Instant pleasure

Again, I'm at a loss. The words will not capture the moments, the seconds, the instants of pleasure that I have encountered over the last week. Alas, I must try to attempt to recreate them. The people (my loyal readers) deserve to know. 

Last week I did something very out of character. I wouldn't say that I'm generally a planner (impromptu trips to Nicaragua and Minnesota happened last year) because I love living in the moment. But usually I embark on adventures in a responsible manner. 

What does Kirsten do when she has just three weeks left at her internship? Oh, she spontaneously packs her bags and heads for the hills! Grateful for: awesome work culture and last minute boss approvals, time-consuming yet hassle-free travel, the most hospitable hosts and interim "assignments" that challenged my Excel skills.

So, what happened exactly? Where has Kirsten been and how can she be this grateful? I'll try to present this in an orderly fashion.

Setting: The weekend before was pretty typical Dar es Salaam: Jackie's, mishkaki (yup, I've indulged), dance parties and feasting. We said goodbye to most of the interns; I'm the last woman standing in the office. We went through a serious review of our business plan by some investors, which means that everyone has been feeling the pressure at work. Monday was the memorial hash for our friend that passed and over 100 people attended, very moving display of support.

Background/Purpose: I have been hoping to get up to see my MEM/MBA classmate/colleague/friend, Jen (you can read her incredible blog here) and two other Duke MEMs at their summer posting outside Arusha. They are working with a conservation organization and really experiencing the wild side of Africa. They taking sleeping on the floor (ahem, tents), electricity (huge solar array, 5 kW by my rudimentary calculations), running water (pumped from the valley, it is so dry up here) and cooking (family style!) to a whole new level!

Inspiration: The idea, initially, was that I would try to meet them for a safari. Although that didn't quite work out, "safari"  literally translates to trip, so in a way, I was still on safari and saw enough of the natural world to count as my African summer safari (when I was in Zambia in January our crew did a walking safari, so I got to see most of the critters through that adventure).

What actually happened is this:

• Monday mid-day: Jen and Kirsten chat about the potential for her to get up there
• Monday evening: Kirsten goes on the hash
• Monday night: Jen and Kirsten "hash" out more logistics, Kirsten calls boss, boss oks trip, Kirsten packs a bag and sets her alarm for 4:30.
• Tuesday morning: Kirsten doesn't even remember getting to Ubungo, but she thinks that she took a bus. She buys a ticket for a bus about to depart for Arusha and the trip is underway!
• Tuesday evening: Kirsten arrives in Arusha without phone credit or TZS so she resolves her communications and money situation and tracks down her colleague, Jodie, who has her own start-up in Arusha and has been working with Kirsten on some projects. They get African-style burritos and chill.
• Wednesday morning: Kirsten meets up with staff taking a load of diesel, cabbage, mattresses, etc to camp. The trio grabs chai and hits the road.
• Wednesday afternoon: Arrive in Noloholo. Settle into lovely dorm. Make no-bake cookies. Read in the sun on the patio. 
• Wednesday night: Watch a spectacular sunset. Enjoy a home-cooked meal. Exhaustion doesn't allow Kirsten to stay up to welcome Jen back from the Tarangire safari.
• Thursday morning: Early to rise, reunion breakfast, meet and greet. Turns out Kirsten has Giardiasis, which is quickly treated. Disaster averted!
• Thursday: Time in the office, Kirsten picks up some fun excel and program development projects.
• Thursday night: Kirsten realizes that she's probably not leaving tomorrow... or anytime soon. Kirsten runs loops of the grounds. Zen moments.
• Friday: Kirsten dives headfirst into Excel, creates some fun new tools. Clearly is not back in Dar as she told her boss when initially planning the trip. Earliest she could be back is Sunday, but is convinced to leave on Sunday. Phones are down all day, but gets the okay from the boss when the network is back up that evening.
• Saturday: Rewarded for sticking around with a trip to the local Masai "boma" for a coming of age ceremony (Wikipedia sums it up nicely). "Training" pays off when cow is sliced in chunks off of the slab, stuck in hand, inserted in mouth, chew chew chew, swallow, repeat frantically more than a dozen times. Also involves inserting a spoon in a congealed mixture and stomaching "tender parts and blood" delicacy. True carnivore test!
• Saturday night: Apple crisp, ice cream, bonfire. So many comforts!
• Sunday: Leave the bush. On the drive we see a giraffe, zebra, gazelle, ostrich and more! Jodie hosts again.
• Monday: 4:45 AM pikipiki pick up, bus ticket secured, back to Dar in time for the hash and to receive a Dar hash name!

Conclusion: I am basking in the bliss of this transformational experience. Instant pleasures all around. This is why I came to Africa.

Now to instantly check back into work and get things done. Making moves!!

Under African skies

Paul Simon, your words ring so true. I just have to borrow them. Thanks.

"Under African Skies"

Joseph's face was black as night

The pale yellow moon shone in his eyes

His path was marked

By the stars in the southern hemisphere

And he walked his days

Under African skies

This is the story of how we begin to remember

This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein

After the dream of falling and calling your name out

These are the roots of rhythm

And the roots of rhythm remain.

As many of you know, I'm an avid Hash House Harrier. The Dar es Salaam HHH has been particularly good to me during my time here. It's a breath of familiarity in a sea of uncertainty and chaos. Since I discovered that expats hash, I've missed only one Monday evening gathering of the hashers.

In short, hashing combines my five favorite activities: jogging, hunting (of the scavenging sort), drinking (beer), singing (out of tune) and laughing (during all previously mentioned activities).

At Duke (Law... ahem... Fuqua would never perform in such a disorderly fashion... high transaction costs and too many inefficiencies), we feature a live "hare" (setting a trail of flour and chalk just ahead of the runners) and gallivant through our Gothic campus. The naming ceremony takes precedence over all other circle traditions, which is the result of low requirements for naming, high attendance and way too much access to scandalous information about our classmates. One of the great things about having an extra year at Duke with the combo MEM/MBA is that I get to take part in fun times with fun people for just that much longer.

In Dar, hares set the shredded paper trail the night before (hoping it's not swept away by the locals) and then accompany us on the run, instructing us at broken trails and checkpoints. We dodge laundry lines and watoto (children) in the slums, puddles in the dirt roads, snakes in the bushes and rocks on the cliffs and beaches (see below). Songs dominate the circle with tunes triggered by keywords, responses to interrogation and complaints. Names are given only to deserving and dedicated hashers (I'm still Just Kiki at number 6). My time here is short, but the folks are welcoming and warm. I've definitely found a number of very paternal Brits and Europeans to keep me honest.

Last night's run was absolutely stunning. It circled the tip of the Msasani Peninisula from the beach on the Northwest across to the East and along the cliffs on the East Coast (see above) and back to the Yacht Club.

It was too good to be true. The night did not end well. One of the staple members of the Hash collapsed at the endpoint. He was looked after by a young doctor until the ambulance arrived, but he had serious head trauma from his fall and was unconscious. As he would have demanded, we continued on with the traditional fanfare, albeit with subdued fanning. We learned at the end of our reduced revelry that he had, in fact, died of a heart attack. We were shocked. Many of the longtime Dar hashers were very close to him. He lived a full life (although still not long enough, he was in his early 60's).

Death seems to haunt me. I feel as if I have said premature goodbyes to more people in the past six years than one should have to in a lifetime. This close encounter is a reminder to be safe, be healthy and be careful... but do it in a way that makes you happy and fills you with satisfaction. Because life is short and YOLO.

This is the story of how we begin to remember

This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein

After the dream of falling and calling your name out

These are the roots of rhythm

And the roots of rhythm remain.

Pleased to meat you

So. I have a confession. Family and friends get ready.

I've been consuming animal products.

Not just the occasional cheese or milk.

Let's take a step back. So I've been mostly vegan for 10 years. It started as a class project. I researched the health incentives of eating a plant-based diet and the complications of the US food industry (corn subsidy, yikes!). Adding to that I like planet Earth (use your water resources responsibly) and appreciate animals (let's give them some space, not pump them with hormones and let them naturally fertilize their grazing grounds, thanks).

I've successfully survived navigating menus and declining delicacies in Europe (Italy was a pretty easy home base, France and Hungary were the biggest challenges), visits to the Midwest, family gatherings, weddings, travels to Latin America, India and Zambia.

But I've found myself being less confident in my response to "why vegan" over the past year. I'm mostly concerned with the environmental impacts of our diets; luckily, so are other consumers, which has improved the access to local and sustainable animal-product food sources. North Carolina has epic barbecue (so I've heard) and fresh crab on the coast (so I've tasted). After I slid off the wagon and made the decision to partake in a crab boil in May 2011, I saddled back up and maintained the no meat and mostly no dairy/egg through the next year.

Then I tried some sushi before my departure to Tanzania. And it's been a downward spiral since then.

Before arriving in Tanzania, I created a number of goals for the impact I wanted to have this summer and the things that I wanted to accomplish. One of those bullets was to evaluate my vegan lifestyle. I explained to coworkers that I was mostly vegan, so meals in and with the office have always incorporated vegetarian options. In social settings, dining is definitely more about the experience than consuming food. Sampling all of the dishes is the most respectful way to show your appreciation. I've felt the vegan guilt throughout the last 10 years, but it's even harder when there's a communication barrier. I've found myself appearing quite rude without the capacity to explain myself.

Here's the play-by-play.

I ate ice cream.

And then eggs.

But did not consume this at a birthday buffet.

I sampled the fish here.

I did not eat this.

I resisted the urge to eat this roast at wedding in Nairobi.

And then I went to the wedding in Dar this weekend. I didn't eat meat at the reception, but...

We went to our favorite place, Jackie's Bar, where our crew chowed down on the best mishkaki (kebabs) in town. I still declined.

Insert total meat consumption breakdown. The next day I went to a poolside barbecue to celebrate a coworker's daughter's third birthday. They had chicken or beef. Those were literally the only offerings. I was starving. I ate chicken. Very tasty with the pilipili (pepper) sauce. Then I ate beef. Then they had fish, and I ate that too. I proceeded to eat meat all afternoon/evening.

How did I feel? Very satisfied and not sick at all. It won't be a common practice back in the states because I still can't afford the high quality cuts that I'd want to invest in if I was going to put something in my belly, but I will definitely take a special event into consideration.

Yesterday I had fruit and chapati for breakfast; lentil dal with rice and naan for lunch; fruit and veggies for dinner. Evidence that I'm still primarily vegetarian and vegan, so don't start celebrating.

But I'm warning you that you might not recognize my plate at some future gathering. Pleased to meat you!

Head West

Yesterday I hopped on a bus with 5 of my coworkers and headed West. We're in Iringa, a hilltop city that's a mix between Central America hustle and African bustle with some strangely American panoramas.

This is our most remote location, so I came out to see what's working and how we can make it better. One of my project deals with expansion in this area. Always important to check out the scene.

I'll trek back to Dar tomorrow morning, but I was happy to make the trip up here. Fresh air and great sights. The region is much cooler (everyone says baridi, which means cold), and is a welcome change from the heat of the big city.

Our bus trip took us through Mikumi National Park, where we literally saw giraffe, elephant, zebra, impala, water buffalo and baboons from the highway.

All in a day's work here in Tanzania!

Whoah, she's halfway there...

Whoah-oh! Livin' on a prayer!

This week marks the midpoint in my summer experience.

While I feel like I've accomplished a lot (personal, recreation, professional), this milestone means that my opportunity to make a lasting impact dwindles every day.

Luckily I was just assigned a behemoth of a modeling project with serious significance at the office. I'm also taking on some HR tasks, like creating employee/manager manuals and standardizing their review and promotion processes.

This week I also moved into a new house. I'm living with a some coworkers in a spot that's only 15 minutes from the office by foot (instead of an hour). The walk is great, too. It's through a very neighborhood-y area, where lots of people greet us with warm smiles. I'll miss my running route through the University of Dar, but hopefully I can discover a new, safe loop.

The house is really open and welcoming. Pros: high ceilings, no TV/AC/silly appliances and a big kitchen. Cons: foam mattress on the floor, mosquito-ville and less attractive plumbing situation. Regardless, I'm stoked about the move... ready to conquer the second half of my time in Tanzania. Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear!

Family frenzy

Familiar faces, flocking friends, fancy formalities, fully free-riding.

On Thursday, I crossed the borderline.

That border was Kenya/Tanzania, and it marked only 3 hours remaining in my journey by bus to Nairobi. A $50 Visa and $40 ticket had extremely high returns, including:
-Attendance at a phenomenal wedding
-Quality time with blood relations (cousin Blake is volunteering in a slum in Nairobi) and surrogate Kenyan family
-Local flavors: White Cap Lager, tree tomatoes, irio, porridge and arrowroot
-Birthday celebrations
-Kiddie cuddles
-Bishop blessings
-Bedtime at sunrise
-Song and dance
-Overall warmth and hospitality

'Twas a glorious adventure and well-worth the total travel time of 32 hours.

Video test

Here are a couple of videos I've taken. One's in Nairobi with our Zambia theme song, the other is in Msanga with the incredible panorama.