saba saba

Today is a holiday in Tanazanai--Saba Saba, or Industry Day. Who knows what we're celebrating but I can tell you that people down the block, plus the dogs and the roosters were celebrating whatever it is it all last night. Needless to say, it was another night of not sleeping well; so much so that I had to take a morning nap.

Day 3 on the ground is coming to a close and work is well underway. You should see our white boards--they're getting alllllll filled up with brainstorming.

We walked to lunch on the beach today, at the Mbalamwezi Beach Club where, no joke, we waited for our food for two hours after ordering. Apparently they had to go and catch and kill the grilled octopus I ate. I jest, but there is part of that that this is just the way things are. The beach itself was lovely though and except for my growling stomach and my company's (and my own) growing indignation, I would have been happy to wait there all day.

I live my life between two big roads--Old Bagomoyo Rd. and New Bagomayo Rd. Our little dirt road, which is like all fancy expat houses/office compounds (literally houses that function as both offices for non-profits and other companies and as expat apartments and then individual house) is off Garden Rd., which connects these two. Now apparently it's only informally called Garden, because it really has no name.

To the left down Garden Rd., toward Old Bagomoyo Rd., is both the beach and the shopping center. I spent about an hour in Shoppers last night--sort of like a Tanzanian Target and run by Indians--picking up groceries and calculating some of the extraordinary prices. An imported US magazine for $12 US, which maybe come to think of it is not so bad given probably import levied and shipping. Clearly, this was not a store most Tanzanians could afford. When I'd finished the shopping--lots of produce, yogurt, etc.--I walked across the street to where Jess was running on the treadmill at "Fitness," the local gymnasium filled with Tanzanian muscle heads. It not a bad little place, but I tell you not the best smelling gym in the world.

We came back and made a very weird concoction--essentially chickpeas, mustard greens, onions, mint, tomatoes topped with halloumi cheese--that weirdly got better as we ate it. I think by the end of this month, I'll have some pretty innovative adhoc recipes to bring home.

Since we live and work in the same building, we need to make sure we get out and walk each day and do something so I think we're going to go hear some music tonight. Dar is really pretty safe and I'm actually pleasantly surprised by just how little attention we attracted, other than by taxi drives and bejajis (not sure the right spelling, but essentially little go-cart taxis) honking to try to get us to use their services. It's quite relaxing.

Ok off to rinse and then to the Easy Breezy for some night music!