Arrived in Tanzania

Summary for those who only want to see the photos:

- arrived safely

- culture shock is limited... Brazil toughened me up

- I appreciate running water again

- always wash hands nicely, because eating out is done with the right hand (utensils are overrated)

- Beautiful sandy beaches

Dar es Salaam - House of Peace

I arrived in Dar es Salaam without much effort. Initially, there was a long queue at the airport (see picture). As often happens due to passport control. What I didn't know at first was that most people still needed to apply for a visa. After waiting for a while, I was able to pass. I only thought about what I had read in a travel guide before: Tanzania slows everyone down. But it was only 60 minutes.

Afterwards, I was greeted by Emmanuel. My language skills were sufficient for him, as well as other people, to understand me. The pronunciation is often easy for us Germans as well, as the word just needs to be read.

We took a Bajaji (Tuk Tuk) from the airport to the house, which took about two hours. The streets were congested, which cost us another hour. The slowing down progressed...

The house itself is located in the middle of nowhere, meaning outside the city and only accessible via dirt roads. The house looks really nice, from the outside and the inside. However, the view of the bathroom also showed me that there are some minor drawbacks. Unfortunately, there were problems with the water supply, so I flushed the toilet and showered with a small cup. By the second day, I had already gotten the hang of showering with a cup.

On the second day, the most important things for a good start here in Tanzania were sorted out for me. First, a SIM card for my phone (internet access is possible again), and then Elia, a friend of Emmanuel, took me to the beach. The beaches can easily compete with the ones I know in Brazil.

We arrived at low tide, so we took the opportunity to walk along the beach and talk. It was a really stimulating conversation. I was surprised by how Elia spoke about his country. Luckily, I had already informed myself about the history and current challenges of the country. So we were able to talk for about three hours about what is good for the country and what Elia is afraid of. For example, he is afraid that foreign companies are currently coming to Tanzania to build power plants, extract natural resources, etc., but the country loses a lot in the process. Especially its independence. Because not everyone helps one of the poorest countries in the world out of charity. I can already see how, due to the high demand for energy (especially electricity), some contracts will be concluded with partners in the short term, which will be detrimental to Tanzania afterwards. The financial world with its loans does the rest. Unfortunately, there is no easy, good way...

Afterwards, I enriched my digital dictionary with additional useful Swahili words. At the beach, we also ordered some food. And then there was this aha moment again. No cutlery was served for the food. I had heard about this from India, but in that moment I was surprised. When eating out, no tableware is provided. The waiter came with a bowl and a jug of water, and we washed our hands at the table. Eating is only done with the right hand, as the left hand is responsible for the end. So we had french fries dipped in scrambled eggs with half a chicken... it was delicious!

The evening went by quickly, as the next day (Friday) meant getting up at 4:30 a.m.

So, the third day starts early in the morning. The bus to Mtwara leaves at 6:00 a.m. There was a hustle and bustle at the bus station and, like all white people here, I stood out again. By the way, I am called mzungu (plural wazungu). The bus is full. The seats are tight and we start driving, with everything the bus has to offer. The road was well built, better than expected. Nevertheless, the journey to Mtwara with some stops takes until 4:30 p.m. Lunch break didn't even last 10 minutes. So, finally in Mtwara. We took the Bajaji back to the accommodation. Again, in the middle of nowhere, but with plenty of neighbors. But finally at the destination... More to come soon... there are beautiful pictures of the construction site