Driving in Dar...

The roads in Dar are like nothing you've ever experienced, well, riding the dala-dalas specifically. The dala-dala are the buses that most people here use to get around. I take one every morning to get from my neighborhood to class and it costs me about $0.20 (maybe .18). The buses have hilarious names on them, often relating to God or Jesus in Swahili or sometimes other things like "Black Boys" or "Russia." Nonetheless, they're usually the size of a very large van, properly holding maybe 12 people. But in the dala-dala there is a guy who works the door and collects his fees and his real job is to get as many people as possible into each dala-dala. Sitting on people's laps and breathing down some one's neck is a common occurrence. Often people stand between the seats or on the side where people get in and out (I've down this a few times now) just next to the door.

Twice now I've gone into Dar-proper riding the dala-dala and this experience is even more exciting. The streets of Dar are insane. There are no traffic lights and cars basically just fight for the right of way. They drive on the opposite sides of the ride like they do in Europe so it is even more confusing for me to look at. Additionally, a lot of people walk in the streets because there usually aren't proper sidewalks, but pedestrians certainly do not have the right of way. I've seen numerous almost bus-pedestrian incidents, including myself once. In town getting on a dala-dala requires strength. To get on or off you need to be able and willing to push everyone else out of the way if you want to get on or otherwise you are just not getting on that dala-dala because they will absolutely push you to get their spot.

So what do I think.... It's hilarious! People always look at us because we're "wazungu" and they get a laugh at us all trying to get on the bus. Anyway, it's always an adventure. Maybe I will only think this as long as I haven't yet been robbed....

What else is new?

Yesterday I went to the US Embassy with another Georgetown student, Edwina, where we gave a presentation on US Culture to some Tanzanian students who are coming to study at US Universities over the next year. The event even made the East African newspaper! It was pretty funny and we had to talk about personal space, the US concept of time, dating, holding hands, homosexuality and a whole host of other things. We gave out our emails to many of the students so I am anticipating some great emails...

Tomorrow I am heading to Zanzibar for a group trip with all of the Georgetown students and also all of the Princeton students who I am studying with in the intermediate class. I've heard so many great things about Zanzibar so I am really hoping it is nice and that we have enough time to see everything. I'll write about it when I return. It's getting dark now here (I am 7 hours ahead of US Eastern time) which means I really need to get back to my house.

Hope everything is well!