This is Africa
That's what you say here when something weird or very "Africa" happens. Like, when the conductor of a Dala Dala gets out and bangs on the sliding door with a rock to get it to close. This was the first time I ever heard "T-I-A" used. Tom, my counterpart (the guy I teach with) asked me if I knew what it is and explained it to me.
Good times.
So class was interesting. There is a lot of waiting in Tanzania. Like, a lot. So the first day, we met at 9 to go to the teaching site, and waited for the woman who was supposed to meet us to take us there. She showed up around 10. It took us about an hour to get there. Then we waited for another 30 minutes or so for all of the women we were teaching to show up. So, around 11:30, we started class. We had to end at 12:30. Very productive day (oh, by the way, there is no sarcasm in Tanzania. They don't really get it. You have to say exactly what you mean, which is tough for me, because I am a rather sarcastic fellow).
Anyway, we pretty much just introduced ourselves and then did just a little bit of teaching. It was a new experience.
Day two went a little better. Actually, it was fun! We didn't have much more time than Monday but it was still productive. We did a condom demonstration. The ladies thought it was hilarious (keep in mind it is Tom and myself--two men). We pulled a dildo out of our box, and they just started laughing. Good times, good times. Then came time for the female condom. Many of them have heard of and seen male condoms, but female? We blew their minds.
At the end, on the way back to the GSC office, Tom and I were waiting for a Dala, when a good sized lumber truck drove by. We were tired of waiting, so we jumped on the back and rode it in to town.
T-I-A.
Today it was raining. Very few women were there, because it rained, but still, a good story from today:
It was raining, so GSC got us a cab. That was nice. On the way, there are some pretty beat up roads. So... kind of flooded when it rains. We found a puddle that was.... a little deeper than it looked. So Joe and I got out and pushed. We were up to our knees in water (well, I was. He's tall). It was actually a lot of fun. :)
T-I-A
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This is a great blog - I'll keep checking on you here. You are learning...they are laughing - good times for readers, too! Be safe - we miss you!
ReplyDeleteKaren
Hi Brendan, Great to read your blog. Saw your mom at church and she gave me your blog URL. There are a number Presbyterian missionaries in Tanzania; I will be interested to know if you ever run into any of them.
ReplyDeleteHi Brendan,
ReplyDeleteI am your dad's first cousin (so your first cousin once removed) from Texas. Aunt Martha sent me the link to your blog this evening and I just read it. Fun! My daughter, Shelly, was in Africa (Nigeria) last year and has a blog at www.tefertillertribe.blogspot.com If you go back to Oct 2008 in her posts, you'll find quite a diary of the Nigeria experience. Her inlaws, John and Pat Tefertiller are missionaries in Tanzania. They are home now but will return to Africa at the end of January. I have given them you information. I hope you have a great experience and make lifetime memories. Enjoy! Glenda Clower Goodwin
Brendan, my name is John Tefertiller, the inlaws that Glenda Clower Goodwin mentioned. We live in Arusha, in Olgilai Kiutu, just up the mountain from Sekei. Hope we get to meet you when we return to Tanzania in Jan (we are in Texas for a visit). johnatefertiller@earthlink.net
ReplyDeleteenjoy the rainy season! some of our pictures are on Facebook (John Tefertiller)