9 random things that caught my attention during my 9 weeks in Tanzania:
All the school kids who attended public school, girls and boys, have to shave their heads and wear uniforms. This is done so there are less noticeable differences, and so they focus on studying instead of looks.
The women bend in half. Alright, that sounded a bit off, but it’s true. Instead of squatting, they bend. To wash clothes, to cut grass, to harvest veggies, it doesn’t matter. Their bumps are in the air a lot, and that’s why they wear long sarong-like fabric tied around their waist.
Goods are transported on top of the head, especially by women. I’ve seen how they need help to pick things up due to the weight, but once they’re on the heads, the women walk effortlessly. I’ll never understand this sorcery!
The markets come to you when riding a bus or train. All the shopping is done through the window. I’ve gotten bananas, corn in the cob, hard-boiled eggs, oranges, cashews and popcorn. But the offer extended to skewers of some meat, cookies, socks, jewelry, sodas, bags of raw ginger, samosas, tomatoes, sliced bread, mobile phone accessories, luggage, and pineapples.
There’s garbage everywhere. People just throw everything to the floor, from banana peals to plastic bottles, so the side of the roads are filled with garbage. Such a shame that people don’t see this as a problem!
The boda bodas (motorcycle taxi) and the bajaji (tuk-tuk) can transport anything, no matter the size. Have a 4-meter log you need to take to the next town? No problem, just somehow hold on for dear life.
The most ubiquitous question is how many kids you have. If your answer (as mine) is zero, be prepared for pity looks and endless inquiries into why.
Babies are carried in the back. Women don’t have the privilege to carry them in their chests, since they have to carry on with their daily tasks, even with a newborn. The skill to wrap them up is something that I can’t get over. I’m in awe every time.
Religion manifests in the means of transportation. Dala dalas and bajaji are thoroughly decorated with calls to God and Allah, from ‘Allahu Akbar’ to ‘In God we trust’.
