Well I am here and safe. It got long flying here for 22hrs. Right away I met Gregory and Sylvester at the airport holding a sign with my name on it. I was super tired. We get to the house in Dar Es Salaam. It was 75 and humid as ever at midnight. I couldn't fall asleep. I was laying there in my moisture. I thought way did I get myself into. I thought for sure I would be able to fall asleep just from only getting a few hours of sleep on planes. There was no electricity in the building either. They gave me a flashlight. There was a fan but no electricity. I guess that is common in Tanzania to not have power. It goes on and off all day. The fridgerators are hooked up to a power meter which is hooked up to a truck battery for when the power does go out.

In the morning I had toast and ham for breakfast. We then headed out to the center of Dar es Salaam to get a windshield fix. I guess they rolled the truck avoiding a big rock and smashed the front and sided windows. By the way they drive on the other side of the road. As far as homes I say mostly concrete houses with Tin roofs. Some thacthed roofs. Some looked like small houses with shingles. People are every where just hanging out. I feel it as if everyone is people watching each other. An officer is on foot and tells us to pull over. Sylvester had to show is drviers license along with vehicle registration. I guess about 15% of the population does not have there drivers license. At stop lights people come up to the window begging for money. I would ask them if I could take there picture and show my camera. At this point they would walk away so Sylvester and Gregory told me to keep pointing my camera at them so they wouldn't come begging to us. Traffic is every where of course.

We pull into and alley really poor looking but once again people hanging out. We then got the windshield replace and everyone helps out whether they work there or not. It was neat to watch. The windshield cost about $200.00 usd including installation. I think installation is just a given. I thought that was cheap. Lots of people here are friendly and say JAMBO which is Hello in swahili. As you can imagine I kinda stick out. Some kids are scared of me. We went to the market and bought three big bags of fruits and Vegtables. It cost about $7.00 usd. The market reminds me of markets like any other foreign country like Mexico or Thailand. Everyone was asking me to try there fruit or vegatable but there is no way that is happening. I'm trying to be extra careful not to get sick.

We get back and have lunch which was rice, beans, and spinach. I then help Gregory pack some computers that are going to be shipped to Mafia which is an Island off the coast of Tanzania. Gregory is a computer programmer and he loaded the programs on to the computers that were donated. I asked them if they could use more computers. He said, "Oh yes. Ideal if we could get computers with a Pentium 3 processor or better". So I told him I would spread the word to my American friends. I have the address just not on me at the moment. So if anyone has an old computer of any kind that has a pentium 3 processor or better and would like to donate it to here in Morogoro and other places in Tanzania, that would be greatly appreciated.

Afterwards I met Father Africanus who runs the Dar Es Salaam house. He gave me a beer called Kilamanjaro. It was a laeger and quite good. Then I met Father Michael Tesha who is running this thing for me. By the way I was mistaken. I am the only American here. Michael Tesha is from Kilmanjaro. So I get in the car with him and we head to Morogoro. It is about 200km but takes 4 hours and here is why. The traffic to get out is really bad. I think we were at a stand still for 20 minutes on the freeway. By the way people are walking up and down in between cars selling everything you can think of. I even had a guy come up to my window mind I add its 93 and humid. He is carrying an aquarium on top of his head filled with tropical fish. How random. I would have killed the fish and dumped the water on myself. The road goes to 2 lanes. The speed limit is sometime 50 and sometimes unlimited. People pass whether its double solid line or not. They don't care. People here are nuts. We are talking about passing a semitruck a bus and a car in one move while driving up hill not knowing if someone is coming up the hill the other direction. Blind faith I guess. Oh and stop lights are optional I guess. If people don't see a cop or another car, they drive through the intersection. At night I guess putting your lights on is optional and some people leave there brights on the whole time. I don't mind not driving here.
We have dinner which is rice, beans, and pieces of beef meat on a bone. Talk about the clean plate club. It was just Fr Michael, Gregory and myself. They ate everything INCLUDING the bones. Absolutely nothing on there plate. Mine had a little bit of fat and bones.

I wake up at 6 am to bells going off. I didn't sleep much again. Its a little cooler here. Morogoro is Tucson and Dar es Salaam is Phoenix. Morning prayer is in Swahili. Breakfast consisted of bread, butter and jelly. I told them about my medical background and they insstantly sent me to the clinic they have here on campus.
Brother Philip is a Nurse here and consults all the patients and figures out whats wrong, writes another order or a medication. Brother Philip charges 3,000 shilling which is $2 USD. Medicine Averages about $4USD and Lab work is about $3USD. So everything is very cheap here. The morning I had the job of registering people which really helped me pick up the language right away. Surprising I'm finding Swahili quit easy. Everyone is amazed how much I know in 3 days. I also get a kick when I start speaking and people are shocked.
I also didn't realize I am at a University. Jordan University College. They asked me if I could teach conversational english. I said ok but not a classroom setting and no grades. Just to talk. Fr Michael said Of course.However you want. Everyone here at the University pay $64.00 for medical insurance for 1 year. Then they don't have to pay anything at the university. The clinic then charges the univeristy and that is how they make there money. 3/4 of the students here have loans from the government which the Salvatorians set up with the government. Education is very big here. You can tell the students are very serious and study hard. There is about 1,500 students here. I'm playing with the soccer team here. Actually there are many teams here. A team for each department. I guess big games are coming up thursday and friday. I'm planning on playing. The fields here are nothing but mud. Lots of fast players here and good dribbling but they need a lot of work on passing and first touch on the ball. I swear I have never sweated so much after a practice. 90 and humid. Infact my skin always had a kinda glossy moisture on it all the time. i have actuallu gotten use to it now.
Morogoro had 500,000 people I guess. It doesn't seem like it. It is a Tucson here in Africa except humid and green. There is a beautiful mountain in the background. Mounatin is Mlmani. I'm going to go watch Tanzanaia play Mozambique on TV. So Tuta Onana Baadye which is see you later.

Kwa Heri = Good bye

Mikeali

Address to send any old computers

Gregory Massawe
Salvatorian Formation Community
PO Box 585
Morogoro, Tanzania

 

 

Celebrating my 30th Birthday at Mrs. C's House in Chicago

Time to catch a plane to Amsterdam to Kenya to Tanzania.

The beginning

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