Day 3: Swahili Greetings and Baba Wisdom

Hujjambo? - How are you?

Hamjambo? - How are y'all?

Shikamoo - I respect you, a greeting for people older than you

Mzima? - Are you okay?

Umelalage -  How did you sleep?

Umeamkaje - How was your morning?

Umeshindaje- How was your day?

Salama - peaceful

and the youth/slang greeting: Mambo - what's up?

After swahili lessons we went to our service agencies. The professors contacted the Maasai Children's Organization where I was supposed to be going and found out that they do not really want to take volunteers, so while they figured out my new placement I went back to the Neema House. I was not even a little bit mad because I had a wonderful time there. We took the kids for a walk and played with them. I spent most of my time with the little Malakia (the adorable little blind girl I discussed in my last post). She loves to sing so we spent our time singing and dancing. She knows the words to itsy bitsy spider, old mcdonald, twinkle twinkle little star, and even the ABC song. She's very bright and smiles the whole time you play with her. I just loved the time I spent with her! After our walk and play time, we went back to the house for lunch. All I had to do was mention "chakula" (food) and Malakia was all sorts of excited. We fed the kiddos some sweet potatoes with peppers and onions (pureed) and then let them fall asleep in our arms before we had to go back to the TCDC. 

There, we had a lunch of cucumber and carrot salad, fried nile perch with curry sauce, beans, mixed veggies, and tomato soup. I don't usually like fish, but that nile perch was bomb! For dessert we had a whipped pudding sort of dessert that tasted like vanilla and strawberry ice cream with fruit salad and tea. I love how much they drink tea here. We have tea/coffee at least 4 times a day. The coffee is the best coffee I have ever had, especially the kind from Baba's farm. Usually I have to put lots of sugar, milk, and/or creamer in my coffee but his tastes so good with only one teaspoon of sugar. I'm going to bring back a kilo for me and a kilo for my mom, the coffee fanatic. 

After lunch we had our first session of OU classes with Dr. Davidson and Dr. Riley. We mostly just talked about our reactions to what we have seen and how that has affected our world views. I mostly commented on the difference between how Tanzania and the US treat their minorities. In the US, being a minority is usually associated with being underpriviledged and unequal. However, in TZ being a minority, which I am, does not equate to that. Being white is still associated with being educated and having money. In Tanzania, we still have white priviledge, which I had not thought about before coming here. It makes sense though, given the history of British colonization in Africa, including Tanzania. 

When classes were over, we met up with Mama and took the bus down the main road. We stopped to buy some pineapple before Baba picked us up and drove us up the road to their home. For a while, we hung out and practiced swahili with Mama while drinking coffee. Then, she went to go cook dinner so we talked with Baba who explained the Tanzanian family structure. It is patriarchal and all of the brothers of your father are not your uncles, they are your "other fathers." All of their sons, are your brothers and all of their daughters are your sisters. You do not have cousins on your father's side of the family, only brothers. However, on the mother's side, her sisters are your "other mothers", but their children are your cousins. This is because a woman belongs to the men in her family and once she is married her ownership is transferred to her husband and the men in his family. It was all very interesting. 

After he told us about the family structure he took us to visit his mother, father, and niece's graves which are on a family plot near his house. He told us about them and the plans he has to upgrade their memorials, which look like large concrete beds almost. Then, he took us around and showed us a new type of fruit which smells like candy before giving us a short lesson on how to arrange banana trees to produce year-long yields. He also told us about the importance of land and what it means in Tanzanian society. It is very expensive and accrues interest, so having it is like life insurance. We also discussed weather differences and how Baba feels about planting trees. He is very passionate about the importance of planting trees and tries to encourage the people in his community to do it, but the struggle is real.

I want to end this post with a Tanzanian saying that Baba taught me: I am because we are. 

My happiness is your happiness, my grief is your grief. Life is not about the individual, and here, you are never alone. You will always have a whole army of people to assist you and be there for you as you are for them. 

Salama <3