13.08.2011 Day Two at Moshi And a Stupid Risk I Shouldn't Have Taken

13.08.2011 Day Two at Moshi And a Stupid Risk I Shouldn't Have Taken

            I got an early morning tour of the university today.  Kelvin took me to see the classrooms and safari jeep garages.  There were informational posters about wildlife and hunting, and mounted taxidermy all around.  Most of the rooms were locked because it was Saturday, but I was able to see inside of one.  The desks were wooden, but overall it truly reminded me of my smaller classrooms back home.

            After my tour, Kelvin, two of his friends: Mustafa and Eddie, and I had breakfast.  We had Chia tea, avocado with salt, mango, and a banana and beef soup (which was SO delicious!), and then went to the bus station to meet Kaylee and Kate.  They had come down to visit me and Kelvin for the day, and to also go shopping in Moshi, where everything is much cheaper than it is in Arusha.  We had a few cokes while chatting, and then decided to drive to the Moshi waterfalls near Kilimanjaro.  Kelvin had borrowed his professor’s car, but it did not make it up the side of the mountain.  We drove, and stalled, walked, drove, and stalled.  The car began to over heat.  Kelvin, being a safari guide (therefore, a mechanic also because when a car breaks down in the Serengeti, you have to know how to fix it), said there was something wrong with the plugs.    We ended up having to turn around, but that was okay.  He said he would take me another day, and Kaylee and Kate had seen the waterfalls at the base of Mt. Meru. 

            After this, we went shopping.  I didn’t find much, but I was really enjoying my time spent with everyone. We were teasing one another, and just goofing off.  After that, Kelvin told me his aunt and cousins had invited us over for a lunch.  He drove us there, where we were so warmly welcomed.  Not only was the welcome amazing, but the food was delicious! We had real beef and garden fresh tomatoes and chips.  Simple, but delightful.  It was weird to see the juxtaposition of this family in front of me, Kelvin, and the rest of his Masai family that I had met and blogged about earlier.  The house I was in was the nicest I had been in since arriving in Tanzania.  I reminded me of homes back in America.  The floors werent cement, the walls were plaster, and they had running water. 

            After this, we did a bit more of shopping, and then we had to go home.  I wanted to make it home before dark.  We took a dala to the bus station, and waited.  Kelvin told me that I would have to get in the front of the line, and push to get on.  He created a wall with his body between me and the other people behind me who were shoving me.  We waited for the passengers to get off, and then I was pushed on by the crowd.  You cannot buy tickets prior to the bus’s arrival, and it is first come, first serve.  People were shoving so that they would get a spot and not have to wait for the next one.  I was very grateful to have Kelvin there with me.  Before we pulled off, I reached my hand out the window to grab his outstretched hand.  We made plans for him to come to Arusha the following weekend.  

            As we were driving, it was getting dark.  By the time we got home, it was dark.  Walking outside in the dark is dangerous, especially for mzungus.  People are drunk and high off of glue and this green plant they chew called miraa.  It causes them to become aggressive.  Well, I’ll just get a tax to take me home.  When I got off the bus at Manzini all the tax drivers were grabbing at me and saying, “Una pendeza, ride with me…come with my tax.”  Nope…not taking a tax.  I’ll just take the dala.  I know M anzini, I know the dalas, I’ll be fine.  I got on a yellow dala dala and was shoved to the back corner. A guy sat next to me, chewing miraa.  He started feeling on my leg, asking me to pay for him.  I said, “No, pay for your own damn self.”  He asked me where I was going.  I told him it was none of his business. “Oh…I’m going there too,” he said. If he gets off when I do, I’m hopping back on the dala and riding the circuit. He got off soon after, and as he did, pointed to me and said I was paying.  I yelled to the conductor that I wasn’t, so he was forced to pay.  I was happy to see him leave.  More people got on, and another started hitting on me.  An older man yelled at him to leave me alone.  We came upon some traffic, and I saw out the window people pouring gasoline on a car, and lighting it on fire.  It turned into a fire ball almost instantly.  Shoot, this isn’t a good omen. (I found out later that the owner of this car accidentally killed a bota driver while making a turn.  She ran off, the other bots driver's couldn't find her, so they destroyed her car.  It truly is an eye for an eye here, and crowd justice.) A bit farther down was Oil Com, my stop.  If anybody gets off with me, I’m getting back on. I am not making this long, unlit walk with a man I don’t know. Nobody got off with me.  Alright, that’s good. Just walk home. You’ll be fine. This was stupid, but you’ll be fine.  Three men come out from behind the Oil Com wall. “Oh…come talk to us mrembo.”  One touches my arm. “Toca!” I yell.  They leave me alone.  This was so damn stupid.  Never again.  I should have called Michael.   I put my phone on Kaylee’s number.  If I call her, she’ll know something was wrong and she knows where I am. I finally get to Danny’s shop.  This is close to the house, and everyone past it knows us well.  I walk past the gate to our house, and let out a breath of relief.  I was never so happy to be home.