Debi's entry August 2016 Lars and Wema

The trouble with waiting so long to write is there is so much to tell!  The last month has been really packed!  This edition will be about Lars's visit (July 20-Aug 16) and the story of my new friend, Wema. 

Wema is a girl (age 13) who rescued me awhile ago when I was out walking. I encountered two dogs on the road that worked as a team and scared me to death as they lunged and snarled at me with teeth showing. Wema was on her bike and rode between me and the dogs and stayed with me until they backed off. She continued to stay with me as she knew I was shook up!  It was hard to believe, but 100 yards down the road ANOTHER dog tried to attack me and she and a neighbor boy were able to call it off. By then I was in really bad shape and she stayed with me until I got home. Her English is really good and she asked me all kinds of questions. She asked if she could visit me the next day and I said sure. That is how our friendship started. She is my first truly Tanzanian friend without strings attached to the missionary culture, family or the hospital....just a neighbor. 

After that she arrived regularly at my door and even brought her 6 year old brother to hang out. We colored together, played cards, went on walks, met her family and got to know each other. She is very smart and curious and fun to talk to about Tanzanian culture. She was excited to meet Lars when he came and he had fun asking her about school in Tanzania. During the month Lars was here we were gone on quite a few trips, but Wema kept track of our schedule and would show up as soon as we returned. 

Lars posted many pictures on facebook so if you are his friend you can get an idea of what we did. The second day Lars was in country, I invited a bunch of the medical students and other visitors to dinner. I wanted Lars to experience the vitality of these people from all over the world who are here helping with various projects like solar energy, agriculture and biomedical technology in addition to nursing and medicine. The third day he was here we left on a car trip with Erik, Bernice and Nashesha. We took two cars and traded around so the conversation on the long drive to the coast was ever changing. 

The first stop was Tanga where we stayed one night and visited the Amboni Caves on our way to Pangani. An interesting thing about tourist places in Tanzania is that you visit at your own risk. In America I am used to paved walkways and handrails and even some lighting in caves. Not so in TZ! It was very "natural"! Next stop was Pangani at the Tides Resort that we won at an auction. It was just delightful...once we found it!  We stayed in delightful cottages right on the ocean that included fabulous breakfasts and had additional food if desired. It had a swimming pool, white sand beaches, a lovely community area and felt very extravagant and peaceful. I am so glad were stayed three nights. 

Next we were off to see Erik and Bernice's retirement property in the Amani Mountains. We traveled WAY up on unbelievable roads passing through the gorgeous Amani Nature Reserve on the way to their place. Previously they had to walk the last 3/4 mile to their place but now there is a newly constructed bridge so we were able to drive all the way to  a small home and a few outbuildings. A caretaker and his new wife live there and care for the property. They fixed lunch (ugali, chicken in sauce, bananas) for us and we were able to enjoy being on top of the world surrounded by green trees, fruit and other vegetation and chickens. 

After two nights in the mountains we started the long trip down the mountain. Erik talked Don into riding bikes down. When we picked them up on the highway, Don looked a bit battered. He had fallen several times but the most spectacular one included a somersault over  the handlebars into a big bush. Don is learning that biking with Erik is not like biking in America!

The day after coming home we hosted another dinner for the visiting students. They invited Lars to join them the following day on a trip to Moshi. The group of 6 had fun doing all kinds of things. Don and I were happy to stay home and rest!

Our next trip was to Zanzibar for 6 nights. We flew out of Arusha and stayed 3 nights in Stone Town (slave history was amazing) and 3 nights in Nungwi which was on the beach at the northern trip of the island. The highlight was a snorkeling trip to Mnemba coral reef off the island owned by Bill Gates. It was like looking at fish in an aquarium.  This was Don's first trip to Zanzibar (I had been with Wanda in 2005 while Steve and Don climbed Mt Kilimanjaro).  It was a magical week and it was fun to feel like tourists. The food was unbelievable and so reasonably priced!  Imagine a whole bbq'd lobster and full dinner for $13.00!

Lars connected with young people and was able to go off with a group of tourists. A favorite conversation happened around a bonfire one night. The 4 tourists (one from China, one Holland, one from somewhere else and Lars were chatting and invited two Maasai security guards at the hotel to join the conversation. They asked the Maasai where they would like to visit if money was no object. They threw out various places and one of the people in the tourist group had been to every place they named!  That really made an impression on Lars. The opportunities available to us in the first world are just out of reach to so many. 

The day after we got back from Zanzibar, Wema was waiting to show us a waterfall. She brought along her neighbor, Alex, who is 22, and hoping to be a doctor. They were our guides. I was dubious and kept asking questions about the difficulty and the distance of this hike. After driving for an hour up Mt Meru, we got to a park where we had to pay to enter. I paid one dollar for Alex and Wema (residents) and $5 for Lars and me. Again I asked about how difficult this would be. They assured me it was no problem!  Very easy!  Only 100 meters, maybe 300 meters, only 25-30 minutes. No problem!  Long story:  no way I could do it!  It was a long walk on a trail and once we got to the edge of the ravine I thought we would look over at the waterfall. NO!  That is where we started to climb down. It was STEEP!  No stairs, no hand rails, slippery!  Alex stayed with me while Lars went ahead to see if it got better. He returned and told me to go back to the car!  Lars made it all the way with Wema and took lots of good pictures. Lars said that was as difficult a hike as he could possibly go on and still consider it fun!  Alex stayed with me the whole time and we had a great conversation about "culture shock" and other things. Wonderful young man!

I invited Wema and Alex to have dinner with us that night. I wanted them to experience tacos. They had never heard of tacos. We started with guacamole and corn chips. They were very polite and very cautious. Obviously they had never seen guacamole before.  Then it was time to make tacos. We demonstrated how to fill the tortilla with meat, beans etc. they just sat and looked at their plates. I asked what they were thinking. Alex looked at me and said, "culture shock"! What a great answer!

The last excursion was to Tarangire for a day animal safari. We invited Wema to join us even though it made the car crowded after adding a guide, but I could not bear it that she had never seen an elephant or the other animals that make her country famous. 

We had an amazing trip!  There were SO many animals!  It was quite a show!  The season must be dry enough now that the animals come to the park for the water. I was SO excited to show things to Wema. I was very surprised that she was so quiet. When I asked if she had a good time, she would whisper yes. I don't know if Maasai are supposed to be so quiet or what but her reaction was surprising. Later she wrote to me and thanked me for the opportunity. She said she had a hard time taking it all in. I brought a picnic lunch and she had never seen a sandwich before!  Ah ...the exposure she is getting! While Lars was still here we were invited to her house. I drove there even though it is only a half mile away (fear of dogs!). She wanted me to meet her mother. Her home is made of brick and has windows. The floor was dirt which was swept clean. All the furniture was neat and clean, just SO small. I could not see beyond a curtain but that was where the beds were. She brought out an envelope to show Lars the coloring she and her brother had done at my house. 

The purpose of the visit was to ask me to pay for Wema's schooling. This was not entirely unexpected. She has two older brothers who are in school and it is common for girls to stop after the 6th grade. Wema's mother (Upendo) did not go to school because her father did not think it is important for girls to get an education. Consequently, she does not speak English. I knew Wema had been sent home from her school because there was no money for the school fees for her. I had been busy with Lars so I had not inquired about the fact that Wema was home all day and not in school. So, here was the question....I said I would think about it. 

I talked to Mark and Linda and Erik and Bernice. I found out that only about 5% of Tanzanians go to school beyond the 6th grade. It seems such a crime that someone as bright as Wema should not continue. In the meantime I borrowed books for her from Linda and Nashesha. There is no library!  Schools will not loan books either out of feat they will not be returned. Wema was delighted to have books to borrow!  

Erik and Bernice invited Wema to their home for dinner last Sunday. Erik knows her uncle and knows the family does not have money for education. Wema loved Nashesha, had fun choosing some books to borrow and even played spoons!  Is there any sillier game than spoons?  We even played the version where instead of taking a spoon, you put your finger by your nose. We finished by sticking out our tongues. She loved it and asked for just one more game even though we were done and had to go home. 

This is really long, I know!  And I have not even gotten to the punch line. Wema's education will be the NEXT chapter. Lars left a week ago and the house felt really quiet at first. We had such a good time! The night before he left we had a farewell party with the same group snd Linda and Mark. It was nice that Don was able to take the time off while Lars was here. It is a different experience to be on vacation here compared to living here....Lars got a good taste of both.