The down side of driving in Tanzania

About 11:00 Friday night, I was sitting at my desk in my room when I heard a loud scream of screeching brakes then a horrible crash. Since our wall is down outside my window, and the street is about 25-30 feet away, I was thinking a car was coming into my house! I was not far off.

I went outside and from my front yard saw the car. It was upside down sitting on the pile of rubble that was our wall. Remember that our property slopes down from the road to the back wall so the car was sitting high. Had it been just two or three feet closer to the slope, it would’ve rolled down into our compound hitting our houses.

Immediately after any car crash a huge crowd of people gather. I’m not sure where they all come from. Were they just sitting around? Walking by? There aren’t any other houses across the road. But there were about 40 men already at the upside down car.

Edwin, a Tanzanian teacher who lives on the compound, his wife and eldest son were also outside. From them I learned that apparently the woman driver had swerved to miss a bicyclist, lost control and slammed into a sign (small billboard type) on the side of the road and flipped her car (Incidentally, the car is exactly like mine: Toyota Rav4). She was unhurt inside and while the crowd of people pressed in closer, seeing as how she was physically safe, she was trying to secure some of her valuables.

As I have been told and just witnessed, in this culture, while many bystanders have come out of pure interest or to offer help, there are also many who come to see if anything can be stolen. Edwin confirmed this.

After about 15 minutes of checking to see that the bicyclist was unharmed (he or she was), the crowd decided to flip the car; I’m assuming with the woman’s permission and at her request, although Dan, Edwin’s son, said that even if she had told them not to, there was nothing she could’ve done to stop them. Edwin was concerned that once the car was flipped, there would be a free-for-all for any unsecured valuables inside and within reach. Nevertheless, the men rocked the car until they flipped it back on 4 wheels. Amazingly, the windscreen was unbroken, the frame was not bent and after unsuccessfully attempting to start the car, about 20 men helped push it to a more lighted area across the street. And by street I’m talking about a two lane ‘country road.’

There is only a half-moon tonight and no street lamps so it is very dark. I say this because while the men were pushing the car back into the street there was another loud scream of brakes as another car speeding down the road narrowly avoided hitting the crowd of people and the first car! Slow down people!! About a week ago, there was a demonstration in Kunduchi, the small town about a mile up the road. A man and children had been hit and killed by a speeding daladala (minibus). The people were protesting and demanding speed bumps be installed on that specific section of road. Again, slow down people!!

Thankfully it seems that the only damage was to property. Sometimes I just do not understand why these things are happening. This is the third or fourth accident that has happened just outside our wall – well, where our wall was. Most are at night and involve a car and a non-car (motorcyclist, bicyclist, pedestrian). Several times we have barely avoided getting hit as we make the right hand turn into our property – cars behind decide to pass on the right side even though we’re clearly slowing down to turn. (For those in America, think turning left with someone passing on the left side even though your turn signal is on.)

Although I joke about driving here as being an adventure or relate it to bumper cars at Disney (where you can do anything but ‘do not strike the car ahead of you’), it is dangerous. Roads in Tanzania are not for cars. A road is for everyone. The paved road is the path for cars, lorrys (big trucks), pedestrians including school children, daladalas which are constantly pulling off to the side and ‘merging’ back into traffic, tuk-tuks (three wheeled enclosed motorcycle type vehicles), motorcyclists, bicyclists, and often even animals. You look forwards and backwards as you do in the States but also look left and right to see who might be coming at you from the side or trying to merge onto the street or passing someone else and using your driving lane to do it.
So how do I do it? I drive much slower than I do in America. I never go on ‘auto pilot.’ I never assume I know how other drivers will react. I actually go with the assumption that they will do something I’m not prepared for. (I’m usually right about that.) I’m always looking to see where I can swerve to. I’m always ready to slam on the brakes.

And I pray, knowing “There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s world. And no places that are safer than other places. The center of His will is our only safety.”

:)

TZ Driver's License

I am attempting to get my Tanzanian driver's license. Although I have an International Driving Permit, it needs to be renewed every year and since I'll be here longer, it makes sense to have a more permanent license.

So I'm trying to get my TZ license.

I have taken - and passed - an eye exam. Honestly, this was the thing I was most worried about! But I told the eye doctor I wear contacts and just read the smallest print I could. He signed and stamped a paper - everything here requires multiple stamps - and sent me on my way!

I turned in several passport sized photos, along with copies of my US driving license, paid for and recieved my Provisional Tanzanian Driving License. I only get a provisional because I'm an American and don't drive on the left side of the road.
>Side note about passport photos. You need them for everything here! I mailed 8 when
HOPAC first applied for my work permit, gave 4 more a few weeks ago, turned in several
for my provisional license, and was told yesterday that ... well, read on ...

Yesterday I went to the police station and spoke with the officers in charge of issuing licenses. I wasn't sure if I would need to take a driving test or if they would just give me a TZ license, since I have an International Permit.
>Side note about the permit: to get it, you just go into any AAA, show them your
US license, pay $15 and get your picture taken! Don't need to prove you can drive
on the left or anything!

At the police station yesterday, the officer seemed to be trying to discourage me from driving in Tanzania! He was saying, "It is too dangerous. The drivers here are crazy, more than crazy. Why do you want to drive in Tanzania? It is not safe. It is much worse than driving in America!" And this is the police!

I assured him that, yes, I do want to drive in Tanzania and have been driving here for two years. He seemed ok with that answer and actually didn't ask me to take the driving test. I guess I passed by having driven in Dar es Salaam before!

But then I needed passport photos. I had only brought one. What was I thinking?!?! I needed four. Another officer began explaining why I needed four but I got lost somewhere between official record and Tanzania Revenue Authority.

I just found out that they close at 3:30 so I will have to go in straight after school another day this week and try again...


:)

HOPAC Construction

HOPAC is growing!

Currently, the new Administration Building is under construction. Now, construction in Tanzania is slightly different from what I'm used to seeing. So many more things are done using man-power rather than machine-power. For example, during the HOPAC orientation at the beginning of the year, we were all distracted by the construction workers outside... and not for the same reason one might be distracted by a construction worker in America... :)

They were putting down, 'pouring' cement for the between floors area - which I'm sure has a technical name but I don't know what that would be. Anyway, where we would have the cement truck pouring directly onto the area or through a series of tubes or pipes, these men were using buckets carried on their head to move the cement from the ground up a flight of stairs (wooden, not permanent stairs) and onto the roof where they poured it out, turned around and ran back down for their next load. I'm talking running with cement in buckets on heads here, people!

It was absolutely amazing to watch! You could tell who was really good at it. They were passing the other men as they ran, with buckets of cement on their head and maybe one hand holding on to it.

See, man-power, not machine.

Some other new construction around campus:

Picnic Bandas for students and teachers...

A new addition to the gardeners' workshop...

Starting blocks and seating at the pool!

Fun times!

:)

Lesson of the Day

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

As I mentioned, I am in England visiting friends. What I didn't know was that by stopping here, the charge for excess baggage for the next leg of my journey would be per kilogram not per piece. Translation: total charges for my one extra bag: $1,200 instead of the $100 I was expecting. :) This has caused me to completely repack and reevaluate what I will and will not be taking with me to Dar.

My initial reaction was not 1 Thes 5:18 - and that's the lesson. My motto while repacking has been: "God is all I need!" Not these shoes, or that basket or those books. And I couldn't pack God in my suitcase even if I wanted to!

I am so thankful that I am with friends who are helpful and loving. So thankful that I called today and didn't find out tomorrow at the airport as I was checking in. So thankful that I am in England where they speak English and I could call around and find out for myself. So thankful for Debbie, who I'm staying with, who is giving me a lighter bag to use. So thankful that I am not going to Tanzania for the first time. So thankful that I can leave things here with friends to possibly take at a later date. So thankful that I will probably even save money by not having to pay excess baggage charges! So thankful that my joy is not based on my circumstances!!

And as my dad reminded me, this didn't surprise God. Which is very comforting to know.

Tanzanian Dinner

The Tanzanian dinner at CBC went great!

Thanks to my wonderful small group, friends and family!! :)

Here are a few pictures of the evening...

Diane, Pat, Michael, Scott, Stacy and Riley set up, served and cleaned up
along with Man, Wumi and Bryan!


My CBC small group!
Michael, Riley, Carley, Stacy, Bryan, Diane, Wumi, Pat and Man!
...only missing Scott and Andrea...

I talk with my hands ...

...and use lots of expression apparently!



The wonderful news is that I am at 97% of my monthly support quota! PTL!! Thank you for your prayers! I had asked for prayer to be at 100% by July and I am so thankful that I am very nearly there...and it's July! :)

Tanzania: Part Mbili (2)

Hi! I'm glad you found me. :)

I am thrilled to be in the process of returning to Tanzania. I've taken the past few months to really listen and pray about where God is leading me & what He wills for my life, and I feel led to return to Tanzania as a missionary teacher!

I'll be using this blog to keep you (friends, family and supporters) up to date as I prepare to leave for TZ in the fall.

Come back and have a look at how things are going! :)

And feel free to leave comments at will...