Since my last blog I have had two of the best meals ever.  The first was Monday evening at a divine fish restaurant where we ordered the seafood sampler.  This was no run of the mill “Red Lobster” sampler and was the perfect end to my first day.  De-lish!  Although it was not a typically authentic experience given that it was a very “western” restaurant that appears to cater to tourists, it is well worth repeating and may become my go-to place to eat if I need a little comfort or just want to relish in the yumminess of the best seafood I’ve had (not to mention the exquisite shoe-string French fries that were perfectly salted)!  The picture didn’t really turn out very well so I’ll definitely return to take a better one.


So day two at the office also went quite well.  I managed to take the daledale (bus) to Mwenge bus stop and then somehow, purely on instinct managed the ten minute walk to work which I had never walked before and also had not mapped out beforehand.  Apparently I am beginning to get my bearings a little.  Once I got to the office I began by reading up on some of the materials they had provided me regarding the Child Act of 2009.  What is very noticeable is how quiet the office is.  No one really talks to one another and if we didn’t have noise from the hallway and the cawing of the black crow on the windowsill it would be eerily quiet.  I made tea for my colleagues and learned that most people here prefer it with lots of sugar as Emma (Emmanuel) chastised me jokingly for forgetting the sugar!  

I went to lunch with Emma at a local food stand where I stayed away from the fish since I didn’t want to have to eat the head but also didn’t want to be rude.  Instead I opted for the meat.  Although the seasoning was great, the meat was interesting (don’t ask me what animal it was, I have no idea) so my lunch consisted mostly of rice!  It only cost me TSh 2,000.00 (roughly 1Euro) for lunch and a bottle of water which I would say is quite reasonable and I definitely got my money’s worth. 



That afternoon I got my very own key to the office (which is a good thing since I was the first one here this morning- no idea how that happened!) and locked up.  After work I walked down to the Mlimani Shopping Center from the office which is about a 10 minute walk or so.   There I met Olaf and we went to the grocery store where they had literally everything you could imagine.  We even managed to find Oreo cookies.  It’s fantastic being in such a modern place one minute and buying vegetables and popcorn at the local venders the next. 

 

My Dar guru and dart champion

Olaf was kind enough to show off his culinary techniques and made a yummy tuna pasta with fresh vegetables that from now on is going to be referred to as Pasta alla Olaf.  My only job was to pour the wine and wouldn’t you know, I managed to miserably fail at that as the box of wine we had purchased had definitely turned.  And yes, it is quite a distinctive taste.  Lesson learned.  The meal was not lost as we had a back-up.  Phew!  Follow that with some apple madeira cake and a game of darts (in which I was completely whooped) and you have a wonderful evening.

Apple Madeira

This morning came much too quickly and for the first time I had a little difficulty getting out of bed.  The cold shower definitely woke me up and I was ready to start the day.  I’m having really good luck with the daledales and it arrived not long after I got to the bus-stop.  Apparently we were close to running out of petrol on the way and so we stopped at a petrol station and filled up before continuing on the journey. 

This morning we didn’t have internet, not because the system was down but because neither Florence nor I knew that we had to flip a switch.  Lesson learned!  I have also learned my lesson from yesterday’s lunch and did not order the meat today.  Since it looks like lunch will be at the same place everyday I need to mix it up.  Today I had just rice.  Tomorrow, I have decided I am going to try one of the fried buns in the glass case.  I think that may be asking for trouble but apparently they’re sweet and they looked fried so how bad can it be?!  In my short time here I have learned that Tanzanians always wash their hands before dinner because they often eat with their hands.  There is either a bucket and spigot or someone comes around with a pitcher, soap and a bucket.  Yesterday I failed to see the spigot and naively washed my hands in the bucket (I knew it was dirty but I didn’t want to be rude).  Apparently no one saw and thankfully I got a spoon with my food or I’m not sure what I would have done.  Today, I used the spigot.  Florence went with me to lunch and since it has been just her and I in the office today I got to know a little more about her.  Apparently she takes care of her three younger sisters because her mother lives in a rural area near Kilimanjaro and she wants to be able to keep an eye on them and make sure they get a proper education.  She is also determined to be a good example to them.  Knowing that money is extremely tight for her, I offered to pay for her lunch.  Best investment ever given that the lunch for both of us including bottled water wasn’t even 2 Euros and I am hoping it opens the door to a possible friendship.



I thought it might be fun to summarize some of the lessons I have learned so far since there seem to be a lot.  Besides the new vocabulary I am learning every day, I am also learning good life and culture lessons which are as follows-



Do not ride a scooter in Dar

Do not buy boxed wine at the Shoprite, especially if it is dusty

Oreos and popcorn make a delicious appetizer



Mystery meat in Dar is truly a mystery

Tanzanians drink their sugar with tea

Always look for a spigot when washing hands before eating and do not use the bucket

I am sure there will be many more lessons to be learned and I will keep posting them here.  One lesson I hope to have learned without putting it into practice is not to drink the water.  Knock on wood, so far so good.