We came home from the Safari on Sunday, June 19 (Fathers Day) tired and dirty! Dirt roads can kick up a lot if dust! On Monday, June 20, everyone packed and up and changed houses. Bob and Byrna and Carol went to Erik's house and Kathy and Krista and Sonja came here. After a little shopping in town we all got ready for THE PARTY.
Erik and Bernice wanted a chance for their friends and family in TZ to meet the Rowberg family. After lots of discussion they settled on a party at an outdoor restaurant. All kinds of thought went into the evening to assure that people had a chance to mix and meet each other. The evening started with a guest table and name tags before going through the receiving line. We all got to meet each person and understand how they knew EBN.
Altogether about 90 people came! The groups included missionary families, friends of Ray's, Bernice's family, biking friends, managers from both of their places of work, and closest friends. There was an open bar provided and before the food was served, Erik took a microphone and did a welcome. He introduced his siblings again and explained that they were in alphabetical order and after Kathy was born, they were called the Vitamin Kids. Then he had all the different groups of people stand and he introduced everyone and asked that people make an effort to mingle and get to know new people. Before pictures were taken of the different groups, Don, Kathy, Byrna and Carol took the microphone and sang a song Carol wrote to the tune of Ode to Joy that was a tribute to the little brother Erik. It was GREAT!
Picture groups were the missionary families, the doctors and the family. It was quite a reunion and I think everyone was delighted to be included. It was one of my lifetime favorite parties! After that everyone went through the buffet line and the band started to play. After dinner was dancing. What an evening! I couldn't help thinking we should do more of this kind of thing in America instead of just for weddings!
The next day we all piled into two big safari cars with drivers again and headed east so we could visit Don's birthplace in Bumbuli. Near Moshi we could see Mt Kilimanjaro sticking out above the clouds. The first destination was to visit Bernice's 94 year old father and home town in the Pare Mountains. What a gorgeous drive! We went up and up through so many switch backs from one mountain to the next before we came to this gorgeous, lush, red rock village. It was such a surprise to think so many people lived clear up there! It was beautiful without any litter! This is something I have wanted to see ever since Erik married Bernice in 1993.
We stayed less than an hour because we still had so far to go. Krista had booked us into two nights in Lushoto, another beautiful village in the Usambara Mountains. We arrived about 7:30 pm, ate the vegetarian dinner provided and went to bed. The next day we drove about 2 hours to Bumbuli. We found the Lutheran hospital where Ray worked and received a tour of the campus. It was such a thrill to see Ray's picture still hanging in the library and tour the house where they lived. Again, this is something I have wanted to see for years!
We started the long trip home on Thursday, June 23 with two stops at markets in Lushoto. This area is known for its produce. Markets are SO colorful with one brightly dressed woman after another selling their garden produce, all clamoring for you to buy their. I did OK at the first huge market but at the second stop I was practically mobbed by the women. I probably should not have gotten out of the car when they plastered my car window! I had to have help figuring out who was owed what. I really made a mess of things and Bernice and Nashesha got the giggles when we talked about it later. Apparently I negotiated a price on onions and was given what I paid for and then I proceeded to give some back! Don took pictures of me being mobbed so I will be able to show you later what it was like.
I was so glad to finally get home! In spite of sitting in the front seat the entire trip, I spent most of each day motion sick! I had put a double batch of African Stew in the freezer before leaving so we were able to have a meal together. I sure love that freezer! Don and Erik worked on Friday and Kathy and daughters flew home. The reunion was starting to be over. Bob, Byrna and Carol did various things things like shop, tour Selian hospital and go to museums. On Saturday night we all went to a restaurant for Ethiopian food and we invited Mark and Linda Jacobson to join us. Byrna was scheduled to leave on Sunday and Carol on Monday.
We all agreed, this reunion was just amazing. We were all tired from so much driving but we all agreed we would not have wanted to leave one thing out! We just wished Alan and Bonnie could have been there.
Follow our adventure and journey into life and medical care in Arusha, Tanzania.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Debi's entry Safari
We started with a dinner at our house for all 12 of us! I am very proud of myself that I am settled enough now to do this! What fun we had greeting and hugging each other! Our group is:
> Erik, Bernice, Nashesha
> Carol
> Bob and Byrna
> Kathy, Chuck ( who left for Ethiopia on Friday and missed the safari), Krista, Sonja
> Don and Debi
On Friday we left in three vehicles and got to Crater Forest Resort on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. We stayed in luxury tents for two nights. That means the tent is large enough for a King Size bed and a chimnaria fireplace in each tent, hard wood floors, electricity and running water, a porch for relaxing and a bathroom! Very comfortable! We started our campfire sharing with Chuck since he had to leave the next day. These Rowbergs are such remarkable people! It is such s treat to hear about each person's year!
On Saturday we headed into the Crater. This is my 4th trip into the Crater and it never ceases to amaze me! The highlight was coming upon a recent lion kill. There was a cape buffalo and calf down with multiple lions feasting and jackals and hyenas and vultures waiting their turn. Bob has a fabulous telephoto lens so I am sure there will be great pictures of a blood soaked lion face to share later. On our way out we saw this huge elephant who came very close to our car.
On Sunday we packed up and drove 3 hours to visit a Hadzabe tribe near Lake Eyasi. We visited two different groups and neither were the same as who we visited in 2005. These hunter-gatherers are very small and speak a click language. They hunt with bow and arrow and are incredibly accurate! I will have to tell you more about this in person. Don and Bob took lots of pictures but I did not. It was all I could do is try and recover from motion sickness! The roads are so terrible that I spend a lot of time trying to recover! Have you seen a Baobab tree? That is in their area. They can actually live inside a tree during the wet season!
We arrived at E&B's house late (after some car trouble) and realized it was Father's Day. We celebrated with toasted cheese sandwiches, pumpkin soup and popcorn! Great way to end a great trip! Now we just have to rest up for the big party on Monday night! More to come...
> Erik, Bernice, Nashesha
> Carol
> Bob and Byrna
> Kathy, Chuck ( who left for Ethiopia on Friday and missed the safari), Krista, Sonja
> Don and Debi
On Friday we left in three vehicles and got to Crater Forest Resort on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. We stayed in luxury tents for two nights. That means the tent is large enough for a King Size bed and a chimnaria fireplace in each tent, hard wood floors, electricity and running water, a porch for relaxing and a bathroom! Very comfortable! We started our campfire sharing with Chuck since he had to leave the next day. These Rowbergs are such remarkable people! It is such s treat to hear about each person's year!
On Saturday we headed into the Crater. This is my 4th trip into the Crater and it never ceases to amaze me! The highlight was coming upon a recent lion kill. There was a cape buffalo and calf down with multiple lions feasting and jackals and hyenas and vultures waiting their turn. Bob has a fabulous telephoto lens so I am sure there will be great pictures of a blood soaked lion face to share later. On our way out we saw this huge elephant who came very close to our car.
On Sunday we packed up and drove 3 hours to visit a Hadzabe tribe near Lake Eyasi. We visited two different groups and neither were the same as who we visited in 2005. These hunter-gatherers are very small and speak a click language. They hunt with bow and arrow and are incredibly accurate! I will have to tell you more about this in person. Don and Bob took lots of pictures but I did not. It was all I could do is try and recover from motion sickness! The roads are so terrible that I spend a lot of time trying to recover! Have you seen a Baobab tree? That is in their area. They can actually live inside a tree during the wet season!
We arrived at E&B's house late (after some car trouble) and realized it was Father's Day. We celebrated with toasted cheese sandwiches, pumpkin soup and popcorn! Great way to end a great trip! Now we just have to rest up for the big party on Monday night! More to come...
Debi's entry The Rowberg Family Reunion
The Rowberg reunion in Tanzania will officially begin TOMORROW! Bob and Byrna and Carol will all arrive in Tanzania in the afternoon. Kathy and Chuck and Krista and Sonja ( Krista's husband Steve left last Sunday to start his three year residency in Family Medicine in Anchorage) will fly back from Zanzibar where they have recuperated after reaching the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. Everyone will be together at our place for dinner! The food is prepared, the chairs have been rounded up and the plans are made. It will be lots of fun even though the three new comers will be dog tired!
On Friday morning we all head to Ngorongoro Crater. We will stay just outside the crater for two nights. Evenings will be spent sharing highlights of our year around a campfire like we do each year st the Rowberg Campout. On Saturday we will enter the crater and be on our first safari. Don and I have done this three times before and consider it magical!
On Sunday we will visit the Hadzabe village. These are hunter-gatherers whose life is relatively unchanged from centuries ago. They speak a click language. We visited them in 2005 and thought it was a highlight of our trip.
On Monday, June 20, Erik has planned a BIG party at a restaurant to introduce his American family to his Tanzanian family. There will be great food, music (live band), speeches, a receiving line, name tags and lots of frivolity! Already there are 70 confirmed attendees and it is likely to grow to 90! This is sort of a once in a lifetime opportunity!
On Tuesday we pack up again and head to Bumbuli. This is where Don was born. I have always wanted to go there but it is up in the Usambara Mountains and we have never taken the time to go. We recently learned that a picture of Don's dad still hangs in the library there. Back in February when we had our interview by phone to be accepted as missionary volunteers, the Tanzanian pastor asked Don a funny question. He said "I see you were born in Bumbuli. Do you by chance still have your umbilical cord? Is it preserved in a jar maybe?" Don was speechless and confused. He said, "Noooo". The pastor said, "well, if you don't have it, it was probably buried in Bumbuli. That is the African tradition. So you see, a part of you has become a part of Africa!" Don has always felt that! It will be great to finally see this place! We will return on Thursday and I think people start to leave. Not sure of plans after that!
So, it is with great anticipation that we look forward to the next week! We sure wish Alan and Bonnie could join us! It is incredible to think that 5 out of 6 Rowberg siblings will be together in Tanzania! Ray and Lu Rowberg created a legacy that continues..
On Friday morning we all head to Ngorongoro Crater. We will stay just outside the crater for two nights. Evenings will be spent sharing highlights of our year around a campfire like we do each year st the Rowberg Campout. On Saturday we will enter the crater and be on our first safari. Don and I have done this three times before and consider it magical!
On Sunday we will visit the Hadzabe village. These are hunter-gatherers whose life is relatively unchanged from centuries ago. They speak a click language. We visited them in 2005 and thought it was a highlight of our trip.
On Monday, June 20, Erik has planned a BIG party at a restaurant to introduce his American family to his Tanzanian family. There will be great food, music (live band), speeches, a receiving line, name tags and lots of frivolity! Already there are 70 confirmed attendees and it is likely to grow to 90! This is sort of a once in a lifetime opportunity!
On Tuesday we pack up again and head to Bumbuli. This is where Don was born. I have always wanted to go there but it is up in the Usambara Mountains and we have never taken the time to go. We recently learned that a picture of Don's dad still hangs in the library there. Back in February when we had our interview by phone to be accepted as missionary volunteers, the Tanzanian pastor asked Don a funny question. He said "I see you were born in Bumbuli. Do you by chance still have your umbilical cord? Is it preserved in a jar maybe?" Don was speechless and confused. He said, "Noooo". The pastor said, "well, if you don't have it, it was probably buried in Bumbuli. That is the African tradition. So you see, a part of you has become a part of Africa!" Don has always felt that! It will be great to finally see this place! We will return on Thursday and I think people start to leave. Not sure of plans after that!
So, it is with great anticipation that we look forward to the next week! We sure wish Alan and Bonnie could join us! It is incredible to think that 5 out of 6 Rowberg siblings will be together in Tanzania! Ray and Lu Rowberg created a legacy that continues..
Debi's entry June 2016 The Queen's birthday
There seems to be a never ending cycle to life in Tanzania. Things break, they get fixed and something else seems to be right in line for attention.
We were never totally out of water because there were back up tanks and filled containers. You just did not shower and the laundry was carried to another property and then carried back to be hung on the line. It was interesting to watch the elaborate strategy used to move water through hoses from one tank to another. The road finally became passable enough that a water truck came yesterday with 15,000 liters of water. All of the tanks were filled to capacity. When there was still water left in the truck we started filling wash basins and coolers and buckets. It is fabulous to have water again! Linda thinks it should last a week!We also had power for two days...today makes three! That may be a record!
However, my wonderful little ice cubes in the freezer were melted on Monday morning. We tried various things to determine where the problem was. Finally we decided the electrician should come. He is the same person who fixed it at Erik's house prior to transport. He determined that it needed a new compressor because of moving it on such rough roads. So, after a new compressor was purchased and installed (I paid 10,000 shillings ($4.50) for his gas on a motorcycle to go get the part), we had a functioning freezer again!
Then it was time to call the plumber to fix the drip in our bathroom sink. When water was on rationing, we collected the drip water and realized we were losing about a gallon every 30 minutes! So he came yesterday and remembered being here before. He had replaced gaskets last time. Now it needed a new faucet. Once that was installed, the handles worked so much better and you did not have to hurt your thumb joint to turn the water off.
Monday was a GREAT day! In one day we had water, power and a functioning freezer! I told Linda I felt like one of those tension toys that would collapse if you pushed the button on the bottom. It is like YEA! Oh NO! Then back to YEA! She thought that was a great description of life here!
So today (Tuesday), I woke up to a very wet bathroom floor and noticed the rugs were hanging on the line. Don left me a note saying that when he showered with the water pump on, he had a bad leak from the sink. So, the plumber was called back. It is 5 PM and I am still waiting....
In addition TINY black ants invaded the kitchen overnight. They were so dense that the counter in spots and sides of my baskets were black! I killed thousands of them! We are sprinkling cinnamon around and washing everything down! Baskets are washed and are on the porch drying in the sun. Linda said they are bad at her house too! So, it is always something!
Don and I were invited to an amazing event to celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday on Sunday. It was a fancy picnic with unbelievable food, decorations, music and auction. It was a fund raiser to provide internet in schools.
We were able to meet lots of Erik's friends. One woman's comments were interesting to me. She is from Switzerland, has lived in Tanzania for 20 years and remembers the adjustment to life here. She said when she goes back for a visit, she now experiences reverse culture shock. She described being at a birthday party for a young niece. She said everything was going exactly as it should...everyone came right on time, all the food that was planned was served, there was no loss of power...and she was a wreck! She sat there on edge just waiting for the surprise! She kept looking over her shoulder to be on guard for the catastrophe. When it did not come, she actually felt deflated...like waiting for a surprise that never happened!I guess I am still in the phase where I just cant believe what is happening NOW!
At the auction we won two different weekend getaways. One is for Tides Resort in Pangani on the Indian Ocean. It is an 8 hour drive to get there so we will probably schedule a week with Erik and Bernice and Nashesha and enjoy the beach. The other is for two nights in a villa at the Four Seasons on the Serengeti. We had no idea about either place, so we were pretty amazed when we looked on line at the Four Seasons Serengeti property! It also comes with complete all inclusive for two days. We will NOT be booking extra time there as you will understand if you take the time to check it out! So, it really is ALWAYS something!
We were never totally out of water because there were back up tanks and filled containers. You just did not shower and the laundry was carried to another property and then carried back to be hung on the line. It was interesting to watch the elaborate strategy used to move water through hoses from one tank to another. The road finally became passable enough that a water truck came yesterday with 15,000 liters of water. All of the tanks were filled to capacity. When there was still water left in the truck we started filling wash basins and coolers and buckets. It is fabulous to have water again! Linda thinks it should last a week!We also had power for two days...today makes three! That may be a record!
However, my wonderful little ice cubes in the freezer were melted on Monday morning. We tried various things to determine where the problem was. Finally we decided the electrician should come. He is the same person who fixed it at Erik's house prior to transport. He determined that it needed a new compressor because of moving it on such rough roads. So, after a new compressor was purchased and installed (I paid 10,000 shillings ($4.50) for his gas on a motorcycle to go get the part), we had a functioning freezer again!
Then it was time to call the plumber to fix the drip in our bathroom sink. When water was on rationing, we collected the drip water and realized we were losing about a gallon every 30 minutes! So he came yesterday and remembered being here before. He had replaced gaskets last time. Now it needed a new faucet. Once that was installed, the handles worked so much better and you did not have to hurt your thumb joint to turn the water off.
Monday was a GREAT day! In one day we had water, power and a functioning freezer! I told Linda I felt like one of those tension toys that would collapse if you pushed the button on the bottom. It is like YEA! Oh NO! Then back to YEA! She thought that was a great description of life here!
So today (Tuesday), I woke up to a very wet bathroom floor and noticed the rugs were hanging on the line. Don left me a note saying that when he showered with the water pump on, he had a bad leak from the sink. So, the plumber was called back. It is 5 PM and I am still waiting....
In addition TINY black ants invaded the kitchen overnight. They were so dense that the counter in spots and sides of my baskets were black! I killed thousands of them! We are sprinkling cinnamon around and washing everything down! Baskets are washed and are on the porch drying in the sun. Linda said they are bad at her house too! So, it is always something!
Don and I were invited to an amazing event to celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday on Sunday. It was a fancy picnic with unbelievable food, decorations, music and auction. It was a fund raiser to provide internet in schools.
We were able to meet lots of Erik's friends. One woman's comments were interesting to me. She is from Switzerland, has lived in Tanzania for 20 years and remembers the adjustment to life here. She said when she goes back for a visit, she now experiences reverse culture shock. She described being at a birthday party for a young niece. She said everything was going exactly as it should...everyone came right on time, all the food that was planned was served, there was no loss of power...and she was a wreck! She sat there on edge just waiting for the surprise! She kept looking over her shoulder to be on guard for the catastrophe. When it did not come, she actually felt deflated...like waiting for a surprise that never happened!I guess I am still in the phase where I just cant believe what is happening NOW!
At the auction we won two different weekend getaways. One is for Tides Resort in Pangani on the Indian Ocean. It is an 8 hour drive to get there so we will probably schedule a week with Erik and Bernice and Nashesha and enjoy the beach. The other is for two nights in a villa at the Four Seasons on the Serengeti. We had no idea about either place, so we were pretty amazed when we looked on line at the Four Seasons Serengeti property! It also comes with complete all inclusive for two days. We will NOT be booking extra time there as you will understand if you take the time to check it out! So, it really is ALWAYS something!
Debi's entry June 2016 No water
OK, let's start with bad news first. NO WATER! Since the water line broke during construction, we have no water coming coming in. Linda told me not to worry because they have big tanks and they can even move water from their underground tank into ours if necessary. So I felt reassured and did not worry...until we got home last evening to turn on the water and NOTHING came out! It is so awful to turn the knob and nothing happens! So Linda got men to hook up hoses to transfer water and still nothing! She told me to be patient and it would fill. We went to their house for dinner along with many others and at 10 PM, we still had no water.
This morning she said a valve was turned wrong and the water was running out next door. It did not go to waste. Villagers who do not have running water were collecting it as fast as they could to use for washing dishes and clothes and even their gardens. Water is precious!
Because our road is chewed up, a truck cannot get in to deliver water and fill our tanks. Linda is so resourceful! She has had workers carrying water to our house. Mebo did dishes in basins of carried water. (Mebo, along with 80% of Tanzanians, does not have running water at her house. This seems normal to her.). She will take our laundry to another property to use their water. Our tank has been filled with enough water for emergencies. We have several gallons of drinking water in reserve.
Linda said...do not worry! This happens! I wont tell you how long I had to go without water once. I said TELL ME! She said, "OK...three months! And I had babies in diapers at the time!" I WILL remain cheerful!!!!
The good news... No the GREAT news is that Erik and Bernice loaned us a freezer they were not using!!! It was repaired and delivered last evening! It is HUGE! I will be able to store ice in there and when the power goes out, I can keep things cool in a cooler. I love to make things ahead so I do not miss out on the fun if people are coming to dinner. Now I will have room to store casseroles! And beans cooked forever in a crock pot. I am soooo excited!!!
Bernice and I shopped again yesterday. My wish list is dwindling. You have no idea how excited I am about my new garbage can for the kitchen! My old one was too small and I had to bend down and remove a tight fitting lid whenever I tossed something away. Now I can depress a foot pedal to make the lid come up. There is even a removable bucket inside for ease of dumping and cleaning! I am ridiculously excited about this! Everyone who comes to the door gets to see!
This morning she said a valve was turned wrong and the water was running out next door. It did not go to waste. Villagers who do not have running water were collecting it as fast as they could to use for washing dishes and clothes and even their gardens. Water is precious!
Because our road is chewed up, a truck cannot get in to deliver water and fill our tanks. Linda is so resourceful! She has had workers carrying water to our house. Mebo did dishes in basins of carried water. (Mebo, along with 80% of Tanzanians, does not have running water at her house. This seems normal to her.). She will take our laundry to another property to use their water. Our tank has been filled with enough water for emergencies. We have several gallons of drinking water in reserve.
Linda said...do not worry! This happens! I wont tell you how long I had to go without water once. I said TELL ME! She said, "OK...three months! And I had babies in diapers at the time!" I WILL remain cheerful!!!!
The good news... No the GREAT news is that Erik and Bernice loaned us a freezer they were not using!!! It was repaired and delivered last evening! It is HUGE! I will be able to store ice in there and when the power goes out, I can keep things cool in a cooler. I love to make things ahead so I do not miss out on the fun if people are coming to dinner. Now I will have room to store casseroles! And beans cooked forever in a crock pot. I am soooo excited!!!
Bernice and I shopped again yesterday. My wish list is dwindling. You have no idea how excited I am about my new garbage can for the kitchen! My old one was too small and I had to bend down and remove a tight fitting lid whenever I tossed something away. Now I can depress a foot pedal to make the lid come up. There is even a removable bucket inside for ease of dumping and cleaning! I am ridiculously excited about this! Everyone who comes to the door gets to see!
Debi's entery from June 2016. Road construction
I went shopping and out to lunch with Bernice today. I sort of bought out the stores! That is how it seems when you deal in shillings! A 10,000 shilling note is sort of close to $5.00. That is the biggest currency I have seen. That is why a million shillings is such a huge wad coming out of a cash machine ( if the power is on and IF the machine has cash!)
Shopping here is hard to describe. It takes multiple stops through unbelievable traffic. The prices are in such big numbers that my mind is constantly juggling the math. Bernice is a shrewd shopper. When I am worn out and ready to buy, she says "lets look around." She finds way better deals! .
We got home tonight at nearly 7 PM with so many bags that Don had to help carry on the second trip. His comment was that he was glad we were not paying for the plastic bags!
I got a non stick sauce pan with a glass lid, a nested set of nixing bowls with air tight lids, several nice cooking tools, lots of produce and spices and extra dishes and all kinds of things. It was like Christmas! I also got ingredients to make almond roca! Let's see if I can do it in Tanzania!
I failed to tell about our hair raising story the last time I wrote but must do do now to explain the next chapter of drama. On Saturday after we did our tourist thing with Kathy and Chuck, we decided to brave the road home in order to get fresh basil for the casserole I prepared and had sitting in a jar of water. We decided to stop and get that along with two decks of cards and a cribbage board so we could play games with our extra time. We stopped at home, gathered our things and then I encouraged Don to drive down Mianzini Road. He staunchly refused to drive that way after riding in a taxi and experiencing awful traffic. I told him Linda drives it and at this time of day it should be OK. It would save us time.
So we started down the mountain. We should have wondered when we encountered a caterpillar chewing up the road. But No! We were optimistic! Look! They are fixing the road! So we continued. Gradually things got worse. There were giant tree stumps yanked out of the ground along with cement curbs in the roadway. We continued. After all, there were no signs warning us to turn back and it was getting so bad that we did not know how to turn around.
At the worst spot traffic was snarled to a stop both directions. We were snagged on a tree stump and no one could pass. A crowd had gathered on both sides of the road to watch. People were shouting directions to us and Don was struggling to keep our car from dying. I kept praying for a helicopter to come and lift us out of the mess! Somehow with the the crowd's help moving giant cement blocks and coaching us on where to go, we made it down to the part that Don wanted to avoid with all that he had within him. I remarked that this part of the road was a piece of cake. I think if anyone is looking for a good nickname for Don, it should be "Mianzini". That road had us shaking in our boots and caused me to drink two beers on arrival at Erik and Bernice's. That is not very Missionary - like...but I don't feel like I fit the mold in a lot of ways!! We never did play cards! The next day I noticed there was a thin plastic tape blocking off the road. You think??? Honestly! Don asked me afterward if I had thought to take pictures. You think!?? Really?!! I was too busy holding onto my seat belt!
All that is to explain our next adventure. So there is road construction going on all around us. GOOD! Maybe things will get better! However, trees are being chopped down and cement stoops are being displaced and some houses and shops are being leveled. It looks like a war zone right near us! When I walk, I have to stop and look and wonder at the destruction!
So, I got home tonight after my shopping spree only to learn that when the construction reached us, they broke a main water pipe. Now we have no idea what this means...how long do we have waster? hours? Days? Weeks? So tomorrow when Mebo comes, we will prepare the food I purchased. No worry about laundry. We have to conserve water and fill our containers! See...always an adventure!
I wonder....am I up to this??? Life is HARD here! Harder than I expected. I thought the hard part would be knowing how to help, but I don't know how to just live!
Shopping here is hard to describe. It takes multiple stops through unbelievable traffic. The prices are in such big numbers that my mind is constantly juggling the math. Bernice is a shrewd shopper. When I am worn out and ready to buy, she says "lets look around." She finds way better deals! .
We got home tonight at nearly 7 PM with so many bags that Don had to help carry on the second trip. His comment was that he was glad we were not paying for the plastic bags!
I got a non stick sauce pan with a glass lid, a nested set of nixing bowls with air tight lids, several nice cooking tools, lots of produce and spices and extra dishes and all kinds of things. It was like Christmas! I also got ingredients to make almond roca! Let's see if I can do it in Tanzania!
I failed to tell about our hair raising story the last time I wrote but must do do now to explain the next chapter of drama. On Saturday after we did our tourist thing with Kathy and Chuck, we decided to brave the road home in order to get fresh basil for the casserole I prepared and had sitting in a jar of water. We decided to stop and get that along with two decks of cards and a cribbage board so we could play games with our extra time. We stopped at home, gathered our things and then I encouraged Don to drive down Mianzini Road. He staunchly refused to drive that way after riding in a taxi and experiencing awful traffic. I told him Linda drives it and at this time of day it should be OK. It would save us time.
So we started down the mountain. We should have wondered when we encountered a caterpillar chewing up the road. But No! We were optimistic! Look! They are fixing the road! So we continued. Gradually things got worse. There were giant tree stumps yanked out of the ground along with cement curbs in the roadway. We continued. After all, there were no signs warning us to turn back and it was getting so bad that we did not know how to turn around.
At the worst spot traffic was snarled to a stop both directions. We were snagged on a tree stump and no one could pass. A crowd had gathered on both sides of the road to watch. People were shouting directions to us and Don was struggling to keep our car from dying. I kept praying for a helicopter to come and lift us out of the mess! Somehow with the the crowd's help moving giant cement blocks and coaching us on where to go, we made it down to the part that Don wanted to avoid with all that he had within him. I remarked that this part of the road was a piece of cake. I think if anyone is looking for a good nickname for Don, it should be "Mianzini". That road had us shaking in our boots and caused me to drink two beers on arrival at Erik and Bernice's. That is not very Missionary - like...but I don't feel like I fit the mold in a lot of ways!! We never did play cards! The next day I noticed there was a thin plastic tape blocking off the road. You think??? Honestly! Don asked me afterward if I had thought to take pictures. You think!?? Really?!! I was too busy holding onto my seat belt!
All that is to explain our next adventure. So there is road construction going on all around us. GOOD! Maybe things will get better! However, trees are being chopped down and cement stoops are being displaced and some houses and shops are being leveled. It looks like a war zone right near us! When I walk, I have to stop and look and wonder at the destruction!
So, I got home tonight after my shopping spree only to learn that when the construction reached us, they broke a main water pipe. Now we have no idea what this means...how long do we have waster? hours? Days? Weeks? So tomorrow when Mebo comes, we will prepare the food I purchased. No worry about laundry. We have to conserve water and fill our containers! See...always an adventure!
I wonder....am I up to this??? Life is HARD here! Harder than I expected. I thought the hard part would be knowing how to help, but I don't know how to just live!
Blog entry from Debi June 2016 Produce
I have a new motto: NO POWER. NO SHOWER, NO MORE!
That means we know how to monitor the temperature of the water in our
little bathroom tank. When we have power, we turn on the heat so we have
a reservoir of warm water. Then if we need a shower and there is no
power we fill several containers from the sink and pour that over
ourselves. I was even able to wash my hair with Don's help. We need the
electricity to activate the water pump in order to get water out of the
shower but we have gravity flow for the sink. This is a big help!
>
> The lack of electricity is worse than we expected. We have it only about half the time! I can cook with propane so that is no problem and we have some lights on our battery. After buying a rice cooker and borrowing a crock pot, I now understand why electric gadgets are not very popular here. The worst part about no power is the unpredictability. If we KNEW we would only have power half the time but we knew WHEN, we could work around it rather nicely.
>
> Tuesday, June 7: We are still borrowing the church Land Rover. We have had to take it to the shop twice. Last night Don spent 4 hours from the time he finished clinic until he got home. Logistics are so inefficient! By the time the mechanic calls him and he calls a taxi and he pays, hours have passed! I find this frustrating enough that I am in no hurry to add work to my present schedule. I WANT to like it here and it is easier to be good natured when there is less stress. Don was happy to come home to a ready made meal.
>
> The cooking is an entirely new experience. Actually the produce is fantastic. The tomatoes and carrots are better than we get at home. People are selling their garden surplus everywhere. I am sure it is picked at the peak of ripeness. At first I was buying too much at once because without a car I would stock up. Bad idea. My frig is not reliable and things would spoil. Now I leave a lot of produce out of the frig on straw holders. There are several cookbooks that I can use...church cookbooks and missionary cookbooks and African cookbooks. The recipes tend to be highly flavored with spices. Also whatever Linda or Bernice make is always fabulous! I copy them. Onions and tomatoes and garlic form the basis for many sauces. Vegetables that are plentiful include: tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and sweet potatoes, bell peppers in every color, and butternut squash. Fruit includes: bananas galore, pineapple, mango (familiar varieties and new ones), lemon and lime, oranges, apples (imported? Small and tasty). Meat is mostly sold frozen which is OK because a shopping trip is so long that I worry about it when it is fresh. Typically a whole chicken is very small, Not much bigger than a Cornish hen. I cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot yesterday snd got about two cups of meat off the bones.
One meat shop is like Paradise. I love going in there! You can get stir fry style beef, chicken or pork, minced (ground) meat, steaks, huge chicken breasts and thighs with or without the bone! I love it! I have also been cooking with a lot of beans and lentils and split peas. It is amazing what is available!
>
> The lack of electricity is worse than we expected. We have it only about half the time! I can cook with propane so that is no problem and we have some lights on our battery. After buying a rice cooker and borrowing a crock pot, I now understand why electric gadgets are not very popular here. The worst part about no power is the unpredictability. If we KNEW we would only have power half the time but we knew WHEN, we could work around it rather nicely.
>
> Tuesday, June 7: We are still borrowing the church Land Rover. We have had to take it to the shop twice. Last night Don spent 4 hours from the time he finished clinic until he got home. Logistics are so inefficient! By the time the mechanic calls him and he calls a taxi and he pays, hours have passed! I find this frustrating enough that I am in no hurry to add work to my present schedule. I WANT to like it here and it is easier to be good natured when there is less stress. Don was happy to come home to a ready made meal.
>
> The cooking is an entirely new experience. Actually the produce is fantastic. The tomatoes and carrots are better than we get at home. People are selling their garden surplus everywhere. I am sure it is picked at the peak of ripeness. At first I was buying too much at once because without a car I would stock up. Bad idea. My frig is not reliable and things would spoil. Now I leave a lot of produce out of the frig on straw holders. There are several cookbooks that I can use...church cookbooks and missionary cookbooks and African cookbooks. The recipes tend to be highly flavored with spices. Also whatever Linda or Bernice make is always fabulous! I copy them. Onions and tomatoes and garlic form the basis for many sauces. Vegetables that are plentiful include: tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and sweet potatoes, bell peppers in every color, and butternut squash. Fruit includes: bananas galore, pineapple, mango (familiar varieties and new ones), lemon and lime, oranges, apples (imported? Small and tasty). Meat is mostly sold frozen which is OK because a shopping trip is so long that I worry about it when it is fresh. Typically a whole chicken is very small, Not much bigger than a Cornish hen. I cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot yesterday snd got about two cups of meat off the bones.
One meat shop is like Paradise. I love going in there! You can get stir fry style beef, chicken or pork, minced (ground) meat, steaks, huge chicken breasts and thighs with or without the bone! I love it! I have also been cooking with a lot of beans and lentils and split peas. It is amazing what is available!
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