I bumped into a nice blog of an American couple about their life in Tanzania. Sadly, they left the country in mid 2017. I was like OMG this is me, this is 100% my thought when I read the posts.
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/0...
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/1...
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/0...
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/1...
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/1...
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/0...
http://leenhome.blogspot.com/2014/1...
“I am tired of my daily walk to and from the daladala, where twenty to thirty pikipiki (motorcycle) drivers like to sit and await their next passenger. Just in case I don’t notice that there’s a huge group of motorcycles all bunched on the corner of the road in close proximity to where I will board the joke that is public transportation in this country, they respectfully like to shout, “Mzungu!” “Baby!” “Sweetie!” Because who doesn’t love being harassed every morning on their way to work?” — the not so fun reality of culture shock.
I found myself being shouted at “Mchina!” “Baby!” “Come here” “Give me money” when I walked on the street or cycled to work. I found an immigration officer asking for bribe in the morning in order to lodge the permit application for my boss, then in the evening texting me “Are you sleeping cute lady? Can I come over to sleep? Why not? Why? Why?” Yet we had no chemistry when I met him at his office. He wore wedding ring and put his spouse on this avatar. I wonder what he expected. And more than one guy who I have just met called or texted me that he missed me, he loved me, he was going to die if I didn’t do the same. I paid to get educated. Gradually the teacher kept complaining about his earnings, asked if I can drink, why I refused to go for a drink with him. What is the point of it all?
My Kenyan housemate talked about the coconut and mango. The coconuts are people who might be hard to get along with at first, but once you get to know them more, you will be friends for life. On the other hand, the mangoes are soft outside but never show their vulnerability or open for you to be real friends. Tanzanians, to me, are mangoes. The connection to most of them, is no more than surface-level.
I found myself being shouted at “Mchina!” “Baby!” “Come here” “Give me money” when I walked on the street or cycled to work. I found an immigration officer asking for bribe in the morning in order to lodge the permit application for my boss, then in the evening texting me “Are you sleeping cute lady? Can I come over to sleep? Why not? Why? Why?” Yet we had no chemistry when I met him at his office. He wore wedding ring and put his spouse on this avatar. I wonder what he expected. And more than one guy who I have just met called or texted me that he missed me, he loved me, he was going to die if I didn’t do the same. I paid to get educated. Gradually the teacher kept complaining about his earnings, asked if I can drink, why I refused to go for a drink with him. What is the point of it all?
My Kenyan housemate talked about the coconut and mango. The coconuts are people who might be hard to get along with at first, but once you get to know them more, you will be friends for life. On the other hand, the mangoes are soft outside but never show their vulnerability or open for you to be real friends. Tanzanians, to me, are mangoes. The connection to most of them, is no more than surface-level.
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