Ken's Journey to Tanzania: Journal Entry #8

Ken Russo is spending three months this winter volunteering at The Baobab Home, an orphanage in Bagamoyo, Tanzania that provides care for children with HIV/AIDS. He is documenting his fascinating experiences and sends us periodic updates from his journal. Here is his latest entry. Read about his whole journey starting back at the end of January …

Tuesday, February 23
I brought the boys home to Halima after pre-school along with the 2 pineapples I purchased at the stand near her house for a little less than a dollar. I entered her courtyard and called out hodi, to alert the family I was coming in. The response is always karibu, welcome. Halima introduced me to her kaka (brother) and we all sat to share the pineapple. All the produce is locally grown and organic. The flavors are rich and intense. What a difference between the produce here and at home. It’s also seasonal and when the particular season is over there is no importing of produce. We are now at the end of mango and pineapple season much to my dismay. We were sitting in Halima’s backyard under the coconut palms when Halima pointed out to me the people scavenging in the dump behind her property. She shook her head and saidpole sana, very sorry that people are forced to live this way.

I left Halima’s and headed down the congested main road to the barber’s. The street is paved and very busy with every imaginable vehicle, motorized and not. The town’s only bank and gas station are on this road and also the bus terminal. There concrete V-shaped ditches on both sides of the street. They are about 4 feet deep. They are some sort of drainage ditch not for sewage but probably they are important in the rainy season which starts in April. They could easily swallow a car or a bus and you have to be alert so you don’t fall in yourself. There are little wooden bridges everywhere that cross the ditches to the many shops on the other side.

I arrived at the barber’s and the a/c was invigorating. It is the first time I’ve encountered a/c in Bagamoyo. There are 3 chairs and 3 barbers who were hanging out listening to reggae. It’s a clean, well lit space; a very pleasant atmosphere. I said “Nataka kukota nywele” (I’d like a haircut) and then added “fupi sana” (very short). The barber, a large man in a purple shirt and white beret, smiled and asked in English “Do you have money to pay?” That’s the first time I’ve been asked that. I laughed and said of course and he invited me to sit. He cut my hair, washed my head with shampoo and hot water. That was my first experience with hot water in a month. He then put a dab of some sort of hair product on my head. It was definitely overkill but it all felt great and for $1.40 you can beat the price. I think I’ll mention all this to Gordon, my barber in Provincetown.

I’m writing from the restaurant at the Millennium Hotel right on the beach. The sun is setting and the ocean is rough. The water is, a not very refreshing, 88 degrees. The water here is not the tropical blue you might expect but more of a brownish gray. The water is clean but color is due to a river which empties into the ocean not far from Bagamoyo. Very few adults swim here but the beach is always busy with people strolling and children splashing in the shallows. There are a few men hawking wooden carvings. They do not approach anyone but stand at a respectful distance waiting for a nod or shake of the head from their prospective customers.


Wednesday, February 24
It was very busy at the clinic today and we ran out of uji earlier than usual. Katie and I walked the 2 miles back to our respective guest houses and we realized it was a mistake. We both felt like we were suffering from heat exhaustion. It was the hottest day we have experienced and probably the most humid. There wasn’t even the slightest hint of a breeze. We were feeling nauseous. I was looking forward to a cool shower and then sitting under the powerful fan in my room. The shower was great but the power was out so I was hot and sweaty again in a few minutes. I prayed that the electricity came back on before I went to bed.

Terri and I are meeting with local representative of the Red Cross late this afternoon to discuss HIV testing in the villages. We’re both looking forward to this meeting and believe it’s a critical piece in curbing transmission of the virus.