Mzungu Mania, Kuku Carry-On, and Geckos that Fall from the Sky

Here's another non-jump rope post before plenty of exciting jumping news.

Anytime you travel to another country, you're bound to encounter a few surprises. For better and for worse, every one of your five senses will be stirred, but as long as you come with an open mind, traveling can be an amazing and eye-opening experience.

If you visit Tanzania, be ready to stand out. Don't worry about trying not to – you will stand out, and there's not much you can do about it. If you are Caucasian, you'll hear the word “mzungu” a lot – basically, “white person” - and you'll get a lot of stares. Just be friendly. Although the attention took some getting used to, one of the things I love about Tanzania is how natural it is to just say hello to people you walk past during the day. The watoto (little children) laugh and say "mzungu!", then "shikamoo". I greet people with "Habari yako?" or "Mambo?" as often as I can, and I'm almost always met with a smile and greeting in return. I've said it before, but the people here are so kind, friendly, and interested in the well-being of the people in their community.

I ride a dala-dala here on a fairly regular basis. They're very inexpensive, and can get you anywhere you need to get in Dar, which is great because it's a big city, and most taxi drivers will overcharge. The dala-dalas can get a bit crowded, though, since they're the preferred mode of transport for most Tanzanians. The other day, a few seconds after boarding a dala-dala to get back home, I heard a cluck nearby. I looked to my right, and saw a person, who I assumed could not be responsible for the noise. I looked down, and saw two chickens (kuku mbili). Two chickens. In a satchel. Heads poking out for a better view of floor. Sometimes it's the little things that make your day. That was my day-maker.

A few nights ago, I was walking to my room, when a gecko fell from the ceiling. That's right. A gecko, crawling upside down on the ceiling, plummeted a distance of more than 100 times his own height, and landed directly under my next step. I think I must have walked on air during that moment, because he somehow scurried away unharmed, as if this sort of thing happened regularly. I was a bit shaken up.

Napenda mjusi. Napenda kuku. Napenda dala-dala. Sitaki kuondoka Tanzania!

More soon,
Mike