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So since arriving and with some inspiration from the living room wall, I have been collecting a list of things that are very specific to life here. I hereby entitle this blog, you know your in Monduli When:
You eat out of cups, tupperware, saucepans and carrier bags instead of plates.
You drink tea out of jam jars and wrap torn up paper bags around them so you can hold them.
You are given toothpicks to use as cutlery when you go to the local restaurant.
Power being on is exciting.
Showers despite washing in a bucket without running water are the highlight of the day.
Washing your feet is an even better part of the day.
Despite that feet are never clean here and are always fully immersed in at least one layer of dust.
You torture yourself with the food that you could be eating at home.
Everyone starts having wacky dreams and it starts to be questioned if the water needs testing.
Getting ill is part of life.
Your provided with tablets that have only been tested on rats and that the spelling is incorrect for.
Chilli peppers are called pilipili hoho.
Tea and potatoes (after showers) are the best things in life.
Avocado with orange and cream crackers becomes a gourmet meal.
Your not sure if there is must adjusting to Tanzanian culture or the culture morph of all the nationalities you are living with.
People guess your age from anything between 15 and 35 (I was very unimpressed with the last one).
Fried food is near impossible to avoid
Staying up past 20.30 is an extremely late night
Sleeping in past 6am is impossible due to lights and chickens!
You examine a dog to see if it looks like it has rabies before you decide if it is friend or foe (extra points if it is known to have had a rabies vaccine).
You choose an African squat toilet over a Western one as you suddenly become disgusted by the unhygienic-ness of western ones.
You think you have got a tan and then you shower and realise its just a layer of dust.
You become fussy about what bottled water you drink but don’t really check how long you boil your own for.
Crisps are spelt grisps in the local shop- and are fairly vile tasting
Transport rides lead to conversations of everything from politics, trees, to rain and walking
You try to buy wellies despite 30 degree heat- because it will be necessary.
Nightmares of falling down hills in mud starts weeks before the rain
Discoveries are made such as apple crumble can be made in a pan!
The school bus has to be pushed into a petrol station as it runs out of petrol on the way home
The school bus door opens while your driving along and while your sitting next to it (it was fairly scary!)
If you manage to sleep in past 6.30 then it can be considered a lie in
Some days there is just no water.
Being kept up or woken up at night by loud speakers on the back of trucks for elections is a common occurrence.
All take away meals consist of chips fried in an omelette.
Treats you find that taste disgusting in the first week taste amazing by week 4
Everything becomes a race against the sun and light disappearing
Its safer not to question any smells
You have to learn each child’s name twice (in uniform and out of uniform- especially if there in Maasai traditional dress)
Your legs change colour when you shave them
The only way to stay calm is to learn to take each day as it comes!
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