After hours of glorious sleep and comic relief of Bridget Jones, the weekend began. Mama Liz’s 15 year old nephew Sam is returning to boarding school tomorrow so he took the opportunity to show Anika and I the family farm. A gorgeous strip of vegetation, you’d never guess was only 40m from the highway. We walked serenely amidst the greenery, cows, a shed packed to the rafters of chickens (dinner! said Sam) and a quarry staffed by 14 year old Massai girls who’s lack of standard schooling only enables them only to have an income from manual labour. Sam warned us not to take the dingy looking route past the creak home, warning us of thugs. I pointed out a man lingering on the corner and asked jokingly “like him?” In upmost seriousness, Sam replied “yes, but I don’t think he’ll try and rob you with me.” Oh to feel safe with a 15 year old guardian.
Our final night together, Sam, Liz, Pam, Jess, Anika, Hlin and Monica and I (all Mama Liz’s temporary children) went to the cinema complex, where we discovered the outing to be more significant than the movie itself. Stuffed with a mars bar milkshake and popcorn, we headed into the 10pm session of Immortals. How half the group managed to sleep through the brutal murder, eye gauging and 3D blood splatter is beyond me, but Sam (who’s favourite movie is the Notebook) seemed to enjoy himself. It’s going to feel so lonely without him and cousin Thomas at the dinner table each night.
Rising early on Saturday, we managed to fill almost an entire bus of mzungus on our way to the neighbouring town of Moshi. With no guide in organised, we arrived, divided our large group and ventured on a coffee tour at the base of Mt Kilimanjaro. With only a small hinderance of a flat tire which required 5 Tanzanians to change (how many Africans does it take to change a tyre again?) I was really intrigued to learn the details of coffee farming from our 24year coffee expert Kasee. In the backyard of a fellow coffee farmer, we all helped to make identify coffee beans, pick, shell, crush and brew the first cup of coffee I’ve consumed since being here, delicious!
Perhaps the greatest adventure of the trip was the voyage home, and not the part where I sat next to an albino African woman toting a black baby. We arrived in Arusha at dusk, but night fell almost immediately and our group of 8 was left huddled on the roadside trying to flag down a dala. Afraid to split up the group in different dalas, we waited uncomfortably as countless vans drove past. When local women started warning us to go home as we were unsafe, I’ve never felt so vulnerable. Aware that group muggings are not uncommon here, I was so relieved to bundle all of us into a single taxi and see the welcoming sight of Mamas fortified red gates.
Determined to have a chill day, Anika and I went to volunteer house Sunday morning to check in on fellow uni pal Hannah who arrived the night before. The new arrivals make a group of 28 newbies, so the morning was filled with introductions and sharing of life stories. We organized with Hannah to spend the afternoon at Shanga River House, a small bead factory which uses recyclable glass and is prided on employing 97% of staff who are physically challenged, providing them with practical skills, a secure income and on top teaches Swahili sign language to improve communication with the deaf community.
After a dabarcle getting there (2 blue dalas what both heading the same way so of course choose the wrong one) we stepped over the crushed glass threshold into the whimsical place of Shanga. Glass of wine in hand, we feasted on delicacies of fresh SALAD, fish, beef, chicken, soup and slice whilst watching monkeys frolic around in the trees; amusing until one jumped onto our table to steal Anika’s sweet potato and Hannah’s donut. The tour of the bead factory gave me an even greater appreciation of the perseverance of the workers as I observed women with hand deformities sew. I was inspired by the creativity here, watching wine bottles transformed into stunning necklaces, keyrings, glasses, mobiles and even lanterns. I love the idea of a sustainable project employing over 50 disabled staff, as only 2% of Tanzanian’s disabled population are able to find work.
Feeling full and content, I was almost able to forget about the clinic tomorrow.
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