First Weekend in Mwanza

After Mr. Zagalu dropped us and all our stuff off, Megan gave me a tour of the house.  It is set in the Isamilo district of Mwanza which is slightly outside of the main part of the city.  It's lovely!  I've got a bunch of pictures to post of it later in another entry.

The lime green abode!

I got myself somewhat unpacked in my new room and had a snack while Megan talked about life here and how the study was going.  I'm not sure how much sunk in!  

It's semi-tradition to take the new person out for dinner on their first evening in town. After a shower (felt soooo good!) and a power nap, we went out for dinner to the New Mwanza Hotel.   

The New Mwanza Hotel now with Club Fusion!

I met Emily and Susan again who are WHE interns that I had done some training with back in London.  There was also Ally (Minnesota) and Jessica (Kentucky) who are in the Peace (Global Health Service) Corps and are assigned to the Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative.  Sarah (New York) who is here doing her PhD research on the impact of breastfeeding on maternal health.  She has a cute little dog named Tito!  There was also Liza (Florida) who also works at Baylor but I didn't get a chance to ask her what she did  *Note: I've had to facebook stalk to get some of this information because I couldn't remember it all.*

There is a distinct Indian influence on the food (and maybe culture) around here.  I had the chicken tikka masala with Naan and it was quite good.  As was the company.  They have all been here for months, if not years, so have a good grasp on the city, what to do and what not to do and travelling around Africa.   *pic to follow - internet being stupid*



Paying for dinner was an adventure.  They missed items, added items, overcharged for items and its all on one bill - it is a disaster!  You really need to watch what you are charged down here - there are two prices - the price for the Tanzanians and then the mzungu (white person) price.   We headed home soon after in a taxi - no walking after dark around here - esp a mzungu. 

I spent a few minutes before going to bed (with my head lamp on!) writing down a few thoughts on my first day.  It was so overwhelming and I really just couldn't believe that I was here! In Africa!  There is so much to learn about living here, Megan's study and the language! I'm still concerned about the language...I can't even seem to get a simple hello right...but then there are no simple greetings here! It's a process.  One day I'll get it. 

I woke up the next day from a very disturbed sleep.  It's quite noisy around here - nothing like in the city itself - but I still found it loud.  Dogs (packs howling and barking), chickens, vehicles, people, birds, the mosque call..etc...

We headed into the city, about a 10min walk, to the market area.  I find it hard to distinguish the market area, it ALL seems like a market to me.  There are shops everywhere and people selling food all over the place.  I'm not sure who is buying it all as there aren't many tourists and people are pretty poor here.  Sunday is the food market and other days is it mostly clothes and housewares and shoes, I've never seen so many shoes!  Beth, don't get excited - not the good kind!

I am not sure how to describe the feeling of walking around here.  The Tanzanians look at you, no, STARE at you, and it is thoroughly unnerving.  It's not menacing but not friendly either.  There is a general dislike, I feel, and a small amount of fascination especially by the children - I had a little guy come up and touch my leg one day.  One example of the dislike I feel is that we were walking through an area and Emily, another Western intern, was walking with us and she was shoved by someone for no reason.  Another day, Megan was buying something and while Susan and I were waiting we were splashed and I'm sure it was on purpose.

From men, and sometimes woman, are the catcalls of 'Mzungu, Mzungu' or 'Sista, Sista' and random English greetings they have picked up said with sarcasm.   A few times we get the calls of 'mchena' with them making 'chinese' sounds - they think we are Chinese!  It's just bizarre.  And the crazy thing is there are lots of actual Chinese people around.  

The market was the worst for me.  I hate markets in Canada that you can barter in and here with the language barrier it is even worse!  I really need to get a grasp on the numbers in Swahili and that will help a lot.  Megan has made me a list of what all the fruits and vegetables are in Swahili as well.  I'd love to take pictures of all this but it is very hard.  I already stick out like a sore thumb and a mzungu with a camera pointed is even more rare.  You are supposed to ask if you can take their photo as well.  Megan says you also get swamped because they want money for it.  So I've taken a few pictures of the market but surreptitiously from my phone.  

After doing some other random shopping and showing me the best stores to shop in, Megan, Susan and I retired to the roof of the Gold Crest Hotel for a refreshing beverage in the shade.  The view is magnificent!  

The Gold Crest - one of the nicer and newer places in town.

Megan, me and Susan enjoying some local beer(s).

 I've got some photos of the view of the lake that Mwanza sits on but I cannot seem to upload any photos at the moment without the internet disconnecting.  I'll figure that out later.  

I've been here one week!  Off to the Sunday market again for some fresh produce...ah!

Badaye!