Day 3 - 'The Second God' (Okabili) and Bujora Cultural Centre

Guess what I never got to enjoy this morning? A hot shower! To make it worse, I forgot to mention it so I will likely be having another cold start to my morning tomorrow. I think perhaps the power is off in the morning because I can only get my bedside light to turn on. Anyway, I was ready to go at 9:00 am but while I waited for Delphine, I practised my Swahili with Nuru, and took some pictures. Delphine arrived with her friend Mary but we couldn't leave right away because they wanted to pack some food for our trip and arrange for a driver. Once we had everything, we then drove to an ATM to get money, and we also had the vehicle checked before taking it on the road. Moses offered to let us use his car for the journey - and what a journey it was! Unfortunately I was in the back of the van with a window that was fogged and did not roll down so I couldn't take pictures along the way. We travelled for a few hours along the bumpiest 'road' I've ever experienced. We stopped along the way for some 'chipas' - basically French fries and grilled corn on the cob - but not like the juicy grilled corn we enjoy during the fall harvest. We also stopped to visit the gravestone of Cool James - a famous African singer from the region who died at the age of 32. We met his grandfather and walked behind the home to the field where the family graves were. This moment was a particularly big deal for Delphine.
We continued on our ways to visit the compound where 'the Second God' had lived. We had to meet the elders who sat in a row next to us but chose not to speak in Swahili so Delphine was in the same boat as I was - having no idea what was being said. Our driver translated and we were able to speak with the chief's grandson. We took a tour of the compound, saw traditional homes, toured the rock where 'the Second God' made plants grow, and saw the 'pond' of green bubbling liquid where it is said an elephant fell in. We visited the original chief's home and saw the tin 'vehicle' the grandson would drive with the chief inside so they could collect the plants and herbs he used for his special medicines. Some of us (not me, because I was wearing a skirt) then slid down the rock - the African version of tobogganing. There is one area that has been worn smooth from people sliding - even the very elderly elder slid down! Eventually, after much waiting, the chief called his people together in traditional clothes (all black) and they performed for us. They sang, danced a bit, and played drums. When we gave him a donation for his performance, then they got really energetic. We had to excuse ourselves, or we would have been there for a very long time and it was 4:30 already. We then had to give information about each of us. They were particularly interested in me and wanted me to welcome all Canadians to visit them. So . . . Consider yourselves invited. Pictures from visiting the home of 'the Second God':

Before we left the area we made a pit stop at a nearby home and asked to use their latrine out back. It is official. I peed in Africa without the use of a toilet - just two blocks for my feet on either side of a hole. I guess the stick on a block in front of it was for balance. There was a bucket of water to wash waste down. Luckily I was prepared with toilet paper!
We then made our way to the Bujora Cultural Centre. We thought it was closed but they allowed us to go for a tour. Since it gets dark early, we could only see half of it - but enjoyed the traditional dances, particularly the snake dance. I especially loved the little children who were mimicking the dancers throughout. Sadly, my camera's battery died so I was unable to get many pictures or video. The centre's history involves a French-Canadian, but I need to find out more. There are traditional guest houses, as well as a larger group residence for guests. We will be returning to the centre to see the other sites. A picture of the dancer putting the head of the smaller Python in his mouth:

By this time it was dark - after 8 pm - when we finally made our way home. Delphine will give me a break tomorrow, and we will go out at 10:00 am. I am aware that time is not an issue for most - they don't rush. I just find it exhausting trying to figure out what is being said - and when meeting the elders, I couldn't remember how to address them. People are very curious about me and I don't know what they are saying.
Really cool things I saw today - but didn't get pictures of - very large storks wading through burning garbage piles on the side of the road; very strange rock formations; 3 men on a motorcycle; and herds of cows with very large horns crossing the road, with little children herding them.

Day 2 - Agape Lodge, Igoma/Mwanza

On Day Two I awoke to find that my shower did not have hot water so it was a very cold, very brief affair. Nuru decided to bring me everything for breakfast that I said I liked - French toast, toast, and an omelette - with a plate of fruit. I also had instant coffee with instant cream, which seems to be the way people drink it here. 
I was able to meet Timothy, the Chairman of 'Elephant Thoughts Tanzania', and who was once the principal of one of the schools the organization runs. He shared some amazing stories of life as a teacher in this area. Can you imagine teaching a class of 150 students? The government heard their complaints and suggested they teach the students in shifts - but that just meant the same teacher would have to teach 2 shifts of 75 students in a day - double the time but not double the pay. Some grades don't get holidays because they are preparing for their exams - which means those teachers work longer than other teachers for the same pay. I have yet to visit the schools, but I think it will be a real eye-opener for me, and I will learn to appreciate what I have in Canada. 
I also met with Delphine, who is a professor from the university interested in working on cultural tourism. Although she was scheduled to go on an assignment in Kilimanjaro, she decided to change her plans and dedicate the next week to introducing me to the African culture. She has a very detailed schedule planned.  Besides leaving Agape Lodge to pick up my luggage with Timothy, I remained onsite. I know I leave at 9:00 am tomorrow to visit 'The Second God' with Delphine.
For those interested in my food experiences, I had banana soup again - which I found out is a traditional soup made particularly to help women recuperate from various illnesses, but particularly after childbirth. I usually have a big plate of fruit with almost every meal - mango, banana, watermelon, and (cucumber). For dinner I asked for grilled chicken and a salad. It wasn't quite what I expected, but it was edible.
Nuru turned on the hot water tank for me before I went to bed, so I can look forward to a hot shower in the morning. I also got hooked up to the Internet so I can keep in touch with everyone. The adventure continues!   Below are pictures of: Nuru/Happy/Gardens at Agape Lodge

Arrival - Day One

Day One of my Adventure involved landing in Amsterdam, Netherlands and exploring the city during my 10 hr layover. The weather was hot and sunny - perfect for being outdoors. Despite getting a bit lost in the airport and downtown, I did manage to take the train back and forth to my destination and enjoyed both the canal tour by boat and the city tour by double-decker bus. I, unfortunately, did not have time to visit any of the museums or coffee shops. The Anne Frank house was open after 3:30 for visitors who had not previously booked a specific timeslot (me). I chose to go back to the airport instead and take a much needed shower before my next flight. What a wonderful amenity! I have many pictures of the beautiful canals, some wonderful architecture, and some interesting houseboats. I will try to post these later on 'Flickr'.  

I have to admit, the traveling has become a blur. I flew to Nairobi, Kenya where I was issued a new boarding pass to continue on to Mwanza, Tanzania. I believe this is where the mix-up occurred and my luggage was lost. (Don't worry - it ends well, with my luggage arriving intact, a day later.) In Nairobi, I got on a bus at the airport to drive to a much smaller plane to fly to Kilimanjaro. In Kilimanjaro, all passengers exited the plane and went through two security checks before getting back on what was likely the same plane - to continue on to Mwanza. I am glad my carry-on was a back-pack because climbing the airplane steps could be hazardous.

Once in Mwanza, besides finding out my luggage did not follow me, I was called back into the Visa office to be told my $20 American bill was unacceptable because it was torn. Luckily I had brought an extra $20, so I just exchanged them. I surprised myself by finding my baggage claim since I don't usually remember to keep track of these things. I finally made it outside to discover no one was waiting for me, as promised. I had phone numbers of my contacts so an airport personnel phoned the contacts and we had Moses returning for me in minutes. (He had been there but did not realize I was being detained for the Visa and luggage issues.)

We then drove to Agape Lodge, on the outskirts of Mwanza. There was much for me to take in. I think I was over-tired and slow to react because I didn't once scream when I saw us repeatedly careening towards incoming traffic. I thought driving in Ireland and even in parts of Costa Rica was bad, but this was a whole new level of 'BAD'.  The roads were lined with makeshift shops that sold anything you could think of - but I did notice a lot of couches. There were chickens, goats, and cows grazing about. People rode bicycles and motorcycles usually piled high with objects and/or people. I admired their ability to balance - sometimes while talking on a cell phone. The 'road' to the lodge made the sidestreets our GPS had us travel in Ireland look like beautifully manicured roadways. This gave new meaning to 'potholes'. 

Despite all that, the lodge is quite lovely with a beautiful garden/sitting area. It is gated and quite secure. I have a large room with a large bed, table, chair, small tv, small fridge and armoire. The bathroom has a toilet (yeah!), sink, mirror and a shower head. I learned that I shower in the middle of the room and then 'squeegee' the water down the drain. I'm not sure if there is hot water (there certainly wasn't any when I tried this morning!). I also have air conditioning - which I ended up turning off because I was a bit chilled. 

Moses is a wonderful host and introduced me to two ladies: Nuru and Happy, who will be looking after me. Nuru gave me a lesson on hand washing clothes so I would have something clean to wear the next day. Happy agreed to repeat anything she says to me in English, in Swahili so I will hopefully pick up some of the language. 

The sun rises later here - after 7 am and sets by about 6:30 pm. I slept for about 3 hours in the afternoon and was in bed by 10 pm, totally exhausted. 

I could not post this blog on my first day, unfortunately, because the Internet was down. I plan to get into a routine of blogging at the end of each day-when it isn't wise to be outside due to the mosquitoes. Although my blogs may seem long, I am actually leaving quite a few things out. If you have questions or comments, feel free to leave them. I will try to address them as I go along. 

 

My Journey Begins

My Journey to Tanzania

On Sunday, July 17th, I will leave for my solo journey to Igoma(Mwanza), Tanzania for a month of adventures. I am partnering with 'Elephant Thoughts', a Canadian educational charity based in Collingwood, ON. While in Tanzania, I will preview numerous cultural activities to help the organization fine-tune their educational, yet culturally rich program for future high school groups visiting from Canada. I will also be transforming a shipping container into a visually appealing yet functional library for one of the six schools 'Elephant Thoughts Tanzania' is responsible. For this project, I will be enlisting the creative and artistic talents of the local school children. To top it all off, I hope to go on a safari in the Serengeti. Throughout my stay I will be posting a blog of my experiences and submitting a multitude of pictures on 'Flickr'.

I leave from Toronto and travel over 7 hours to Amsterdam, Netherlands where I will have a 10hr layover. I plan to explore the city on a canal tour and possibly a hop on/hop off bus tour that will take me to Anne Frank's house. I will then fly over 8 hours to Nairobi, Kenya. From there, I will hop on another plane after 2 hours, to fly to Mwanza, Tanzania - with a brief stop in Kilimanjaro. My hosts will greet me at the airport at about 11:30 am on Tuesday and drive me to my final destination - Agape Lodge. 

Unfortunately I have been suffering for over a month with severe sinus problems for which my Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist insists there is no quick fix. He could only offer me some advice for what will likely be a very uncomfortable/painful experience each and every time I land (4 times!!!). Wish me luck!