PEOPLE WHO CHANGE YOUR LIFE ALONG THE ROAD
I reflected on my experiences over the past few days and have been more emotional for the first time while here. I realized though I came here to work in and change lives in Tanzanian through health care, I truly am changing who I am. Not that all the trainings have not changed my knowledge about Tanzania but changing perceptions of individuals and myself by connecting on a personal relationship level is very different. After spending the weekend with a stranger and his family and community in a home stay, I left changed. Though I probably got the retired persons view of the people in Tanzania and others in the group the working person version I felt honored to have met this family and spend time in their community.
Through the weekend experience of shared conversations from each of our respective countries viewpoint, we shared our hopes, dreams, children, family, food, careers, politics, people, faith, and world. Though we shared some differences with those areas there were many similarities. Yes my weekend was to expose me to language and culture. But I left with more. I was reminded of the really good people in all places in the world who are generous, caring and genuine to everyone they meet. I was humbled to become better in being open and giving of my time and concern in my relationships with those I meet here in Tanzania and when I return home. I think underneath I have had fears of people here in that I’m the minority for the first time in my life in someone else’s world not able to communicate in my native language. Not that I have not been very protected and felt safe under Peace Corps training but my lack of international travel and exposure has kept me in check. I know my host Baba was an outgoing generous man who was truly concerned about each person we engaged with. I knew he was concerned not just my safety, well-being, and comfort, but he also wanted to introduce me and the program to everyone. I told him I was open to everything and wanted to do whatever he had in mind so thus you will see some interesting pictures. This week’s blog is long but there are some fun and interesting parts and pictures so please read to the end!!
First Evening’s Humorous Encounter in Tanzanian Community
A good thing about getting older is you can look back on your path and see that some things in life you may not always have liked or valued later turn into something meaningful. While paths wind in different directions, a web of people, knowledge, experiences and change can connect you with others in relationships, community and careers. So though I’m here with a health focus, I also see that the weaved paths over time in my life give me better perspective and the ability to relate to others not in health care in a country across the ocean.
So this past weekend was a 2 ½ day home stay with a local Tanzanian Family where we could improve our language skills and experience more fully their culture. This was the first time in the 4 years of this program for a home stay. So we were the experiment even though the regular Peace Corps volunteers do a couple of months in a home. So after the Peace Corps arranged, inspected and approved our families and home, we were each dropped off by the bus Friday afternoon and were to stay through Monday morning (our peace corps staff was available if needed by phone but it felt like we were being dropped off our first day of Kindergarten and they were our parents seeing if we could survive:). We had met our families the previous Saturday over lunch at the conference center where we are staying. These were families who had previously hosted the regular volunteers so they were informed about the differences in our programs and the objectives.
So my host family’s dad (Baba in KSwahili) Gaetano is a retired Agriculture government worker with a focus on animal breeding and feed. He worked in agricultural extension office type work and education moving 10 times around the country in various positions. He had a Peace Corps volunteer in his school when he was young, and while in college in Kenya had an American Professor in the early 70s. I wondered later if this might have influenced his outlook on Americans and the person he is today. His only other international travel outside of Africa was Switzerland training for a month for his job one time. So he and his wife are about my age but he is retired from his government job but still working his farm. He actually did a higher degree just before he retired just for his own enjoyment not for promotion so we had that as an initial commonality. His wife Martina (host family Mama) was a secretary and they have 5 children and 4 grandchildren. Some live in Dar es Saalam, and some north of Dodoma and with them. So this weekend Martina was in Dar es Saalam as one of their daughters was to see a medical specialist so she was not able to be there until late Sunday. This in itself seemed a little odd culturally being about his age as a single woman spending the weekend. But I have a pretty good sense of good people and had met him the week before and Peace Corps was ok with the family. In reflecting back I had nothing to worry about. Penda who cares for one of their grandchildren was there as was their 25 year old son Julius , 15 year old nephew Viant and 3 year old granddaughter(Glori). The Baba grows Maize, sorghums and ground nuts (peanuts) and raises chicken’s which he sells (Kukus in KSwahili), eggs, 3 cows and a huge personal garden with fruits and vegetables that feeds his family (all organic). So just thinking of staying with a family seemed different but I thought it is only 2 days so I can survive anything and I needed all the help I can get with Swahili. Before I get to the good things, I will say I did have to use the squatty potty all weekend.
Winery Tour and how life twists and turns and you have to really laugh
So the first thing that happened was a walk around the neighborhood introducing me to some of the neighbors and the roads in case I wanted to get out and walk. He showed me some new developments coming with the creation of a new airport near my host family’s farm. This development also will influence the moving of the bus station out near his home as will the move of government offices to DoDoma. So he shared the changes going on in his area and his dreams to create new business and income for his family from this. This family had also had a regular Peace Corps volunteer stay for 2 months with them for the first time a few months ago and he was proud of the picture with her and his family and she keeps contact with them. Only difference was she had worked in Tanzania a year before her Peace Corps so she had very good Kiswahili. I told him he got the top of the class and now the lowest in the class in terms of language. He would just say you are trying. One of the nearby neighbors had also had another female volunteer plus 2 other boys were not too far away so they had enjoyed a prior experience with a Peace Corps volunteers. The neighbor had pictures of their family with their Peace Corps worker as well. So I thought I have a lot to live up to in my 2 day experience.
You have to remember my life has had some interesting twists and adaptations to appreciate the next event in the first hour of my weekend. So some of you remember before I returned to Springfield I lived on and worked a Blueberry farm in Missouri for 10 years, 7 of which by myself after my husband died along with teaching in a junior college during the year and raising two preschoolers. This sets the amusing storyline. So we were walking behind the host families home a ways and there is a farm of grapes or a vineyard. So my host Baba introduces me to some of the farm workers and tells them about me. After I looked at the ripening grapes and some of the irrigation drip line (which I used with the blueberries) my host Baba asks the farm worker if he could buy a bottle of wine. So in a few minutes the farm worker comes back and tells us to come with her. So we go into this 10 foot high concrete compound with iron gates and the first thing I see is an armed guard to the left and to the right 50 goats. I hear the clang of the gates locking and look at a very tall and big man coming toward us. He about crushed my hand in the welcoming handshake. He tells us to come in. So we go into what we think was his office but maybe where he stores some wines (he lives in town) and sit down and we begin the conversation. I have about 3 sentences of my introduction down now but then I am done with Kiswahili. My host Baba then in Kiswahili tells him more about our program. So then this vineyard owner starts asking me questions in Kiswahili relentlessly not letting up with my not understanding or answering even though I could not really get his questions. My host Baba tried to ease the situation but I was feeling a little uncomfortable thinking this is going to be a long weekend. So this man then in a little English says he studied mining in college in France for awhile and discussed having to learn another language…so he was nice but still then quizzing me in Kiswahili. (Later my host said he is a very wealthy businessman who was retired from the mining industry). So finally I thought I’d ask a question about how he controls the pressure in his drip irrigation system to act more cordial and turn the conversation on him and not me. I tell him I used to use drip irrigation lines on a blueberry farm (1000 plants) in my past.
So then his eyes get big and he comes closer and is in my face and says in excellent English “I need to know all you know about blueberry growing as I just planted 300 plants as an experiment to complement my wines one month ago” (and remember you don’t even see Blueberries in Tanzania so what is the chance of this happening). There was no more messing with my inability to speak Kiswahili. The next 30 minutes was in English about his planting of the young plants and how he did that, what fertilizer he had used, if they were mulched, if he had any Ph soil testing done (not available) and why soil Ph and iron was really important, pruning the first few years, how I sold them, and a discussion of goat and cow dung as fertilizer and what that might do or not do in getting the plants to grow right the first few year. When I told him about Black and Blue wine that one of my customers made he then wanted to know if I had any formulas for wine making using the blueberries. So even though I have little international experience and Kiswahili ability I can make some pretty neat connections. I am sure this wealthy businessman will not remember me as the Peace Corps nurse who could not speak Kiswahili but will remember the American woman who grew and knew about blueberries. He had asked where my husband was then what I was going to do after I finished this year. I think he was getting ready to offer me a job:) I also earned some points with my host Baba as he bought a nice bottle of wine for 6,000 shillings (around $2.00) along with a large bag of tomatoes thrown in. Of course then since they asked what kind I wanted I then had to drink this wine for the next 3 nights and I rarely drink alcohol as it makes me tired and I don’t want the calories. This sweet wine in the pictures was actually pretty nice white wine.
Reward for KSwahili LD student
Children are the same everywhere
I love preschool children so I really enjoyed his 3 year old granddaughter Glori. She warmed up to me very quickly (the neighborhood preschool children screamed when I came out as they don’t know many white people). I played with her with a sticker book of Abraham Lincoln, and read a Dr. Seuss book one of the Doctors had brought, translated to Kiswahili. Over the weekend we drew animals and shapes and I told her what they were in English and Kiswahili. I taught her peek-a book in English which I finally got her to say in a video on my phone and sent to her mom. She learned to say “see pictures”. She could speak pretty well but didn’t get why when she said something to me in Kiswahili I didn’t get her question. Somehow though she knew when I said no or refocused our “play”. Her grandfather would get amused and correct me nicely as I read her the book so I did not teach her incorrect Kiswahili but I also read the words in English and had her say some which she started learning. She like any 3 year old is inquisitive and wanted to see my things, play with my flashlight and really liked the clicking pen. Then Saturday night right at bedtime she locked the door inside her room and then could not get it unlocked so her Grandfather had to take the lock off while she screamed. When I left Monday morning they explained I had to leave and she said Gani Gani … or Why Why with every explanation they gave. You can see the pretty cute pictures of her as well as the family, the farm that I emailed them and hope to get some made to send back to them.
Peek a Boo on video finally
More connections from my farm days
Saturday morning we went to visit his daughter and son in law who was a prison official so I learned about Tanzania prisons and had Chai and eggs there even though we had just eaten breakfast. We then toured his farm and he showed me all his vegetables (Mboga), fruits (tunda) and animals to learn the names in Kiswahili. So as we are in the feed shed where he showed me his formula used in making feed for healthy chickens (no premade versions here). I look over and see a bag with “Purdue Improved Crop Storage” So I take a picture and send to Aaron my son to see if it was made at Purdue University in Indiana where he went to college. Indeed these bags were made under a research grant funded by the Bill Gates Foundation for 12 million for improved insect free storage of produce to increase food and economic profit. So I was able to share with my host Baba about the bags and that they were reusable which he did not know. I also will send him a more current article on the research when I send the pictures.
Whats the chance of finding this Purdue Bag on a farm in Tanzania
Kukus- I collected the eggs at this feeding
Saturday afternoon was to be a trip to the cow, goat and sheep sale. I’ve been to sales like this, no problem. So we walk there and I just follow along and try and greet all the people my host baba knows which a lot is. So I am trying to be very friendly to all he greets but one man just kept holding my hand and talking in Kiswahili. Quickly my host Baba pulls me along and says “he is drunk and probably sold his goats and was celebrating”. Not quite able to distinguish being friendly and drunk yet. Then we get to a building he says is the Slaughterhouse — ok I’m game I think. As we get closer and I see a pile of skins and buckets of blood for sale… hum mm interesting. Then again my host Baba knows a lot of people so a young man who is meat inspector comes out and they greet each other enthusiastically as my host Baba has to have his Kukus inspected before he sells them so they are great friends. So I tell him (in English) with my nursing students I used to have them go with a restaurant inspector to see what illnesses make people sick that they inspect for and talked to the inspector about what he does in an inspection which he was a little vague about. Then I said I also used to take my students to a pig processing plant for health fairs. So as I make this connection, the meat inspector wants to know if I want to see the slaughterhouse… ok I think it is late afternoon and it looks pretty empty — — thinking all the animals from those hides have already gone home with someone. So we walk in and there is a big skinned cow being cut open that he is inspecting (sorry about the picture but gotta experience it all and I’ve been pretty tame so far and you don’t see the next step). So as we leave he finishes up and asks my host Baba would you like me to take the American and show her the rest of the meat process? So we walk through the outdoor restaurant under tents and come to the place where they sell you choices of meat cuts (like a butcher shop) where only he could go through with us and then a very large area where they are BBQing a lot of fresh meat. (No we did not partake). My host Baba knew all kinds of people eating there that I was introduced to. So then he asks if I am ready to go back to his house. Even though I am with someone safe I am conscience of sticking out in a large and rowdy crowd. Throughout the entire weekend I was the minority person in every situation and not with any of our group for the first time.
On the walk home we stop at a new local pub and hotel type place that just opened. I think my host Baba thought I needed a beer after that experience so we stop and I get soda and he got his weekly Saturday beer. It had cooled down for the day and we sat outside and had a 2 hour conversation (in English) about all kinds of topics asking and telling about each of our countries. We had already had some very interesting conversations at the first 3 meals we had eaten. Since his wife was with his daughter at the Doctors it had been just he and I as he does not allow the granddaughter to eat with us, his son is usually working so we had already had a range of conversations on numerous topics.
Tanzania Department of Agriculture meat inspector. No comment needed
Meaningful Conversations
I was thinking Saturday night as I lay down about all we had talked about in 24 hours. The topics mostly were about each of our respective countries and similarities and differences between then. Initial conversations were on neutral topics: family, education systems, career decisions, government jobs, farming practices, police and prison systems at all levels, government official crimes, health insurance, Obama care, pensions, retirement age, local government systems, funeral practices(a neighbor died Saturday morning). We discussed the Italian missionaries influence on Tanzanian churches, schools and people. His own father had converted to Roman Catholic and had a Muslim wife who they divorced then he remarried the mother of my host Baba. He says he is still very close to the Muslin step sisters. Then by Saturday night we delved into deeper subjects of raising children and how hard work and sacrifice is needed, the influence of power on choices made by politicians, presidential candidates (they elected a new president last fall), how religion influences politics, how we need to daily live out our faith, racism in America and tribal nations, genocide, war and world peace being influenced by leaders of a country. He said he prays for our country and election as he knows how important America’s presidential outcome is on the world. So in a 24 hour period I probably talked to him more than I have in the U.S. about some pretty deep issues. So much of our discussion revealed many similarities about both of our nations and beliefs yet some differences.
Sunday Mass
The past two weeks I have been at 7–730 AM church with full seats with a second service to follow. You just don’t see church that early in the U.S. Though I am not Catholic I knew his faith was important to him as I saw pictures and symbols in his home, he prayed at every meal and was involved in his church and was making an offering on Sunday. I might have learned a few more Kiswahili words in the past week but not enough to understand the mass any more than last weeks Lutheran service. They did have a very good vocal choir. I noticed many young men there at 7 AM which he told me were from a Catholic Technology Institute across the road where there are 200 girls and boys enrolled. His nephew goes there as he was in trouble so he brought him to live with him to help his sister. At church he also introduced me to many of his friends and the village president and again was a spokesman for our program.
The afternoon was quiet until his sister, niece, son in law, wife and daughter all arrived. Then it was all Kiswahili for a few hours. I could catch some of the conversation. I began to get to know his wife over a late dinner who was very quiet and knew English but not much speaking it (but had been on a 9 hour bus ride). I told him I had gotten the retired version of Tanzania culture as I saw our group posting pictures of cooking and childcare. Then I told him I received the award for the most culturally diverse wine to slaughterhouse pictures posted on our groups WhatsApp site. He laughed and said my visit was a good excuse to visits family, neighbors and friends you sometimes don’t make time for. He said we often get too involved in our work and daily lives when we need to remember to invest in people. He wanted a picture of his family with me so made them all get into nice clothes even though it was late at night.
I woke up early Monday to leave and was getting some gifts and a note ready to give them and thought about the weekend of meeting many Tanzanians all who were strangers. I thought about why had I not worked harder in my life to step out of my comfort zone, open my home and life to others and that I needed to change. Security versus fear and uncomfortablness might influence this. Peace Corps has as goals to build relationships not things and to strengthen networks. I felt just the opposite in that it was not me reaching out but a Tanzanian family had made the effort to step out to welcome, and be kind to me. I saw respect each person in the community had for my host and genuineness in each interaction my host family had with people we visited with and myself. I saw a man who lived his faith in how he loved, his kindness, his concern and generosity with his family, neighbors, community and world. He was proud of his country and wanted to share his family and communities life with me yet also wanted to know more about a country he has never visited. I hope to stay in touch with this family because they changed me inside not in knowledge only but in developing Tanzanian relationships.
Disclaimer: This is a personal weblog. The thoughts and opinions here are those of Jennie Van Schyndel. The information does not in any way represent or reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps or Global Seed Health.
