Independence

-The View From Here-

A quick note to say Happy 4th of July!
Oblivious to time, I was reminded by the sudden increase in the number of Tanzanians decked out in stars and stripes on my daladala ride [more on those later] back into town today.

Apart from possibly seeking out some nyama choma [literal translation is 'burned meat' . . . tastier than it sounds] as a faux cook-out, I don't have many large plans to celebrate. Rather than catch fireworks, I'm going to use the weekend to kick back and relax a bit.

Nearly a month has now passed since I hit the ground in Dar. That statement strikes me as odd. I clearly haven't really been thinking -or aware of- time passing. And yet it has.

Life rolls on here as it does at home.
Sure, some things are different . . . like the fact that my daily 'shower' involves a bucket of water, a sketchy electric heater, and some strategic splashing - but that is just how things work here.
Spurred on by the red, white and blue all around me, I count myself lucky to be free to be part of it all.