Kipepeo, Tanzania - Finally!

After two hard weeks working with local partners as well as the team in San Francisco, Seattle and South Africa, we finally had a day off.  This past week was especially difficult as we quickly realized that things definitely get lost in translation, and that others (locals) often have unrealistic demands and expectations.  Enough about work though - let's talk about Kipepeo Village!

During my last visit to Tanzania, I use to spend my Sundays at Kipepeo beach.  Zanzibar is beautiful, but I would say that the beach at Kipepeo and probably many of the beaches in South Beach are just as beautiful.  The sand is white, the coastline is gorgeous, and you get to interact and see more locals than you ever do at the private beaches that foreigners often visit in Zanzibar.  It is also a cheap alternative to Zanzibar.

For the past 2 years, I have often thought about this beach and how beautiful and relaxing it was.  It did not disappoint!

From City Centre, you catch a local ferry across to Kigambomi.  The cost of the fare is 200TZS (.20 cents).  Quite a deal!  From the other side, we took a bajaj (a three wheel auto taxi) to our final destination - Kipepeo.




At the showers at Kipepeo Village, here is a sign to discourage urinating in the showers.  If you look closely at the photo,  you will see that a devilish creature is rising from the shower floor.

Ali and I sitting under our cabana enjoying the view and some beers.

We made a new friend, Essau Pwelle, a Tanzanian who has lived in the U.S. for nearly a decade.  He is an African Banjoist, from the Wandali tribe in the Mbeya Region, near the border of Tanzania and Zambia.  I just recently learned that the American banjo was derived from the African banjo.  There were some differences, such as the number of strings.  The American banjo has five strings, whereas the African banjo has 4 strings.  Most banjo playing in America is picking, but in Africa, they strum the banjo.  Essau told us that the only place in America where musicians strum their banjos was New Orleans.

Essau is trying to bring awareness to local Tanzanians of their history with the African banjo.  He said that he walks all around Dar es Salaam and no one seems to recognize the instruments.  He is part of a campaign by the National government to archive their musical history, as well as its influence to instruments around the world.

The African banjo in Essau's hand was wholly constructed in Tanzania.  The strings were taken from brake wires of a bajaja.  The gourd he picked up at a local market and had a local artist carve the outside for decoration.  The tuners are made from local rosewood.  This banjo will eventually be archived along with the name of every local Tanzanian involved in its construction.  Our bajaj driver did not recognize the instrument, but was very excited when he saw it, and basically grabbed it out of Essau's hand.

Essau invited Ali and I to a cultural performance next Saturday, where members of his band will play. There will be other performances as well.  It is nice to have something to look forward to - especially with tough work weeks.

We spent the afternoon listening to Essau and company sing traditional Tanzanian songs.  Not a bad way to spend the afternoon!

Me and a little girl, Essau was friends with the mother.  She was very cute, and very very sassy :)

Some locals decided to bury this Spanish guy, Essau's friend and guitar player in his band, with sand.  The woman next to the little girl is a Tanzanian woman who currently lives in Tanzania.  She is married to one of the sons from the Swedish pop group, Abba. 

I love this picture.  The Spanish guy is breaking free, and a local Tanzanian guy who helped bury him. The local guy saw the hand and jumped back laughing - I only wish I had a video of it :)

Mambo from Dar es Salaam

Hello everyone!

I am back in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for 5 weeks to help launch a program through Switchboard - www.switchboard.org.  Switchboard is creating the largest network of health care workers in the developing world in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Vodacom.  The plan is to connect 9,000 health workers across the country - allowing them to make free calls and texts to other participating health workers.

I have been here for 5 days but it feels more like 2 weeks, as a colleague and I have been busy meeting with officials from the Ministry and Vodacom.  When we are not in meetings, we are working with out of country programmers to ensure that the technology is up and running in time for our tentative launch during the 1st full week of February.  It is pretty amazing that a simple cell phone will allow health workers to connect and collaborate to improve patient care in Tanzania!

I don't have a lot of stories as our days of work have been long, and usually end when we head to bed.  We have ventured out of the hotel a few times for meals, and have had some funny encounters with locals.  My colleague Ali has been mistaken for Julia Roberts a few times.  She does bare a slight resemblance to the actress.  My first night here, we went to a local place to get some barbecue chicken.  While waiting for our food, some local Tanzanian men came over and asked to take a photo with her.  It was pretty amusing.  People have also had trouble saying my name, and I mistakenly told a local that my name was Michelle, like Michelle Obama.  He told me "It is nice to meet you Michelle Obama."  I tried to explain, but he kept calling me Michelle Obama, so I just let him :)

Many things are as I remember them.  There is a bakery (The Corner Bakery) where I would always buy fresh bread after my bus rides home from work.  I went my 2nd day here and bought a loaf -- it was as good as I remember.

However, my experience this time is quite different.  Now I travel mostly by cab, whereas I previously relied heavily on local buses (dala dalas).  This time I am staying at a hotel instead of an apartment, but it is close to my old place.  I hope to make it down to my old place to see if my friend Ali (not to be mistaken with my female colleague Ali) still runs his barbecue stand at the end of street.

I hope to have some interesting stories to post soon.

Here is a photo of me in Giza, Egypt.

I had a 11 hour layover and decided to do a quick tourist tour to check out the pyramids.  It was interesting that most of the other passengers who also had long layovers were afraid to leave the airport or hotel that Egypt Air provided.  I can't say I have an opinion of Egypt as I spent most of my time getting in and out of the mini-van to see various tourists attractions.  I hope to return someday and spend more time there.

Hope everyone is well!