:: louder than swahili

My inner, hungry Dane

My nationality - the inner Dane that I rarely have problems keeping in line - sometimes strikes unexpectedly.

Especially around lunch time.

Generally, I am practising a gradually achieved principle not to indulge in the categories in which the Danish People's Party attempt to monopolize under the label 'Danish', however, I have a real soft spot in terms of smørrebrød - open sandwiches.

It is among the first things I do when visiting Denmark - to rob friendly people's refrigerators for ingredients. My sister, who in 1992 settled permanently in the Northern part of Iceland, does the same, and used to prior to visiting Copenhagen to request specific items which ought to be availale in my then Danish refrigerator.

Today, a few things slipped into my trolley which unmistakably must have given the impression that I essentially am Danish. Revealing, I thought, and perhaps even a little boring in the Shoppers' Plaza context on Old Bagamoyo Road in Dar es Salaam which is such a multicultural supermarket with offers to all hungry nationalities.

I looked at the Chinese with their explosively fully-filled trolleys which leave me with the impression that extended families at home are waiting for being feed in pluralis. Indians buy spices, dhal and lentils in kilograms. And adult Tanzanians - with and without children - roll around with small children trolleys, filled to the bursting point with the ingredients for a classic African household: cooking oil in cans, sugar, maize flour and vegetables.

I buy rye bread produced in Nairobi, with added preservatives, and a can of marinated herring which later is transferred into smørrebrød.

100 Best Blogs for learning on Africa

My blog has been included on this list here which recommends blogs on Africa:

The continent of Africa is the second-most populated in the world and has 53 countries within its bounds. With so many people and nationalities, it should be no surprise that the diversity found there is enormous. While poverty and war are a part of Africa, so is technology, bustling cities, and unique culture found nowhere else on Earth. These blogs bring together the richness and diversity that is Africa with voices covering specific countries, experiences across the borders, news, technology, art, and culture.

I do appriciate when people 'back home' as well as in Africa find my blog useful or inspirational. However, the list of bloggers who blog on Africa is long - so check it out!

Advertising in Africa: Fly Emirates

It wasn't till one of my friends from the UK visited me here in Tanzania, I realised why the Tanzanians advertise the 'Fly Emirates' on trucks, houses, cars - whatever.

Fly Emirates has sponsored the British London-based football club 'Arsenal', so if you are a serious Tanzanian fan of Arsenal, you do also pick up on the 'Fly Emirates' as part of your football team vibe.

Advertising and branding works in surprisingly interesting ways in Africa. In contrast to Europe, where people would only put this streamer on their whatever for a fee. Also, Europeans wouldn't necessarily make the connection between the firm/label sponsoring something and the something itself.

Traffic Messages: Satan, no parking!

Apropos this post - there are various ways to get your message through in the Dar es Salaam traffic. Surely, some more innocent than others.

Happy Nation?

This photo was originally meant to illustrate this post, but I didn't find it till now.

I'm wondering if this bus has got anything to do with these Swedes? 

Long or short rain?

According to one of the most knowledgable expats, I know in terms of Tanzanian affairs, the official answer to when does the long rains start - is the beginning of March.

However, as he also pointed out things have changed, so in spite it rained yesterday and all of today - this morning started of with a heavy thunderstorm, which put a gray lid on Dar es Salaam all of today - this isn't the intro to the long rain season, the Masika.

For sure I don't hope so.

Photo: The view in my mirror this morning crossing Selander Bridge.

Happiest Nation in the world: Is it time to return home?

Peter at The Road to the Horizon posted this:

Adrian White, from the University of Leicester’s School of Psychology, analysed previously published data to create a global projection of subjective well-being: the first world map of happiness. The research is based on the findings of over 100 different studies around the world, which questioned 80,000 people worldwide.

The top 10 "happiest" countries:

1. Denmark

2. Switzerland

3. Austria

4. Iceland

5. The Bahamas

6. Finland

7. Sweden

8. Bhutan

9. Brunei

10. Canada

Denmark ended up at the top to "its wealth, natural beauty, small size, quality education, and good health care". At the bottom were the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Burundi.

No, it isn't time to return home.

Does anyone ever question if wealth, natural beauty, small size, quality education, and good health care really make a nations inhabitants happy?

I doubt it. Obviously it isn't what keeps me in Denmark, but maybe I'm missing a point?!

Other people's traditions: Biscuits with little mice

Beschuit met muisje is a Dutch tradition - a snack being eaten when celebrating the birth of a baby. 

In this case a baby boy.

Wikipedia has a thorough explanation on why and what here, though I was also being given it today when I went to vist a Dutch couple who had just brought their recently born baby boy to Tanzania from Holland.

As an expat in Tanzania, you do not only learn about Tanzanian customs, but also about everyone else's. You are far more exposed to different cultures and customs compared to living in your own country. Though many people in Africa confuse the Danes with the Dutch, I am - in the light of this morning's experience - close to concluding that the Danes can't compete with the Dutch in terms of unique food for special occasions.

Days like this

are ubelieveably stunning, like this Sunday at Kasa Beach, 45 kilometres south of Dar es Salaam.

But really - most days are like this - stuck in one of the 4 lanes trying to make it to the office in Dar es Salaam.

Driving in Africa: On Course with Mick Farmer

When I worked and lived in northern Uganda from 2005-2007 I was offered a 4WD course at On Course's facilities between Kampala and Entebbe.

I think it is one of best and most useful courses I have had in many years, and one of the reasons why I both enjoy and feel comfortable driving long distances myself - on African roads.

For a whole day I was taught the theoretical background for potential problems which often occur on African roads, and then I was put behind the wheel next to On Course's Australian lead trainer /director, Mick Farmer, and told that you can do it as in hit 60 (on what felt like a too short piece of road) and still navigate the car.

Which was the best part - mainly because Mick Farmer managed to do what no other man had done so far - he made me believe that I could drive a 4WD!  

Today I realised that Mick Farmer blogs about road safety and driving in Africa - from a really nicely lay-outed blog - so I do not just recommend his driving courses here, I'd also strongly recommend reading his blog here.

'Tabu Hotel' - do you have a problem with that?!

Tabu Hotel is a small village on the road between Morogoro and Dodoma. 'Tabu' means 'problem' in Kiswahili. Often it is also the name of a person, who has ever so unfortunately been given this name at birth - possibly due to problems in the family at the time.

In Danish 'Tabu' means 'taboo' - and the fact that it was connected to 'Hotel' made us quickly stop the car for a photo. Imagine staying at 'Taboo Hotel'! However, today a colleague pointed out the Kiswahili meaning, and then explaining that the name of the town probably derives from a person called 'Tabu' who owns a hotel in the town.

The Baobab Connections: How do you see yourself contributing to change?

The Baobab Connections features its members and interviews them under the title: How do you see yourself contributing to change? 

Interesting questions, though not easily answered. It was my turn today - see what I answered here. In particular I'm flattered by someone asking me this question: As someone who is ‘conscious’ and aware of things happening around you, what advice to others starting off in this path?

Maasailand 06: My On-going Photography Collection

 

 

I have collected a selection of photos here which make up an on-going selection I have taken and still take in connection with my work as an information officer for MS Tanzania - in this case related to information work in terms of our Land Rights theme.

When I have visited those of MS Tanzania's partner organisations which are working with Land Rights in local communities in the Maasailand area, I have tried to document people, life and surroundings. However, the photos do evidently not necessarily represent people involved in the work on land rights, but to a large extent the people who benefit from this work.

Each photo is tagged with a more precise description (in some cases still underway) and are also mapped on Google Maps.

The photos are the result of my personal impressions and interpretations, and should not be analysed otherwise. Read more here for MS' work on Land Rights: www.ms.dk/sw113224.asp

Maasailand 05: Today's Meal - Goat a' la Maasai

When you are in Maasailand, and only have had the option of bringing a lunch consisting of nicotine chewing gum (for my good friend, Rasmus, the TV journalist), water and a box of biscuits that taste of sawdust (which probably is due to the expiry date which says '1994', and thus make the bisquits only two years younger than Tanzania's multi-party system) - yes, you then turn almost euphoric when you see a group of Maasai men line up a lunch under the African sky.

We sit at stools and logs, which are dragged into the shadow of an acacia tree blossoming here in January. The soil is red, and in principle makes it up for our dinner table. Basic it is.

'This is fantastic,' Rasmus exclaims. And it is. During the approximately 7 hours drive from Dar es Salaam to Kibaya Town in Kiteto, he has frequenly expressed how pleased he is to go to the place, where we are now. It is nice to have happy passengers. And we did finally did make it to Orpopong'ni Village, where MS Tanzania supports a local organisation in awareness raising on land rights, a project we visit for gathering material for a short campaign film.

We wash hands, because we need them to be clean in order to eat with them. And we soon have the impression that the men here adhere to the principle that the more goat inboard, the better. Much the same principle as when I was once in the Faroe Islands during a whale catch or in a busy Thorablot among drunken Icelanders.

The men pull out the broad knives. The seriously big knives, making Facebook groups like 'People carrying knives are idiots' to appear very Copenhagenish. I withdraw my purple Leatherman - the feminine model - now that I finally remembered it. 

I am allowed to open drinks with it.

Goat and coca-cola.

It tastes great on red soil and under a serene blue, African sky. I am in Africa, I am thinking - and at work.

Greasy fingers, flies flock, and we try to develop a doomed technology not to touch the cola bottle. You have to dry your hands with the green leaves, the men explain.

One of my Danish colleagues is unwell an hour later and is about to tip over. The men explain that it actually happens often when you eat a lot of meat and try to be active, then you can fall backwards. She stands, however again, whether impacted from the meat or the heat, it is difficult to say, but the idea of having maasai men toppling over in the bush, undeniably creates a funny picture in my head.

Great experience, Rasmus repeats enthusiastically. It was.

We continue our filming.

Read more here: http://www.ms.dk/sw113224.asp

Maasailand 04: The Maasai girls' playground

This is what the Maasai girls do when they play with each other.

They practice building a house in the boma.

Copying the women.

The boys - on the other hand - construct kraals for the cattle and the goats.

Maasailand 03: Images that makes you wanna return

    

Maasailand 02: Rain is near

The Maasai say that the rain is near when they see the acacia trees carry flowers (January).

 

When the trees drop their flowers (February) the rain supposedly begins.

 

Think about this next time you buy acacia honey.

 

 

Maasailand 01: Back in Dar es Salaam from a dusty 5-days trip

Young woman and girl child carrying water in Orpopong'ni Village in Kiteto District, Maasailand. 5 days in Maasailand, and my hard disc and head are full of images and inputs.

Much more coming up.

Off on a mission to Maasailand.

Off line till Saturday.

Zanzibar: Probably the best local fix

Henna tattoos fade (maybe good so, as they look so out of place in an air-conditioned office in Dar es Salaam).

So does my sun tan eventually.

Even the gold on my newly bought sandals from Stone Town's best shoemaker Surji & Son seems to vanish along with the time left before I have to begin working again.

Tomorrow.

Where I will transform into being a normal Danish development worker again, who has to use her brain and organise a 6 days trip to Maasailand beginning on Tuesday.

I have said it before, I'll say it again: Zanzibar is good for all of your senses. Probably the best local fix, probably better than most kinds of therapy. And I am happy to live next to it. Last night we celebrated these circumstances by having an all day long lunch, including drinks, in Jambiani Village, and subsequently having a good laugh all the 6 kilometres back in the taxi to Paje.

For once I had given my camera to my co-passenger.

Children at Jambiani, Zanzibar

From my favorite place: Another flick from Stone Town

 

Baraza

New Year in Stone Town on Zanzibar: Crazy

I'll eat my words: I do get hangovers in Africa.

I entered 2009 on Livingstone Beach Restaurant in Stone Town, where people lit torches to celebrate the new year. Afterwards we went to Dharma Lounge where it seemed all people awake in Stone Town were crammed together.

Zanzibar makes you feel alive.