how the new year begins

We finally made it to Dar es Salam, a busy and dirty harbor city on the indian ocean. Coming from nature it is quiet a shocker to enter this ants nest! But it is also nice to be back in civilization with running water, electrizity, shops and a lot of opportunities regarding culture, food or accommodation. Originally we wanted to spent New Years Eve here but because crossing the border to TZ was taken so long we were running a day late and only made it to Morogoro, a short trip from Mikumi. That was a real shame! Morogoro gave me the impression of a biker town. A lot of Arabic influence as well with a lot of Moslems and high unemployment rate. Like every town we saw so far in TZ it was busy, a lot of traffic and in this case a lot of motorbikes! We found our hostel better than we thought but in a neighbourhood which turned out to be a bit dodgy. We decided to make the best of being in Morogoro and not in Dar, in the end it is always exciting to be in a new city in the middle of Africa so we dressed up, put some make up on (what a feeling, didn’t do that almost two weeks) and dressed up a bit. We went to the little restaurant in the basement where we had – guess what – a power cut again! So the only food available was the one already cooked. Tasting a bit “overboiled” and “underspiced” but after eating crisps and dry bread in the morning we weren’t picky. We decided to check out the town to maybe find a party or a nice bar but that was a bit overreacted. All we found were bikers, busy streets with tipsy people and a bar with a drunken waitress. It was 10 to 12 so we decided just to have a drink here to say cheers for new years. We ordered 3 beers and 2 cokes but again that order seemed to be too much to remember for the waitress who was taking the order leaning over the table and looking with one eye to me and the other to Clara, this woman was really stoned. She came back with 2 coke and we asked her again for the 3 beers, she said ok, went to the next table and sat down. In the meantime it was already midnight and we said happy new year with our 2 cokes but around us there was happening nothing besides a little biker accident where the driver slipped driving around the corner and everyone just laughing. No celebration, no fireworks, just more drinks and more drunken people. It was really strange and we didn’t dare to move. After another reminder for the waitress we finally got the beer (brand: Kilimanjaro and Serengheti – I think that’s unique!) and were already ready to leave and go to bed.
But then a car stoped right in front of us and 2 Muzungu guys (about 18 years old) with a Tanzanian friend climbed out and we took the chance asking them whats happening here as we heard them talking German. It turned out that this area of town was not the best to walk around alone at night and that these two guys were brought up in Morogoro and that it wasn’t as bad as the impression we got so far. We were just starting to have a real nice conversation when a police officer with his mashine gun suddenly approached and told all of us in a quite strict voice that this is not the right time to enjoy ourselves and that we have to leave. The guys just took off without any discussion which made me feel really scared. Within 2 min we were almost the only people left on the street – it was about half an hour past midnight – and not even finished with our drinks. We took our bags and left nearly running back to our hostel around the corner. What a strange evening and a real messed up new years eve. We decided to just go to bed, but of course I couldn’t fall asleep very easy. I thought of my loved ones back home, mom and dad and my brothers with Christine and Nina. Together with my uncles, aunties and cousins celebrating in the snow of the Austrian alps or back in Gevelsberg, Worms, Hamburg, Celle, or Rheinland Pfalz. Nora back in Frankfurt with Tania and Nicolai having a big party I´m sure (she called me at night, so good to hear her voice thank you hun!). Simon holding the post in Marburg I guess with the rest of the gang strawling round the streets, having drinks and fun, maybe with Very also coming down from Berlin. Sandrina, Romina, Géral, Mira, Annike and Annika having a big party in Hamburg, also celebrating the home coming queens! Marlene and Alex still in Asia as far as I am up to date. Daniel probably singing all his beautiful songs in Dublin where all my other irish friends are: Charly and Phil (defenitely having a crazy party night that’s for sure), Laura, Rinda and Simpson, Miri and Bianca. My friends in England, Doro and Kristina and Amy I´m sure they all are celebrating in Newcastle in the snow. Sometimes I wish I could cut myself in several peaces and fly there, to all of them, just to give them a hug and a look in the eyes. Yes I miss you all guys!!!!! Very much!!
But I am in Africa and Andrea and Clara are with me that is so fantastic! This whole experience is! I´m curious what the next year brings or holds for me. The midwife students will arrive so I will get really busy teaching and supervising them, I am thinking of maybe focus more on the supervision bit to improve the system, maybe get a bit more control about their clinical placements so they can take the most of it. It all seems very unorganized without no structure so far. I might get to know some more locals and more friends, it is very exciting. So even I am getting a bit melancholic for New Years wanting to be at all these different places I am also very happy to be here in Tanzania, Morogoro, with my friends and living my dream of volunteering in Africa.
We left the bikers town earlier then we thought the next day after having a horrible breakfast consisting of 1 ½ slices of untoasted toast and a tiny omelette, tea without milk and no coffee for Clara. A full continental as we called it, a lovely new years morning brunch. Whatever off to Dar es Salam!!! And here we are now, in the big city of 3 mio people, with a lot of Arabic and Indian influence, former slave trading harbor, then ruled by Germans who built a big church and hospital here, then by the English who´ve improved a lot of the infrastructure and now one of the biggest cities in Tanzania. After getting a room in the YMCA we went for a little sight seeing tour in the city centre. We accidently bumped into a big wedding celebration in the St. Joseph´s cathedral for not less than 7 different brides and grooms. Some looking more happy some less, we were asking ourselves which of them married out of love and which marriages were arranged. Seven different color shemes, the first white and black, the next white and turquoise, the next white and green, then white and pink and so on. Some had a band stand playing more salsa tunes, others had drummers and singers to have more the African style with older ladies dressed in traditional clothes singing, screaming and dancing to the rhythm. It was a spectacle! Wonderful and powerful, even one muzungu groom with a very beautiful African bride, we were almost forced by the photographer to be on the wedding picture, he obviously thought all azungu present have to be related to the groom. That was good fun! In the evening we found ourselves a nice bar overlooking the harbor at night and here we had our missed new years eve with some nice wine and good talks, just a day later but still 1st of January 2011. It is good to be here and now I finally have a chance to post all my blogs and pictures so you know I think of you all!
Have a good 2011, stay good and come visit me!