confusing, but I usually ask for time in English and therefore receive it in a way that I understand. However, one must be careful and check because there still is a good chance that it is skewed and in Swahili time.

Something else I have noticed is that they do not offer the wine at mass. I am not completely sure why, but my guess would be that they don’t want to spread any illness. Just something I thought I would note.

The Hanga Dispensary

The other night I woke to a weird sound. It sounded as if pigs were right outside my door. I went to take a look and sure enough there was a truck full of pigs outside the guesthouse. John heard them too and was wondering what was going on. It had rained that night and the pigs in the back of the truck didn’t seem to like it too much. I’m just glad the driver moved on the next morning so we didn’t have to endure another night of squealing and pigs.

It definitely is rainy season because all it seems to do is rain. It has rained just about every day I have been here. After rainy season comes winter which begins in April or May I think. It’s not something to worry about, though. Winters in Africa aren’t too much of a change, temperatures in the 60’s most likely. When I head home I will be going back into summer which means I’ll have around 17 months of straight warm weather since I left till the next winter in 2016. 

At lunch the other day I noticed a few red bananas which I have never seen before. They were completely red. Supposedly there are numerous kinds of bananas which I did not know about. This one was definitely different, yet tasted the same as the yellow. Always fun to try something new, though.

Speaking about red things, my hair is finally long enough for it all to be pulled back and into what many would now call the “man bun”. It could be pulled back before, but some would always fall out which is probably the most annoying part about having long hair. So, I am happy to have reached this milestone.

I recently bought some fabric in Songea and told you I had a shirt made. There was so much fabric left over, though, that I was able to go back and get some pants made. They are sweeeeet! I really like them and they will be fun to hang around in. John also bought some fabric and I will be getting some pants made out of his extra material as well. 

A shorter blog today, I know, but just trying to keep up with work and everything else going on here. I am still working on getting my extended visa figured out as well as a few other things. 

John leaves in two weeks. No other volunteers have arrived from Europe or America. I am unsure if any will, but I will be on the lookout. 

Thanks for reading!

Staying Busy in the Village

Swahili is turning out to be a fun language. I have managed to learn the basics and have completed a full conversation in Swahili. I even used “hakuna matata” which means “no worries” and is a popular phrase from the Disney movie The Lion King. The movie’s characters are actually named after Swahili words. Simba, the lion, is named Simba because that is the word for lion in Swahili. So, now that I have used the phrase “hakuna matata” in real life I feel as if I have accomplished a goal every kid from my generation has had. Woop!

Br. Germanos is also going to help me with my Swahili by writing down some words each day for me. The sentence structure can be challenging, but once you get the pronunciation of each letter down speaking the language isn’t too bad. It helps that each vowel only has one way to be pronounced unlike English.

Working hard in the carpentry shop building desks!

Br. Germanos has written down the prayer that is said before every meal and so I am beginning to learn that. Once I have it down I’ll be the one to say grace.

Additionally, I will be learning some Swahili from working in the carpentry shop. I stopped by on Monday and found a few guys working. They knew no English and so we communicated through the little Swahili that I know. It was actually really fun to do so. It’s amazing how far a few words can get you. 

I began to sand and create joints for a number of desks they are building. They helped show me what to do. I don’t know much about carpentry or Swahili, but I think working in the carpentry shop will teach me quite a bit about both. I have committed my mornings to helping them make desks and chairs for the schools. I feel like that is a good way to use my time. 

The supervisor, Br. Christian, also suggested that I help tutor the boys that I work with in English considering they don’t know any. Now I will have another group to tutor which is great.

The carpentry shop currently has men cutting down trees for lumber (we will be working with pine), another group using machines to cut the wood into small pieces and then the group I will be working in which takes those pieces and puts them together. My group is level 1 which is the lowest level, but I am 100% okay with that. Personally, I think the work we do is more fun and I won’t be cutting off my fingers anytime soon which is always a plus. The older more advanced guys work on the machines. Also, it is quite easy to work up a sweat while working by hand. 

My afternoons will be spent tutoring at the secondary schools. I finally figured out the afternoon schedule at the secondary school. It looks like this: 

Monday: School ends at 2:00PM and tutoring goes to 4:30PM.

Tuesday: They have church and sports so rather than tutor I will play sports with them (maybe create a Frisbee study group again).

Wednesday: They have club-subjects. The kids get to meet with others to study one single subject. I will help with whatever they need but probably English, though.

Thursday: Church and sports again. 

Friday: They have debates in English on certain topics picked by the teacher. I think this will be interesting and fun to help with.

Some of my Form 4 students!

On days with sports the students get to go and play football (soccer), basketball or volleyball. I am going to bring my Frisbee’s over to see if anyone wants to throw those around too. The sports here are much more structured. Form 3 may play Form 4 and if they do play there are uniforms to identify each time. There are also multiple football fields which allows for a few games to be played at one time. It is a fun time. 

My schedule is beginning to take shape. I am sure it will change around a bit more, but I am happy with how it is for now. A good start! One thing you learn while being here is that you must be the one to take the initiative. I just walked into the carpentry shop and started helping. No one told me to, but knowing I wanted to try working there I knew I had to go ahead and see for myself.

As for the clinic, I have checked it out and may be able to lend a hand there as well. The problem I see is that I may get stuck with the dispensary job which I feel wouldn’t be the best way to use my time. Dispensing drugs and recording who got what is important, but in Katibunga I was doing that and more. In Zambia I was the main doctor so I was testing, giving shots, bandaging wounds, giving advice, etc. which was a fun time. In Hanga, there are more employees and so a volunteer may get put on pharmacy duty which is what John is doing now. I am sure I could wiggle my way into a more intense and fun job, but it may take time with so many others working at the clinic. I’ll keep checking it out, though.

Br. Germanos runs the gardens and so if I ever have free time he said I could assist him there. He is a really nice guy so I may help out there if I have time. 

Jan and Ed, the couple from Oregon, have left. They flew out yesterday. It was nice having them here and playing cards. They run a blueberry farm back home so they had to get home before blueberry season.

Mango season is coming to an end which stinks. However, with mango season ending that means advocato season is beginning and they are just as delicious as mangos. Plus, the papaya trees are beginning to deliver some papayas as well. I am unsure if I have had them before, but I really like them. They serve them for lunch and dinner now.

The other day the light bulb in my room burned out so I went to ask the two women who work at the guesthouse to help with getting a new one. They are mother and daughter and go by the names of Mama-Baby and Baby which is funny. I sometimes mix up Mama-Baby with Baby-Mama, but they don’t seem to mind. They are really nice. So, I asked Mama-Baby for a new lightbulb and after some time found out that they had none. Instead of waiting to get a new one they had me climb up and take one from the small gathering space at the front of the guesthouse. I didn’t mind ha, now I have a fresh light bulb in my room. 

My sweet ride into Songea!

John and I are in Songea today at the internet café. We come in to get fast internet every once in a while. It is worth it. The modem works, but is not very fast. We plan to come in at least once a week. This may change once he leaves, but for now it works. It is a cheap ride into town and the internet is also cheap. It helps with getting some important things done that can’t be done on the slow modem connection.

We have continued our search for the best Chips mai-yai around and have tried a number of different shops and vendors. It’s amazing how cheap you can get some for. We recently tried a small restaurant called St. Monica’s located in Hanga village. It’s great because it is so close. I, personally, really liked the Chipsi (another name for it) there so I will definitely be going back for more soon. Whenever we go into Songea we make sure to try the different street vendors which are fun.

This week is a big week for the Abbey. It is the week they vote for a new Abbot. The Abbot is the head of the Abbey (like the president). The past Abbot, Abbot Thadei, was in the position for 12 years and has stepped down. Only a priest can become Abbot (not sure if that is a universal rule or just a personal one) and so elections will take place throughout the week. The Abbot President, the Abbot of the head monastery which is located in Germany, has come down to help with the election. So, obviously it’s a pretty big deal.

Well, I better get going, but things continue to go well here. I am happy to see my work schedule is shaping up. 

*My wonderful mother’s birthday is this Friday, the 22^nd. Happy Birthday, Mom! Thanks for all you do. Enjoy your day – I’ll be thinking of you!

Thanks for reading!

The Prayer before Meals in Swahili:

Kwajina la baba na la mwana na roho mtakatifu amina

Tunaomba mungu ubariki sisi na chakula chetu tupate nguvu

za kukutumikia vema amina

Kwajina la baba na la mwana na roho mtakatifu amina

Tumsifu yesu Kristu milele amina

A Fresh Perspective

I have almost been here two weeks which has allowed me to explore and get a better picture of Hanga, Tanzania.

One major thing I have noticed is that the village and people live much closer to one another than people did in Katibunga, Zambia. The Tanzanians used to be scattered and dispersed throughout the bush, but the government has moved people closer together and compressed the living space. This is because they wanted everyone to be able to be accessed by social services more easily. This is a good idea, but one drawback is that it pulls everyone away from their farm land and way of making a living. Therefore, many have to walk a large distance to farm and harvest their crops.

This was a move done by the past governmental authorities. It was done fairly recently, though, in the past ten years or so. The new president, John Magufuli, has also made some changes as well. I mentioned last time that he is working to make primary and secondary school free, but he has also declared war on waste. This is a great thing for Tanzania. Many African countries struggle with waste and littering, but it is really bad here. Litter is everywhere and trash is thrown around every second.

He has also gone onto try and rid corruption from the leadership of the country. This is a big challenge considering this has been an issue that has plagued Tanzania for some time and the research and statistics prove it.  In 2014, donors ceased to give after finding out politicians had stolen over $100 million in governmental funds. Even with a large amount of natural resources, tourist attractions and being the second-largest aid recipient in Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty rages on. Research shows that 70% of the population lives on less than $2 a day which makes it one of the poorest countries on earth.

You must be a pretty big jerk to steal from people who already have so little.

So, as I said, hopefully this new president is the real deal. If he is and is able to succeed in his endeavors then things may be on the up-and-up for Tanzania.

As for other things…

While walking around Hanga I came across an old rickety bridge that looks like it may topple over at any second. It is really cool, though, and so I enjoyed seeing it. It used to span out over a swamp, but the monks diverted the water a few years back and since then the swamp has dried up. There isn’t really much use for the bridge/dock which explains the state it is in, but it’s neat and I like it.

A few nights ago I noticed a cockroach and a few other friends of his making their way underneath my door and into my room. As you can imagine, I wasn’t too thrilled at the prospect of becoming roommates with these guys. So, because of this, I have begun to place my towel there to block their way in. It seems to work really well too. Fewer bugs in my room and less work must be done to shuffle them out in the morning.

I have been helping Br. Peter with his chicken coop this past week. Br. Peter is the chicken man around here and he tallies and records the number of eggs his chickens produce each day in a large graph book. With three chicken houses, over a thousand eggs being produced a day (there are a lot of chickens), selling the eggs and making sure all are accounted for recording can become a chore. Therefore, he has asked for me to help him with learning how to use Microsoft Excel. Luckily, he has a computer with Excel already installed. I have no idea where we would have to go to find the software if he didn’t have it. His computer is quite old, but it works just fine. I have been going over to the chicken coop and helping him and his assistant with recording everything on Excel. I set up a worksheet for the month of January so it is easy to find and everything is organized. My biggest worry is that they won’t keep up with recording in Excel. If they don’t then all the work is for nothing. That is up to them, though. Another issue is that they don’t know how to use Excel so I have had to try and teach them. They don’t know much English so that can be tough. Nonetheless, things have been going in the right direction and they seem to like it.

While over by the chicken coop I met up with another brother who works at the printing press. He is an old man so he just makes fun little books such as small notebooks and visitor books for people to sign in and whatnot. The printing press is very old, though. It looks like something from Ben Franklin’s time. Also, in order to print something they must use very small letters and arrange them into what they would like to say. This means you must spell out everything in these small letters. This was how the first Bible was printed. I, personally, wouldn’t have wanted the job of writing out and organizing each page of the bible in small letters.

The printing press was a cool thing to see, though.

Today I picked up my newly made shirt from the tailor. You are able to buy fabric at almost every store. The trick is to find a nice piece with a cool pattern. I finally found one in Songea a few days ago and so I bought it and took it to the tailor. They made a shirt out of it and now I am having some pants made. I really like the pattern and colors – straight out of Africa. It is fun to have and wear and everyone seems to like it.

Additionally, today I have to track down Fr. Mugaga because he is the head teacher over at Saint Benedict’s secondary school. Sometimes trying to find these guys can be like chasing a ghost. Wherever you look they have already gone. He said I could come in in the afternoons rather than the evenings on Wednesdays and Fridays, but I am going to try and alter that. I want a full week schedule. I believe there is a specific time for sports in the afternoons and as much as I love sports and think they are beneficial I am sure there are kids who do not. Therefore, I am sure they are just sitting around. So, hopefully I can tutor during this time. We will see. Everything is a process here.

Other than the school I will be looking into the clinic and workshops. With a limited amount of English speaking people it becomes difficult in getting involved with a job right away. This week I know I will be at work again, though, and that is good.

Thanks for reading!

Getting In The Swing of Things

I think I said I get internet in my room in my last post. Well, close to my room would have been more accurate. I still have to wander around holding my computer in strange positions to get an internet signal, but at least I don’t have to go all the way into Songea to use it.

It’s amazing how sensitive the modem is. I sit down and see that I may have a signal, but if I move even a few inches it disappears – no joke. I am used to this game one has to play with the modem by now, but John is not. He wasn’t too happy the first few times, but I am sure he will warm to it.

By now we have seen a good amount of the Hanga village. Unlike in Katibunga where I was living among the monks, in Hanga I live in the guesthouse and never actually see inside the monastery. It leads to a different feel and experience. Instead of attending prayer like I did in Katibunga I go to morning mass multiple times a week (in Swahili) here in Hanga. 

However, similar to Katibunga where I worked three different jobs I believe the same will be for here. I know I will be tutoring some Form 4 (equivalent to the 10^th grade) students in English and other subjects during study time. The only problem is that study time is at 8:00-10:00PM which I find bizarre. So, I am going to ask if I can come in the morning to tutor instead. 

English is supposedly a subject taught in primary school and stressed in secondary school, but it doesn’t seem to have worked all that well. Many students struggle to understand when I say I am from America or that I am 23 years old. I suppose it doesn’t help that the teachers teaching the students English don’t know it very well themselves. However, the class that I will be working with, Form 4, did understand when I told them my name was Joseph. They freaked out. They all cheered like I had just hit the game winning home run in the bottom of the 9^th. Jan, who was introducing herself alongside me, and I just laughed. I guess having a very biblical name helps in these parts of the world. 

As for other jobs, I have not really pinpointed anything yet, but I am sure I will spend some time in the clinic as well as carpentry shop. My main goal is to help the villagers rather than just assist the monastery in their work so that will guide where I end up going. I know a few brothers who work in the gardens and fields, but I haven’t been able to get out there to see what that is like yet. It has been raining a lot since arriving here.

The monastery operates five different schools; a primary, secondary, seminary, trade and a formation. The primary borders another public primary school and the difference between the two is enormous. The quality of the buildings is much different. The secondary school, St. Benedict, is where I will be working. This school works mainly with girls, but there are some boys in Form 1 (I believe). The seminary school is all boys and is also a secondary school. For some reason when touring the schools you get a better feeling about one or the other and that’s where you end up working. I just had a better feeling about Saint Benedict’s secondary school and so that’s where I work. The trade school allows villagers to take lessons in computers, electricity, carpentry and things like that. Finally, the monastery has a school for boys thinking about entering which is called formation. This school is located in Nocagugu (Knock-ah-goo-goo) which is 8km away and in the middle of nowhere. 

Recently, the new president of Tanzania has been working to make good on one of his promises. To make public primary and secondary schools free. I am unsure if this will actually happen or even be able to, but it most likely will have an effect on the attendance of the private schools the monastery runs. 

With the issues I faced obtaining my Visitor’s Permit for my extended stay in Zambia I know that working to get one for Tanzania should happen immediately. I have already begun hunting down the monk that helps with the process. Br. Novatus is the guy and he said he would be willing to help which is great. He returns to the monastery today and I hope to meet with him to get the process going before my current visa expiration date sneaks up on me. Worst case scenario, I would have to leave the country for 24 hours (I think) and then come back in. Rather than deal with that hassle I hope to get things squared away with some help from the monastery.

Additionally, while John and I were in Songea the other day we had two men walk up to us stating that they were immigration officers and that they needed to see our passports. We didn’t have them on us at the time and even if we did I doubt I would have showed them. They weren’t in uniform and just had a little picture card to identify who they were (who knows if it was fake or not). This obviously felt super weird to John and me. They wanted to check if we had our visas. I laughed. Do you think I would be here right now if I didn’t have a visa? Just crazy. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again.

A white guy in the middle of crazy downtown Songea, Tanzania

Songea is a fairly big town, especially when compared to Mpika. There are a few more restaurants and places to buy things. I never found a specific Zambian dish or food, but I have found a Tanzanian one. Chips Mih-aih (pronounced “Chips My-I”…I have no idea how to spell it). It is delicious. For less than a buck you can get a full plate. It is French fries mixed with eggs, onions and peppers. You usually eat it with a toothpick as well. That can be a bit tough, but you get good at it. I have come to really enjoy it and I think we can buy it in Hanga as well so that is going to have to happen.

The names of beers here are cool. The popular beers here are Safari, Kilimanjaro, and Serengeti. Also, they have Cadbury chocolate in the shops here. Cadbury is like the African Hershey, but better. 

Last week as Fr. Nick, John and I were enjoying some Safari Lagers a thunderstorm began. The monastery has its own little bar called the Papaya Garden and so we were there sitting under a little canopy. All of a sudden we heard a boom that made me think the lightning had struck right on top of us. I practically jumped out of my seat it was so loud. Fortunately, it didn’t strike us, but it did strike about ten feet over – I am not kidding. There is a big metal container that most likely holds some electrical equipment (not sure because you can’t see in) and that was what was struck. Sparks were flying from it. I couldn’t believe I was that close.

The standard of living seems to be a bit better here. That isn’t saying too much when comparing it to Katibunga, Zambia where the average household lives on less than a dollar a day. The houses seem to be built out of brick and clay more often than just small huts of wood and mud. Those are still widespread, but from what I have seen it seems as if there are less here.

I am able to hear a ‘call to prayer’ sounding over the village every once in a while. This is to remind the Muslims to begin praying towards Mecca. This is something that is different from Zambia because there most everyone is a Christian. 

Christa, a woman from Austria who has lived in Hanga on and off for the past 13 years or so, really enjoys mlonge. Mlonge is a plant that supposedly has healing powers and is rich in antioxidants, amino acids and vitamins. It isn’t too bad so I put some in my tea in the morning, but I have no clue as to its healing qualities. Whatever… might as well give it a go. 

Little motorcycles are popular around here. They provide taxi service into Songea if one doesn’t want to ride a bus/minivan. However, just like the minivans, these motorcycle drivers try to pack as many people on as possible. I saw a motorcycle pass by yesterday with 5 people on it. 5! Like, how the heck does one even make that happen? Crazy!

One of the farms nearby has a chicken coop obviously filled with hundreds of chickens. Along with these chickens, though, is a small little visitor. A baby baboon. The mother was killed and so the farmers of the chicken coop brought the little monkey back to live among the chickens. It’s cute and I believe it, too, thinks itself a chicken. 

Speaking about monkeys, there is a zoo in Mbeya which houses such animals. When passing by the zoo on our way to Hanga last week our driver made the joke that instead of staying at Hanga we were to be put in the zoo; the “White Man” exhibit. The funniest part is that it probably would get a lot of people to come out to the zoo. Ha!

To pass some free time, John and I have begun to play cards. We enjoy the game of golf and, when we have Jan and Ed around to play with us, the game of Yukre (You-ker) is really fun. We tend to play either by the guesthouse or out by one of the bars. When playing others will drink beer or a soft-drink and watch or mingle with other people. I’ve noticed that we drink any beverage faster than they. It’s funny, they will take a sip of their beverage, but when they put it down it looks as if nothing has changed. It’s pretty funny to see in person.

Christa, the Austrian lady I mentioned before, was excited at lunch yesterday. She told me that she had just received a package from her friend. I would be excited too considering the package was sent LAST April. Dang, almost a year! This takes the name “snail-mail” to a whole new level.

Well, things are going well here so far. Sundays have remained my laundry day which I enjoy. No running water for the past two days, but hopefully that starts up again. Not sure what the problem is. I am still working on figuring out some jobs, but soon enough I will be back to work. I have read another book while here. I set aside the Mere Christianity book for now. I really like it, but another book had caught my attention. I just finished Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson. The Lusitania was a cruise-liner for civilians back in 1915. If you know some WWI history then you know that the Germans torpedoed the ship and killed over a 1,100 civilians. This wasn’t the turning point for the neutral Americans, but it did push us closer to entering the war – which we did two years later. 

Now I have begun the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Among the many fantasy and fiction series such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Hunger Games I think the Lord of the Rings is the only one I haven’t read. Because of this my friends give me a hard time since it is their favorite. Connor Beck and Chris Heitzig – I will finish it before I return home. You’re welcome. 

I will close this post with a fun fact: the oldest person to ever be discovered was found right here in Tanzania. If my world history lessons from the 11^th grade have stuck with me I believe the body to be nicknamed “Lucy”. I could be wrong, but hopefully not. 

*I have tried to post pictures to the blog (I succeeded with one), but it is frustrating with the internet so it will take some time. Check Facebook for them.

Thanks for reading!

The Tanzanian Life

Woof-ta! We made it to Hanga, but only after traveling for what felt like forever. African travel really does take a long time.

So, Father Nick and John arrived on Wednesday, December 30th and spent the remaining 5 days of my 6 months with me in Katibunga. It was enjoyable, but I feel as if we were all ready to move on by the end of the week. We celebrated New Years with a few beers which was nice. It is also great to be able to speak to others who are fluent in English. Even though the brothers of Katibunga know some English it still can be a process to communicate. However, I am quickly learning that the communication I had at Katibunga was much more than I have here in Hanga. Swahili it is.

We started our trek at 3:00AM on Monday the 4^th of January . We were lucky enough to get a ride in a car. We had to pay the monastery, but a car is better than a bus. Also, it is easier when dealing with luggage. John had a stomach ache when starting out and while traveling in Africa the last thing you want is a stomach ache. The lack of toilets, rough roads and long travel make for an unpleasant time. Yet, I think everyone of us experienced at least one stomach ache throughout the trip. Thankfully we never had to make any emergency stops in the bush. 

The point for leaving at 3:00AM was because we were hoping to be able to get all the way to Hanga in one day rather than spend a night in Mbeya, Tanzania. However, one thing you must do while traveling in Africa is never to wish for more or expect that something will go to plan.

After traveling for 8 hours we arrived at the Tanzanian/Zambian border at 11:00AM. Surprisingly enough things went fairly smooth. I presented my Visiting Permit to the border patrol and they then took my passport and stamped my departure from the country. The permit states that I am supposed to surrender it upon leaving the country, but the officer didn’t show much interest in me or my permit, therefore I now have a souvenir from my stay in Zambia. I am glad I am able to keep it because of the work I had to go through to get the damned thing.

Once finished with Zambia we moved to the Tanzanian border patrol office and started to fill out our information on why we were there, what we would be doing, who we were, blah, blah, blah. The visa, which is for 90 days, cost $100 USD. The officer processing our documents was actually from Hanga. She printed our visas which are actually just receipts which we must hold onto so we can present them upon our leave. Then we were stamped into Tanzania.

After the border we went to exchange our kwacha or “dirty kwach” which I have come to call it because of how dirty their currency gets (it literally looks as if they rubbed the bill in mud or other unsanitary grime). The exchange went well and now I have Tanzanian Schilling. Tanzanian Schilling is even worse or valued less than the kwacha. It’s amazing how these countries even stay afloat. $1 U.S. Dollar is equivalent to 2,200 Tanzanian Schilling. I pulled out 200,000 Tanzanian Schilling from the ATM a few days ago. I feel like a millionaire (which is what I should feel like because I am one when it comes to Tanzanian Schilling). So, if you hate your job you are welcome to call up your boss, quit and make a break for Tanzania. I am sure you would be able to live out your days without having to work another in your life.

So, there we were in Tunduma, the Tanzanian city that borders Zambia. Even though the 8 hour car ride was rough we had made it and crossed the border in fairly good time. Unfortunately, our luck seemed to have run out. Br. Simeon, who was in Tanzania for the past week, was supposed to meet us at the border to pick us up. They wouldn’t let us cross the border with a Zambian vehicle unless it is registered and that takes a week so we decided that this would be better. However, Br. Simeon had to run some errands and then make the two hour trek to Tunduma from Mbeya. As African time goes, two or three hours quickly turns into seven. We waited for seven hours for him to pick us up all while fending off people trying to sell us random things (the cities that are along the border are packed with people). We rolled in and our car was instantly surrounded with 15 to 20 people, no joke. It’s overwhelming.

Finally we were picked up and taken to Mbeya which is actually where I had spent my first night. By this time I felt like an 85 year old man. The car we were riding in has seats that face the side windows rather than the windshield. Therefore, my neck, back and butt were cramped beyond what I thought would be repair, a massive headache, a stomach ache and fatigue. I don’t think I have ever been so tired in my life. I’m not one to complain, this is just how I felt.

I am sure waking at 2:00AM, not eating or drinking any water and sitting in the car for that long had a lot to do with how I felt. Thankfully, I was able to rest up in Mbeya at the Benedictine guesthouse. I slept like a rock.

We woke the next morning, January 5^th, at 6:00AM and, after paying the monastery for transport, headed to Hanga Abbey. We arrived in the early afternoon. Finally, after so long, I was here. It was nice to arrive, get to my room and unpack and know that I no longer had to travel.

Hanga Abbey is much larger than Katibunga monastery. You could walk around Katibunga monastery in one minute. I have been here for multiple days and I don’t think I have seen all of Hanga. Hanga monastery is much more developed when it comes to business and guests. It runs a guesthouse (which is where I stay), has multiple farms and plantations for bananas, has a larger village community, multiple schools, a very large health clinic and even a surgery unit (for C-sections which I may be able to sit in on – we will see), a carpentry shop and more.

This isn’t to say the Hanga is better, but I do like the multiple options and larger community. In fact, Hanga Abbey is the largest monastery in the world when it comes to community members (monks). That’s pretty cool. I am unsure as of yet what I will focus my time on, but I will know soon. I may bounce around and try multiple things because why not :)

The health clinic is much more developed here. They even have equipment for dentists, eye doctors and sick bays. The sick bays are a bit depressing and hard to see. Some who are there are just getting over an illness like malaria (which is a serious illness, but is treatable if caught early), but others are very sick. It is hard to see and I feel as if a sick bay in rural Tanzania may be the last place one would want to live out their time.

I have not been able to check out the farms yet, but once I do I think it will be easier to make a decision on what I’d like to do. The carpentry shop could be fun and I know they want a tutor for English at one of the schools which I would be willing to do.

Tutoring one-on-one or in small groups is fun and a more relaxed setting than a classroom. Additionally, most volunteer positions in Africa (or any third world country) will require some educational advancement work which I think is good because it is needed. So, one must have in mind teaching when coming here.

There is an orphanage within the village which is also a possible option; however I want to get more information on it before deciding. I have heard there are not many kids there so that will influence my decision.

So, there are the main things so far. To get through some more facts quickly I will just list them.

• Swahili is the main language and barely anyone knows English. It is fun to be able to speak in English and know not many others understand what you are saying, but communicating is difficult. The little Swahili I have taught myself has come in handy, but I will need to learn more. Fr. Nick seems to have remembered a good amount from his time so I should be able to pick up a bit.

• The culture is a bit different here than in Zambia. One main thing I have noticed is the respect they give to age and intelligence. When a child approaches me it is common for them to say “Shikamo” which translates to “I am under your feet.” The correct and appropriate response which I say is “Marahaba” which translates to “Yes you are” and then I must bow to allow the child or person to touch my head. Right now your American cultural instinct just kicked in and said “Wow, Joseph, you’re an ass” and if I was in America saying this to another person I would agree, however I’m in Tanzania. This is very common. This is a sign of respect. In fact, if I didn’t acknowledge the statement I think it would be more disrespectful. Not bowing my head would send a message that they are unworthy of touching it. It is definitely something new to get used to. So, if we were to do this in America it would most likely be said to parents, teachers, doctors and others. The biggest problem I have with it is when an elderly person says it to me. I feel as if it is being said to me just because of my skin color which makes me feel bad. That isn’t the message I want to send.

• The food here has more variety than in Katibunga. In Katibunga the food was good, but it was always the same thing. Here there is at least some difference. Also, I think they always have beans for dinner which means every day is bean day and when it’s a bean day it’s a good day.

• There seems to be fewer spiders, but more mosquitoes. The opposite was for Katibunga. I hate spiders just as much as the next person, but when dealing with mosquitoes that are carriers of malaria you almost would rather have the spiders. It also doesn’t help that my new mosquito net has some holes in it. I have gone about placing tape over the larger ones to prevent any mosquitoes from getting in.

• The room is smaller here in Hanga and the architecture is a bit interesting. I am fairly sure I could pop-a-squat on the toilet while showering if I really wanted. No joke, the shower is within a foot or two of the toilet. Pretty funny actually.

• The bed is bigger, however. Additionally, they use a different outlet plug here, but good thing my converter/adapter has multiple functions and one of them is for Tanzanian outlets.

• It’s a bit hotter here in Hanga – at least it has been for the past couple of days. However, considering the Indian Ocean isn’t too far east of here there are frequent rains which help with the temperature.

• Taking a shower here is like becoming a victim of the Titanic tragedy. In Katibunga they had the water heated by the sun. I have heard the water here must be boiled over a woodstove of some sort or one can grab an electric pitcher (that is normally for heating water for tea) and use that. Maybe I’m too lazy or just don’t care enough, but I just deal with the cold. It is something you don’t think you’ll get used to but after so many cold showers you do. Additionally, most faucets here will have a hot and cold setting, but what is funny is that even if you use the hot nozzle cold water comes out.

• The water has a red tint to it. Very murky. It is common in Africa to have murky water so this isn’t too new, but they have stressed the importance of boiling the water. The guest master, Br. Germanos, helps us do so for meals. I am unsure if it is the water or variety of food, but the travel to Hanga has my stomach doing a 180. No big surprise when living in Africa I suppose. Ciprofloxacin has become my best friend and savior. This medication must have been crafted by the hands of God himself. 

•  Br. Romanos, Gabriel and a few others from Katibunga left back in September for Hanga and are still here. It has been nice to reunite and see them again.

• While in Mbeya I met a 23 year old by the name of Romanos (this seems to be a common name around here). I guess he really enjoyed speaking with me because at the end he gave me his bracelet as a sign of friendship. I told him that he didn’t have to but he insisted.

• I can hear something running in the ceiling above. I am sure there are many things up there that I don’t want to know about, but as long as they stay there then we won’t have any problems.

• I have heard there have been some salmonella problems involving the chickens. A number of chickens have died in the past weeks due to the disease. Hopefully it doesn’t begin to spread to their eggs.

• Laundry is done in a small 5-gallon bucket. Then once finished washing it is common to place your clothes on the grass to dry. There’s nothing like washing your clothes and then laying them on the ground ha. The murky-red water will probably have some effect on my clothes as well.

• There are more volunteers here. No one my age as of now, but there is an older couple from Oregon staying for the next week or two. They are nice and it’s also great to speak to someone who speaks fluent English. They must be close to 70+, but are very fun to speak and play cards with. Ed is a farmer and works at the local water plant and Jan was a teacher.

• It has been nice having Fr. Nick and John around. It sure is a different feel having people around again, but a nice one. Fr. Nick left this morning in order to visit one other monastery north of here before he heads home on the 14^th. John will be here until about the 10^th of February and then head home to attend Cornell University in New York City. He wants to become a P.A.

• Hanga has a bar and multiple shops which is nice. The bar is nice if I want to grab a local beer or some Stoney Twanganizi (the Tanzanian ginger ale soft drink that is awesome) and the shops are nice because they offer more than Katibunga’s. Here I can buy data for my internet modem that I am using now. This is huge because now I don’t have to drive into Songea every time to buy or use the modem. The cell tower is very close to the Abbey so I am able to access internet while in my room. Furthermore, considering the Tanzanian Schilling is dirt cheap the data for internet is cheap. We went into Songea today and were able to get ourselves a modem. We are hoping it works as well as we think it will. I also bought myself a football (soccer) jersey which is for Simba Sports (a football club in Tanzania). Simba Sports - how awesome is that name, though!

• The village just outside the Abbey is much larger. Many people live nearby. Additionally, Songea is about a 20 minute drive away. Songea is the larger city that Hanga village resides in. There  is a transport that goes into Songea everyday which is very nice. It cost 4,000 schilling round trip which isn’t bad. Also, the road is gravel, but it’s no “Highway to Hell” (Thank God!!). On this one you’re at least able to maintain a healthy speed. I don’t think I will need to head to Songea very much, but I am sure I will from time to time.

• All I want for Christmas is a toilet seat. Ha! My toilet has no seat to it. There was half of one (not sure how one cracks a toilet seat), but I’m sure you can imagine how uncomfortable that is to sit on so I got rid of that. I suppose I can’t complain because at least I have a toilet. Most places like restaurants, churches, schools, houses and gas stations just have holes in the ground. Also, most of the time you have to pay to use the hole!

Well…I have taken up enough of your time. I also don’t want to disclose everything in one post otherwise I won’t have anything to talk about for next time. So, for now, we are caught up!

It is very nice to be settled in. I have unpacked and made my small room my new home. I look forward to exploring more of Hanga and meeting the people that live here. It is a nice change and I know it will be good. Throughout this week I plan to continue working on my Swahili (because I may not survive otherwise) and figure out what I’d like to focus my time and energy on.

Now, I think I should be able to post every Wednesday and Saturday like usual. Woop woop!

I hope 2016 is treating you all well. Good luck with those New Year’s resolutions, you fools.

-       - From Hanga, Tanzania

Thanks for reading!