"he'll be coming around Mount Kilimanjaro when he comes..."

so i'm back on the mainland. at this moment, i'm in a town called Moshi, which is one of the two main jumping-off points for those wishing to scale the continent's largest mountain, and also a key coffee-producing region. i can't say how happy i am to be in a climate where the hours of being drenched with sweat are limited to the early afternoon - the mornings and nights here are quite cool, and our hotel's rooftop restaurant has a splendid view of the majestic Mt. Kilimanjaro, capped off with its famous (albeit receding) snows, which, according to recent evidence, is not due to global warming but local deforestation. but enough boring stuff, i haven't written in a while, so i'll go over some of the craziness of the last few weeks, starting back with the last days in Zanzibar (seems like lifetimes ago now):

the date: Friday, October 26th. crazy, crazy day. on Saturday we were scheduled to leave for the mainland, so all the fun had to be squeezed into that last 24 hours. i woke up early to go snorkeling with most of the class at a coral reef just off the coast. it was probably the best snorkeling experience i've ever had. granted, that's not saying much, but you'd probably be just as amazed by the rainbow of different colors on the fish and the intricate patterns of the massive coral structures. in the afternoon, 13 of us students plus Abui (host brother) took an open-top outboard-motor boat out to the "sandbar," which is exactly what it sounds like - an island of sand in the middle of the sea. we arrived at high tide, so the island was just a little hill no bigger than a basketball court. to the east we could see Zanzibar about 1 mile away, and to the west an awe-inspiring sunset over the distant African horizon. i walked way out into the water so the only thing i could see was sky and ocean, perfectly dissected along the middle of my field of vision. just after the sun set, the full moon rose in the East. talk about scenic perfection. we made a fire and goofed off for a while before jumping back on the rickety boat to return, or at least that was the plan. 300 meters from shore the up-to-then perfect day started to show signs of a turning. it all started with the boat running out of fuel, leaving us wet and cold and bouncing around tantalizingly close to home. it wasn't a huge dilemma, though, because our captain was able to swim to shore and bring back a refill. we stepped ashore at about quarter to 10 and headed home. this is when the real surprise came. Adam (homestay housemate) and i walked into the house, only to find our host brother Issa shouting at us: "where have you been? we've been waiting for 3 hours!!"

after the initial shock, we were able to figuer out that Issa had planned a surprise going-away dinner for the 3 of us (Nate stayed there too) and he had invited all kinds of extended relatives to join in. problem was, apparently Abui never knew, and Issa wasn't aware that we were not going to be back in time for dinner, so we came home to an i-don't-know-how-many-course dinner and a houseful of very, very irritated people. they had waited, the food getting colder and colder, for the last 3 hours. dinner was, needless to say, one of the most shamefully and painfully awkward situations of my life - so much so that i almost burst out laughing from the absurdity of it all. all of the men at the table wouldn't speak to me; they looked like they were about to start fuming from the ears. to top it all off, the food was incredible and after the dinner they served us not one, not two, but THREE different desserts, followed by gifts. i couldn't figure out how to thank them - i felt so guilty. it was all okay in the end, however. Issa calmed down and lightened up, and my sister Isde and Mama Hadija were chill and bouyant as always. lesson learned - Zanzibari hospitality knows no bounds.

[pictures: top - Stone Town streets; middle - Adam, host brother Abui, host Mama Hadija, Nate; bottom - some of the antiques in my host family's shop]

conservation, globalization, grassroots resistance... and monkeys!!

last time i wrote anything down was late Wednesday night. since then i've visited 3 villages, stayed with families there, interviewed an eco-tour guide, learned about conservation efforts to preserve the native evergreen and mangrove forests, and witnessed a man free-climb a 50-foot coconut palm while shouting (in Kiswahili), "if you are in the toilet, cover yourself. i am climbing and i can see you!" this is regarded as standard courtesy.

on Wednesday afternoon we toured the village of Kizimkazi with the local school's headmaster. we saw a 900 year-old mosque, entered a cave with a small monolith resembling a young woman that holds spiritual significance for the local people, and explored the quaint fishing harbor. the people here still use traditional outrigger canoes powered by wind or push-pole, since a gas engine is both expensive and disturbs the fish. most of the fishing is subsistence-based. that's me with one of the sail-less canoes. and yes, i am wearing my "sustain ubc" t-shirt, standard Tanner travel attire for all locations, although it is beginning to show the wear and tear, the latter being manifested quite literally in some spots. others call it raggish - i call it "breathable".

early Thursday morning my group jumped into a little motorboat with snorkel gear and chugged off up the coast in search of dolphin pods. sure enough, we found them, and i was able to spend a good 20 minutes or so diving around and swimming between the playful bottlenose. pretty hard to believe this is my school. i was able to take some pretty awesome pictures with my friend's underwater camera, but i don't have them on me so you'll have to wait. later that day we drove from Kizimkazi (South-West coast of Zanzibar island) to Jozani-Chokwa Bay National Park, where we hiked through jungles filled with the rare red colobus monkey, as seen below.

we stayed with families in the local village of Pete, and were honored guests of a communal drum-and-dance circle that evening.

on Friday we spent the morning talking with a few environmental groups who were attempting to create solutions that met the needs of the local communities as well as the conservation effort. although their efforts are commendable, the practices did not seem entirely sound and their funding relies on both external donors and the tourism sector, so sustainability is questionable. at noon we took our dala-dala to the final stop, the village of Jambiani on the East Coast. our host and eco-tour guide, Kassim, enthusiastically showed us around the village and some of the community cooperatives in play there. we talked with seaweed farmers (see picture below), women trying to make a living outside of the home and independent of their husbands. we also met several other community members who were searching for ways to sustain their local culture, economy, and civil rights in the midst of government corruption and the onslaught of foreign tourist investment dollars. there are not that many hotels on the beach yet, but the resorts that do exist are almost entirely owned by Europeans or Americans, employ imported labor, and exert a lot of power on local politics. for example, some resorts prohibit the local fisherman from using the beach in front of their property. despite all of the struggles, the people are incredibly kind, warm-hearted, and willing to talk with us curious (and very self-conscious) students.

yesterday morning i woke up early to see the sun rise over the Indian Ocean. actually, i woke up at 4 am to the crow of the rooster next door and the rats scurrying about my room, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the awe-inspiring scene. after breakfast we met with a medicine man whose family has been practicing for 400 years. the plethora of spices and herbs on the island make for all kinds of remedies and concoctions.

it was difficult to leave the serenity of the beach, but we had to return to Stone Town and our homestays yesterday afternoon. plus, i was in dire need of a shower (most of the bathrooms i encountered during the last few days consisted of little more than a hole in the concrete and a bucket of water to wash your hands). i decided to take last night and today for myself to relax, reflect, and express.

last days in Dar, first days in Zanzibar

(written October 17, 2007)

7 days since my last entry seems much, much longer than that. the value of 24 hours is really being pushed to its limits - i get so much out of every moment. i can't even begin to describe everything, but i'll start with today and work my way back.

right now i'm laying on my mosquito net-covered bed, cotton sleep sack rolled out beneath me, in a spartan guest house room in Kizimkazi, Zanzibar, Tanzania. the white-sand, coral-lined beach is only 50 yards out the door. saying "coral-lined" is a bit redundant, though, since this entire island is literally made of coral that has piled up over the millenia to create an entire land mass and ecosystem. today we had class in the morning at the Palace Museum (the former home of the Sultan of Zanzibar) and then at the Institute of Marine Science in Stone Town, Zanzibar, before breaking up into 3 smaller groups and starting our field site visits, which will last for 3 days. we jumped aboard our dala-dala and drove south for an hour. tomorrow we're waking up at 5:30 to go swim with dolphins. very very very excited, to say the least.

yesterday (Tuesday) was the least eventful of the last week. highlight - making India vacation travel plans with my friend Caroll (we're going to Dharamsala for 4 days!). Monday was crazy. class was fun, but a bit hot and long, so it was tough to stay awake. after having dinner with my host family, i went out to see the Eid festivities (Tuesday was the last day of the 4-day celebration at the end of Ramadhan) with my host sister, Isde, her sister-in-law, her maid, Atu, and my host family's other student-renter, Cassie. i had a simply stupendous time walking through the crazy open-air markets, seeing all the Muslim families out and about, and joking with my "entourage."

the day before, Sunday, was our first real day in Zanzibar. i went for a long walk with myself, managing to get lost several times in the twisting maze of ancient streets carved between whitewashed houses, old forts, and various examples of Arabic architecture. my host brother, Abui, who is only a year older than i, took us (Adam, Nate and me - as the only three males in the program, we are constantly boarding together) to a housewarming party for his cousin. her husband is an ex-pro footballer, and his house was the size and layout of a small apartment building. we ate on the roof with at least 25 other relatives in two boisterous cross-legged circles separated by gender. the meal - Zanzibar mix, which was something like potato curry, falafel, beef kabob, cucumber salad, and local spices all mixed together. quite a treat, i highly recommend it the next time you happen to pass by Zanzibar.

on Saturday most of the day-hours were spent traveling on the ferry from Dar to Zanzibar, getting acquainted with the host family, and finding my way around their extensive and labyrinthine house. Adam and i share a bed, but the room is so comfy and deluxe with Arabian-influenced decor that we hardly notice the inconvenience. that night Abui took us out to a reggae party and then to a bar catering to the many "muzungus" (lit, Europeans, but used to refer to any white people) in Zanzibar.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of last week were all crazy days. Wednesday saw our first group "check-in" session, which for me was a real milestone in feeling more comforatble with everyone. lots of emotional connections and other gooey stuff, but it's important when we're spending so much time in close contact with people who were, up until a few weeks ago, complete strangers.

Thursday was great fun. for dinner, Maureen (our program's "fellow," or assistant teacher) and a group of 8 students were invited to the house of a chance acquaintance of Maureen's. we helped prepare and ate ugali and other local veggie dishes. our host, Sarafina, was possibly the most hospitable and bubbly personality i've ever met. she served us champagne, which is crazy because she is devout Muslim (i.e. she has never had a drop of alcohol in her life) and obviously on a tight budget, living alone in a one-bedroom apartment. it was quite an event - not something i'll forget easily. when we returned, Rachel (the YMCA concierge) took a bunch of us to a nearby club to go dancing. it was a good time, but i was a little preoccupied making sure that none of the other inebreated patrons got too excited by the pack of beautiful young American women that walked in the door with me. we were just there to enjoy ourselves and go home, but being the only guy i decided to stay sober and just a little bit cautious. of course, nothing serious happened, and we got home safe and sound, though i didn't get to bed until the early morning.

needless to say, Friday found me totally drained, having had only a few hours of sleep in the past few days. Helena, Caroll, and i were able to arrange an interview with Tundu Lissu after class, which was awesome and really helpful for my studies, but it also ended up taking 3 hours, so we didn't eat until 10. i made sure to get a good rest that night.

asalaam aleikom, Dar es Salaam

outside, crows are calling each other in the early morning air. my ceiling fan wobbles and throbs, and my foot itches. i think i must have accidentally stretched in my sleep and thrust it out of the confines of my mosquito net. good thing i've got my doxycycline. today i'll read from 6:30 to 7:30, then breakfast, then at 8:30 we all go to the University of Dar es Salaam for more classes with Fatma Alloo, Smitu Kothari, and Tundu Lissu, a prominent Tanzanian human rights lawyer who is notorious for taking on the government over land rights issues. his work with Lawyer's Environmental Action Team has helped push the atrocities of extractive mining practices into mainstream media here in Tanzania. hopefully today the jetlag won't impair my ability to stay fully awake during class.

these last few days have been great fun, full of activity and Kiswahili practice and roaming Dar and eating beans (maharagwe) and rice (wali) and the local "stiff porridge" (ugali). rather than trying to tell everything i've done in full, i'll just recount a one particularly memorable experience:

on Monday a small group of us met up with Benedict Pius Tomas, the man who took Ina and Katie and me around town on Sunday. he seemed a little surprised to find me with so many new sisters, but it all worked out for the best. as we meandered through the potholed, sun-baked streets, dodging cars and dala-dalas (the ubiquitous local minibus transit), the girls chatted with him as best they could. Caroll, friendly as always, got to talking with someone as we were walking and he decided to join the party. i later found out that he is a student from a rural area, a young man named Msafiri. we walked for about 15 minutes through town until we arrived at the "beach," which was actually fenced off and covered in debris. so we didn't go out there. there is a main road that runs parallel to the shore, and between that road and the beach fence there is a large embankment where people have set up outdoor kitches, shops, and other ad hoc structures. i'll admit i was a little cautious when we finally got through the dense diesel fumes and speeding Land Rover-filled thoroughfare to pass through a rusted wrought-iron fence that looked menacingly exclusionary, but once we got to the area with the plastic tables, it felt a bit moree familiar. as soon as we approached, 6 or 7 women in white dresses jumped into a frenzy of service, setting up chairs and beckoning us to sit down. none of us at this time had realized that where we were was anything resembling a restaurant. but it had a good view of the peaceful harbor (Dar es Salaam was named for this valuable resource - in Arabic it means "Peace of Heaven") and Benedict seemed sure, so we all took our places and began the futile effort to explain to the women that some of us are vegetarians. "mimi sili nyama" - "i don't eat meat," we said over and over, but apparently some of us veggies are confused souls in need of a little civilizing, so we got meat (tasted like goat) and fish anyway. oh well, hakuna matata, and we ate the food anyway. it was delicious.

i've got PTSD! (Pre-Travel Stupor and Disorientation)

actually, the title kinda lies. i'm not really that disoriented, but when i think about where i'll be soon it does induce a kind of mental malaise, like trying to understand one of those magic eye things. also, the poor sleep and extra doses of coffee probably don't help.

classes, however, have been anything but stupor-inducing. this last saturday we visited Polyface Farms in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and it was absolutely incredible. they practice "alternative pastoral farming," but it is so simple and straight-forward that it makes industrial agriculture seem like some Lewis Carroll fantasy. i won't bore you with all the cool facts i learned from the very charismatic owner/farmer/tour guide, but one definitely sticks out: if all of the pasture land in the US operated with the methods they employ, the organic content of the soil would increase, thereby allowing for a much denser biomass (more grass), and the revitalized Great Plains could potentially sequester all of the carbon in the atmosphere produced since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. now i know that sounds far fetched, but this guy was really, really smart. even if it is off, when i was on the farm it did not seem to improbable just judging by the difference in the shade of green between his fields and the other farms.

so that was a good day. these last few days we've been cranking out papers, so there hasn't been much more exploring around dc (although i did go the the National Geographic building, just to pay homage). today we were visited by the Beehive Design Collective, a group of artists who create these amazing graphics depicting various issues of global importance. the one we saw was a 30' x 8' black-and-white banner visually telling the story of the drug war in Columbia and its many roots and reprocussions. the eye-warping visuals aside, their philosophies are also really innovative and cool. plus the young woman who represented them to us is an IHP alum, so it was cool to see what one student has done post-program.

plane leaves in three days, so the next time i post here will probably be from an internet cafe somewhere in Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar. usually it gets easier to embark on a journey, but i've made sure to intensify each one to balance off the equation. what i'm trying to say is, i'm definitely a little nervous. but i feel confident that whatever hits me will be valuable in the larger scheme o' tings.