The Bintis

After Eva’s last trip to Africa in 2009 I wondered what impressions, memories and comfort level she’d experience this trip.  As it turns out our daughters or bintis have been intrepid and swiftly well adjusted to cultural norms here regarding dress and behaviour.  Both are more likely to be found in African print skirts and T-shirts, something neither David or I ever thought we would see. “ Shikamoo”, the greeting of respect to elders meaning I put myself under your feet, is being used comfortably now and the stream of locals we pass on our way are so pleased to know the bintis are well prepared. 

Surprisingly the girls have been eager to wander on their own within a safe radius.  Leaving David, Mary and me in a Lasso village bar with sodas, Serengeties and HBC Thaddeus Mzaki, the girls walked down the mountain side, crossed a river flowing from  Kilimanjaro and climbed up the other side of the valley, passing through Mkyashi on the way back to Kilema.  We watched them amble off on the red clay framed by grasses and  banana palms  with amazing nonchalance, feeling at home.   On market day they wandered away from us in the busy ‘sekoni’ or market,  into throngs of kitenge wrapped women, mounds of tomatoes, salt, dried tilapia fish from Lake Victoria, tea, soda bottles filled with vegetable oil, others filled with kerosene.   Later when we met them, Caroline’s arms were filled with mangos and corn which they later planned to grill over coals.  When we stayed backed at sekoni they sauntered off to Kilema hospital, weaving past a cross-section of Tanzanian life; the elegant, the aged, the hard at work, the destitute, the colourfully wrapped, the contemporary, the mentally ill, the educated, the intoxicated and the young.  The girls held their own quite well. 

While reviewing sponsored students at Kirefure primary school, the bintis offered an impromptu geography lesson and organized teams for a quick game of soccer. They have sat in on school meetings and student reviews with patience and interest. They have been riding dalla dalla’s without anxiety, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee, hip to hip with villagers. They have been teaching computer to HBC Augustine Shayo, who has requested computer training from me for four years and has finally realized a dream.  The girls recently worked the Pamoja Tunaweza medical caravan with friend Sidonie, and learned how to use a electronic b/p cuff and screen for high blood pressures! And high some were! At the Kilema OVC program they have carried food sacks, measured out beans for  distribution, fitted shirts, offered up school supplies and support.  A few days ago Caroline and Eva  made out bank deposit slips and counted shillings (eliminating the most soiled and flimsy) for student tuition payments at the CRDB bank in Marangu and reflected on the generosity of fellow students at Central Middle School who provided money to send  two students to Darajani Secondary School, Daniel and Lucina.  Many thanks to Central students!

No complaints about missed meals, no snacks, cold showers,bug bites, pit toilets, long walks, dust, heat, bugs or geckos…..well I could be wrong about geckos.   Despite all the surrounding strangeness and physical discomfort when asked what the greatest challenge is Caroline says, “the language, trying to understand what people are saying and sometimes the staring.”  Eva’s incisive answer, “Nothing really...... maybe the bugs.”  In all, the bintis have been doing a great job over here and we are exceedingly proud of them.