Culture shock

So I actually have a worse case of culture shock being back in London than I did going to Tanzania.

For example: I went to buy some Parmesan in M&S on Monday. I got so bewildered that it took me 25 minutes of confusion before I walked out clutching some cheese and a tub of pineapple. I can’t even face the possibility of doing a ‘proper shop’ so it’s living out of the freezer until I feel able to go into Sainsbury’s without having a nervous moment.

GMTV’s coverage of Tanzania this week has also had something of an upsetting effect on me. Not least because what have the Tanzanians ever done to deserve ‘the pleasure’ of having Fiona Phillips visit them in an oh-so-charitable fashion?

Zanzibar

So I haven’t blogged much about Zanzibar yet. This is largely because it was SO nice and SO lovely that you wouldn’t believe me if I told you: think Bounty advert without the annoying and not-very-nice-tasting coconut chocolate.

I ate my bodyweight in seafood (fooling myself somewhat that fish and fruit and veg is incredibly healthy – yes I know this is the diet of supermodels but they probably don’t have a seafood platter which is made up of a whole crab, a whole lobster, a whole something else that looked a bit like a lobster, some octopus and tiger prawns!)

Also Zanzibar people (Zanzibarbarians possibly?) do not shout “mzungu” at every passing white person (it would take up most of the day given the number of tourists) which is refreshing. It was very odd being a tourist though. Can’t really put my finger on why, I suppose it’s because I’ve been away but not a tourist for quite a long time now.

Anyway, top tips for Zanzibar:

if you can try to take all luggage out of Zanzibar as hand luggae (it means sacrificing the remnants of your sunscreen but saves you no end of hassle).

lots of tourist shops in Stone Town means low prices – so do your shopping here.

don’t too many of you go at once as it will get all over run with tourists (including towel wielding Germans – I kid you not).

General catch up

It’s 35 degrees today – just a tad warm. In fact by the time I’ve done my 45 minute walk back home I will probably just be a small puddle.

Yesterday was obviously Tanzanian national be cruel to animals day as small children seemed fascinated by squashing birds, throwing birds, kicking kittens and tormenting lizards – lovely. As you can imagine the bird throwing was my least favourite thing.

Yesterday was also Moshi bad smell day. Every day I have to walk past a very large rubbish dump – it’s a joy I tell you but yesterday it surpassed itself with ickiness as the main downtown sewer burst right next to it so it was a choice between tiptoing around the sewage but having to get rather closer to the rubbish dump than I would have liked, or wading through the sewage. I chose the first option and amused many locals with my graceful leaps across puddles of goodness knows what!

Rather excitingly I have been invited to one of my ladies’ daughter’s secondary school graduation on Friday. Turns out it’s quite a big thing so I will wear my new Africa outfit (that my ladies made and is surprisingly lovely – I may even wear it at home). I also think I should probably get her a present but have no idea what. I did my first real bit of haggling yesterday which I was quite proud of and managed to get a rucksack for 11,000 TSh (about 4 quid) when the guy originally wanted 18. I even did it in Swahili!

Rather excitingly I am off to Zanzibar next week for a bit of lying around in the sun. Despite the ridiculous heat over here I remain fairly pale thanks to the generous application of factor 50 every morning. Well factor 50 on my face, factor 0 on my legs and have they gone the slightest bit brown? Oh no!

Stationery

Went on a bit of a stationery buying spree yesterday. I love stationery, I love buying notebooks and lovely pens that write really nicely, preferably with a nice squishy bit so I don’t get “writer’s bump” and if it’s an interesting colour ink then so much the better. I always thought I was a bit weird for being like this, but it turns out Suw has similar stationery foibles - thank goodness it’s not just me!

Anyway, the stationery yesterday was a bit more utilitarian and I had to resist all temptation with the fact that lovely notebooks were half price as were a gorgeous set of coloured gel pens. Apparently Tanzanian pencils are crap so it’s been recommended that I take some over. Woolworths were selling 36 for just 63p – what a bargain! I’m hoping they’re going to be better quality than Tanzanian pencils but at that price I’m not sure. I also bought some felt tips for my lessons and some A3 paper in case there isn’t a blackboard, that way I can stick the paper on the wall and hey presto something for me to write on. Not that I actually know what I’m going to be teaching yet. I have some thoughts for lessons but can’t really write up my lesson plans until I get there. It’s a bit annoying because I’ve got a bit of time on my hands at the moment and I could really do some decent planning. Oh well.

Less than four weeks

I am thoroughly excited. In less than four short weeks I will be in Tanzania!

Well I hope to be although the visa situation is still proving impossible to understand/get any straight answers on! I have just sent another email in the hope that someone will be able to stop me worrying.

I’ve had most of my jabs – just the second Hep B to go. Typhoid was the worst, always makes me feel a bit flu-ey and generally yuk.

I have all my clothes sorted, most of my toiletries (which are going to take up most of my suitcase). Rather annoyingly the two things you can’t get in Moshi are sunscreen and DEET spray – I spy a retail opportunity – so I’m having to take a fair amount of those. I seem to remember that I blogged that I had all my clothes a couple of weeks ago – I was fibbing but now I really must stop buying things! Also got my mosquito net so I’m set for some adventures with the Maasai. I’ve also obeen bought a silk snuggly liner for a sleeping bag which will do for a sleeping bag in the warm weather and can also be used on my bed to make me feel cosy and happy (when I am suffering from the inevitable home-sickness).

I should get all my project and accommodation details next Saturday by which point I will be beside myself with even more excitement.