Moshi Week 8&9 Flurries of activities

10 December 2016

I cannot believe that we are back in the United States again—from a warm, but not unpleasant about 85 degrees to 15 degrees.  Yes, friends, 15 in Boone this morning at 6:15 am when our jet lagged bodies finally got out of bed. This is a lengthy blog!

The last week in Moshi was a flurry.  I had meant to be able to post blogs throughout the last 10 days of our living in Moshi, but it was a continuous bustle, and packing is never an easy experience for us, even though we bring very little home with us.  Though my mobility was limited during the entire trip to Moshi, I found that the trip has been rich with friendships, new and old, and that the mountain continues to be spectacular despite the profound loss of snow, and that there are things that that all the mobility in the world cannot replace.  Perhaps I found a new appreciation of life in general.  Looking back, I think about the ability to skype with our two daughters, granddaughters and their lovely husbands, the new meaning within our church community and the respect I have for the members, my appreciation of the new askaris who by in large have been fantastic in their energy and patrol of our small quirky 1960's compound, for our friends who care for our house and yard and the growth and sweetness of their children, for our fantastic project the KCMC/Duke Health Collaborative, as well as the KCMC college and all the staff that has made such a change for the medical students, for the youth and the Community Advisory Board who are enthusiastic and seem genuinely interested in the breadth of health research going on in the project and the hope for future treatments for a variety of health problems, for our yard, our hash friends, the book club, dear Sabini who daily kept me going at 7am swimming lap after lap with some new stroke or leg kicks, for our wide scope of friends young and old.  It has been a full visit. A big welcome home to the freezing cold!

I loved finding a third Patricia in Moshi.  She is a member of Book Club, as well as now part of our Saa Mojas.

Sabini was ever the patient instructor.  Helping us out, giving newer harder strokes to do.  Thanks and see you in January.

My disastrous fall was the result of Patrica #2 and Sophyia in perfect synchronized swimming. Unfortunately with the lag on my Powershot, I couldn't get their arms when they were perfectly together.

Eric of Saa Moja's had learned to swim up to 16 laps from not swimming at all the first day I came to the pool.  I guess that is the Lawyer in him!

My physio-therapist Dee Dee Whalen created more miracles for my leg with her great deep tissue massage and reassurance that I would get well.

Who gets excited about autopsies?  Well, Ann Nelson does.  She was helping out the young MD's who are here working on the extremely interesting autopsy study.  You have to understand that autopsy has as many myths in Tanzania as in the U.S., but it is so important in understanding the causes of death here.  Even with rudimentary equipment the autopsy can be done, and Ann threw herself into the work.  She was an entertaining house guest at A-5 and even more a fine pathologist who gave terrific encouragement to the team.

My same Masai Mama came to sell jewelry.  She likes to sell at the International School at their Christmas fair, but I know that most of the money she makes, won't stay in her pocket for her family, so I always invite her to my house.  This time, Rose and Pauli served her tea and cakes.  She sat with me inside the house and outside, and all was quite nice.

The chair of Pediatrics Anne Reed came for a visit with her husband John Pat.  She is fantastic.  A secret woman of power.  She joined the other "women of power" for dinner at El Rancho (Indian cuisine).  A fine group.  Sara Urasa (head of hospital) Blandina Mbaga (Project Coordinator & KCRI director) Mary Celine Msuya (Director of Community Health) Anne Reed, and Aisa Shao (Pediatrics).

There are no more city wide celebrations of World AIDS Day, per the order of President Magafuli who states that it is a waste of money.  So, we each celebrated in our own way.  I remembered memories of those who had died with my scotch-taped pictures of quilt pieces at church prayers, my first visit with KIWAKKUKI to a new house built for an orphan (Esther) who was being taken care of by her very impoverished grandmother (both soon died after the house was constructed because AIDS medicines were not free at the time), and my own memories of my mentor Jeffrey Wayne Davies and the work of our Duke AIDS Clinic, both of which shaped my life forever.

We had flurries of dinners before we left.  Pictures of Former Dean Mteta's house did not come out, but the new, thoughtful and compassionate Executive Director of KCMC/KCMCollege, Gileard Masenga and his wife Mary did.  Their house is warm and comfortable just like the two of them and their children.  Of course, we could not survive without our Deputy Vice-Provost Ahaz Kulanga for many reasons, not the least of which was that he drove us to both homes after dark (a feat in Moshi when it is off the Arusha-Dar Highway.

I could not believe that the last hash in Kibosho featured this funeral vehicle.  Farewell Funeral Services.  Imagine!

Pastor Tony Foreman hared the hash.  There are so many reasons why we love him...He took this one on and apparently it was hard.  I couldn't walk it, but I heard!  He is with old friend Susie who is visiting Moshi for a month.

William Howlett (neurologist) and Mike Mayes, heading many college projects (sadly Mike leaves the beginning of January along with family Anna and their 3 sweet girls)

Backsides of 3 guys, good friends.  Greg, Phil and John.  I'm sure they were philosophizing about deep thoughts. hmmm.

This hash in Kibosho featured baby Madeline the most popular person clearly there.  At one point so many children were grabbing to hold her that I yelled ACHA! (Stop!!! For real!!) so that Catherine could get her baby back.  Madeline was totally unfazed by the whole experience.

The Cathedral of Kibosho stands proudly to announce not just its faithful followers, but the incredible beauty of the village and the surroundings.  I particularly am fond of this picture of the Virgin with the kids playing soccer beneath it because of our friend Guido who had run up to Kibosho and thought he had seen the Virgin in the flesh (umm dehydrated?)

One of my favorite new askaris is John in the back.  He is standing with his colleague and the one of the oldest gardener in the compound.

Kili was out beautifully the final day we were in Moshi, It is a magnificent presence for us.

So here we are, back in the US.  Our second night home and here is the temperature outside and inside in Boone.  We are cool enough for sure.

Valentine's Day and Jonathan's new shoes

Our week since Pat and Quail left seems quiet.  But, as it turns out, was quite busy.  We celebrated the arrival of Catherine our Duke faculty (and Chrissy's friend) who is an Emergency Room researcher and most interesting.  We looked forward to Valentine's Day, and to a hash at our friend's Kirsten and Erling in a most beautiful part of the greater Moshi area.  It was also one of my Dadas' birthday and the Dadas went to Mkulima for dinner to celebrate.  Yum Yum.  And then too...Jonathan got his first pair of big boy shoes and they squeak.  He loves them because of that.  Squeak Squeak!! Every where.  They make him want to walk.

The birthday girl Eunice is on the right with Lydia and the Mkulima chef on the left.  Beautiful.

My girlfriends.  Who says that you cannot find a circle of close friends no matter where you go.!

Delicious Mkulima Food.

Jonathan's first walk in his new squeaky shoes.

Daddy Pauli watches his boy take off in his new shoes.  Of course, the first things he goes for are the electric sockets.  Why is that?  When he speaks his first clear word, I believe it will be "Acha" a word with no clear translation except "Off!"

Thank goodness we started early for our trip to town, because our sweet Zantel guys took one look at our old car and pointed to the rear tire...ooops going flat.  We headed (on Saturday mind you) to one of our gas station guys and he carefully took the wheel off, got a bucket of water, filled up the tire and carefully put water all around.  Lo and behold, there were two punctures on the one tire.

We were trying to stand in that little bit of shade you can see, and our fundi (fix it man) went dashing to the side of the service station and came back with the two chairs.  I called them luxury chairs.  John and I marveled at the experience.  Yes, we had many things to get done, but where on earth could you drive in, have a man with air tube in his hand, help us out, get us chairs and proceed to fix the puncture.  In truth, not one person would probably fix our tires in US because they are at the end of a long and fruitful life.  But here it is everyday.  And, these fix it guys are PROUD of their work.  They carefully checked every other tire to make sure that they were all ok.

So 25 minutes later, we were all set to go.  $7.00 poorer, and a shake of the hand from the two of us to this nice man and on back to town.

I had been waiting a long time to take this picture of John with Aleem.  He is one of our first downtown friends in Moshi.  He has gotten us through many scrapes and always always greets us with smiles.  Aleem owns one of the small groceries in Moshi and tries to cater to expats as well as Tanzanians.  He tried to get anything that you want, and usually manages to.  He knows everyone...and thank heavens he likes us because we surely do like him.  He always says to me....where is my "finger" daughter.  Chrissy slammed her finger in the car door just before Thanksgiving several years ago right at Aleems and he rushed her in to the butcher in the back, Sadkiki who wrapped it in ice.

And for me--  from Aleem, "How is my darling today!"  and "I love you because I can see that you keep John happy!"--- then he will say.... "Oh but I love you, too because you are always happy."  He is pretty right when I am in Moshi!

Then we had a fantastic hash hared by Marco (not the one talking) at the home of Erling & Kirsten (Erling on the right) people we have known and loved for some time...Joris is explaining what the hash house harriers are and what the rules or non-rules are.

I walked with Marieke and 5 of her six children.  She is a fabulous neurologist from Holland, and one of the most fun and kind people I know.  Her children are adorable.  I decided not to run this one because every view is special and I ran in the morning to make the excuse.  So much fun.

This steep gorge on the left is 40 meters deep.  Our run right along the edge was spectacular and a bit scary, but not too bad since it is so dry.

This shot gives you an ever better view of the gorge. Too bad you cannot see the Weru Weru river running just at the bottom.  But it is spectacular.

And then at the end, adorable Vicky and her little friend, with brand new dresses, hats and bags just made today!  How cute can that be.  Vicky is Marieke and Marco (the hare)'s youngest.  I call them the Von Trapp Family and call Marco, "The Colonel".  I love them.!

But it is, after all, Valentine's day and, here is the 35 cent card that John gave me.  The best cards in the world are from Tanzania.  They fit right in for my love of hyperbole.  And, this one is about the best that I can see.
Happy Valentine's day to my family and friends.  And, "On On".

Drama in Greater Moshi

Kigomboni Guest House, Computer and Car Shidas!

The days after arriving back in Moshi from South Africa have been slightly less hectic, but infinitely more complicated.  My gratitude at being in our A-5 house in Moshi is always a relief.  We could even forget how annoyed we were with Kenyan Airlines and Precision Airlines when we were met by Carol at the door, and driven home to the coziness of A-5.  Rose had even picked more Easter lilies for us so the scent in the house was perfectly sweet.

Carol Sangawe our wonderful project driver

Trish at mini waterfall

beautiful views

It became more fuzzy when we were asked to set a hash on the spur of the moment.  So, all focus was on the location, the supplies, cooking and preparing for this event. Our first challenge was that our “guide” in Kigomboni Freddy was very happy to rent the guest house gazebo to us, and to take us around, but he had a particular route that he was determined to take us on, and explaining the hash to him was not easy.  So off we went.  I tried to explain that we needed to make the path a bit complicated, not to stay on main roads (main roads means dirt roads that a car could travel (basically One car) but to veer off to paths that interlocked, went through coffee trees, banana trees or fields, up and down, across streams, etc.  Freddy was pretty sure that I really did not mean that, so he kept us on main road most of the time.  Each time we asked, he was like, “no not here, later” .  Eventually we gave up and at the end of the day the path was quite easy to follow, but very interesting and beautiful. 

 

finally on a path

 

One of the dearest parts of it was coming back through an old lady’s little nyumbani (collections of two or three small houses) and chatting with her.  We returned on Sunday to set the flour over the path.

last beautiful view we saw before car shidas

Just after passing this hotel, disaster struck

beautiful guest house

The drama began on Sunday when we set the hash.  The drive up to the guest-house was without any event until just before we turned into the guest-house. Suddenly John had a difficult time steering the car.  We thought it might have been a flat, but there was no flat.  But horrifyingly the right front wheel was tilted at a strange angle.  We limped the car inside the gate with no idea of what we could do.  Freddy offered to find a “fundi” (fix it man) once we had set the hash, and we gratefully agreed

For hashers, you know that you set the trail with flour. 

Flour marks the trail

 At certain points you make an X with the flour and that means that you have to search in all directions to find where the flour picks up. 

The X 

 The problem with this area is that people are quite suspicious of the motives of the white people, and you have to explain to them that the flour and the X’s have nothing to do with Their land, but only marking a path. So, you have to explain to everyone you meet that this is just a fun outing for a bunch of young and old walkers and runners where you are setting a pretty trail for them to explore the area with.  You ask their permission, they say “yes” and then the problem can be that after all that is agreed on, someone else comes along, sees the flour and is horrified and scruffs it out.  Or, even more likely, children come along and scruff it out, because that is what children do!  So, often, hashes are comprised of desperately searching for flour but it has been wiped out.  The potential at this hash was great for losing the flour.  But, everyone was very pleasant, as there have been several hashes at this area in the past.  Even so, John put a lot of flour down, and we decided to put only a few crosses.

Freddy talked with several people along the way about finding a fundi, and was given lots of advice.  When we returned to the start, he left to find the person, and we greeted the guests.  
 

Trish and John and William...what to do

fab place to party!

 Everyone was shocked at the appearance of “the blue jellybean” and agreed that it would probably have to stay for a few days in the mountains.  But as luck would have it, the fundi had been teacher for the government in mechanics for years and was now retired but teaching mechanics at the vocational school just down the road.  He agreed that one of the “tie bolts” had been sheered, and he would have to trie to cobble something together with parts that he had in his tool kit. He managed to piece together an old bolt that had no threads, a nut that was a bit too big, some sort of electrical tape, and put the wheel in the proper place.  He said to us “pole pole” (go slowly slowly) down the mountain” And hope for the best.  When we limped back to our house, John’s remark was “TOO MUCH DRAMA”.  I had no idea what he was talking about, until he explained just how badly the bolt fit on the car and how lucky we were to be both alive and down the mountain.  So there we are.  Drama. 

Fancy lady?  don't turn around because the slit in the back .....oops

My friend Terrie loaned me her saloon car for a day, and I got to be a “fancy lady” and now thanks to Deo our mechanic, the blue jellybean is back in operation.  YEA!

Our Car mechanic Deo with Terrie and Nikoli

Onto new adventures!