some of the most enjoyable people i've met over here are from the democratic republic of congo- i keep running into these great strong, vivacious, women from there with great sense of fun/humor- gives a different perspective on what i've always thought of the place. on the otherhand a less enjoyable thing i've encountered here in arusha is enthusiasm for george bush and his "punishment of the muslims" lots of local hostility here to muslims and the east indians. tanzanians traditionally feel like your boss at work ought to take a paternal sort of care of employees, helping them to move forward in the world, helping out if they're in need or trouble etc. the guides i know complain of the indian run guide companies only paying bare minimum and keeping their workers down. strongly bitter towards the indians around for not giving back to the community. on the other hand an australian guy i know who runs a lodge opinions that were it not for the east indians nothing would get done in this country...
i'm at work traipsing around villages and consolidating strategies w/farmers, followed by lunch in the dives back in town-
dad would not approve of the tradition here of expressing sympathy any time you notice someone exerting themselves physically- you are carefreely hiking about and are greated everywhere by the eqiuvalent to i'm so sorry for your exertion! the required response is to thank them and offer sympathy back for whatever work they might be finding themselves doing. follwed of course by several rounds of how are you doing? to which you may say, i'm cool!, and you? they tell you they're clean, and how's your home doing? so peaceful you say, and their work? going along beautifully they replyy, and so on. i've gotten a massai and a meru greeting under my belt as well , impresses greatly in the hills.