Hire some dancing girls and crack open the champaigne, it's Nane-Nane folks! (the word "nane" means "eight" in kiswahili. Meaning that today, a Tanzanian national holiday, is "Eight-Eight Day"............if you still haven't caught on, it's the eighth day of the eighth month, so celebrate.) Known in kiswahili as trarehe nane miezi cha agosti, elfu mbili na sita (the 9th day of August, 2006), or Nane-Nane, today is an officially official National holiday. Which in English means no school.....or anything work related for that matter. I'd love to go into detail as to what the significance of this holiday actually is, but all that I know is that it has something to do with farming and that our kiswahili teacher felt that it was important for us to sleep in instead of coming to her class. I think it may be an un-official excuse for farmers to compete against one another in hopes of declaring whose got the most bad-ass crops, but that's all I got. So, if you're truly interested I'm sure you could find some good stuff about it at Tanzania's homepage (I think websites for countries are funny.....check out the US's, it's a pretty good laugh). It's the link to the right that says "Tanzania.gov".......in other news, I think it's safe to say that I'm the best clothes-hand-washer ever. In fact, if I had figured this out earlier in life I probably wouldn't have gone to college. I'd say that my hands were made for hand-washing, but I think it'd be safer to say that hand-washing was made for my hands. My mother (and Megan) would be so proud at my incomprehensible and incomparable ability to remove blue pen-ink from tan shorts in a matter of minutes without even breaking a sweat. Then again, I practically re-invented the art form just yesterday afternoon, so why should anyone be surprised? However, please no one get it in your head that my skills might possibly be of your disposal upon my return; neither your clothes nor your naivity can handle the magnitude of my talent, and after 5 months of training has brought me to the maximum level of attainment in this art form, I will have nothing left to prove. I, like the rest of your kind, will retire to the mediocrity of spin cycling away my filth for the sake of modesty and conformity. In all seriousness though, hand-washing one's clothes is hard work. And, though I may be exceptionally good at it (not really, although kindof.....at least I was proud of myself. Plus, I really did get blue pen-ink out of my tan shorts. sweet!), I will be the first to admit how much I took for granted the luxury of having your own audomated-spin-cycling washer and dryer at your disposal (not to mention having somebody else do it for you for most of 20 years.....man I'm pathetic). Although, to be honest, air drying your clothes on a clothes-line makes your clothes smell SO good (at least in Tanzania) despite how long it takes. If I can self-reflect for a second though, I think that one thing I've realized about myself in being here thus far, is that while I am much stronger, much more resiliant, and much more resourceful than I would have ever given myself credit for, I have also been more priveledged, more pampered, more selfish, and more dependent in my life than I would like to admit. While I never made or forced anyone to do things for me like wash my clothes, I also never stopped them and consciously decided to do it for myself, nor did I manage to do anything for them of the same magnitude and at time am affraid that I failed to show my sincerest appreciation. And though I did do things for myself from time to time, my dependence (and/or "mooching" as my Dad would prefer to call it) aired on the side of pathetic. This reflection goes beyond the simplicities of my laundry, but something as simple Tide-ing the hell out of my underwear for most of my life deserves at least a second of recognition. In doing so, let me also make clear the utmost sincerity of my appreciation for those (and you know who you are) who have not only wiped my ass and washed my trousers (in no particular order) but have touched and shaped my life in countless ways. So much so, that I am absolutely certain (which is considerably much more certain then practically everything else that's been going on my head since I stepped foot in this beautiful, yet crazy country) that had it not been for you I would NOT be doing as well 12,000 miles away from my home as I am doing right now. I guess I really don't know what else to say other than 'thank you', and yet I fear that it may fall short of what you deserve. While we're on the topic of self reflection however, let me just say that I also greatly appreciate and tremendously miss all my American-male friends/lovers. All of you have no idea how much you mean to me, and I consider myself insanely lucky to have so many amazingly talented, humble, intelligent, funny, passionate, sensitive, attractive, and down right kick-ass guy friends back home (ladies, I love you too but it's not your turn). And why the emphasis on males you ask? Don't get me wrong, I miss Megan like you wouldn't believe (as well as all my other girl friends back home), but being the only guy in a group of 9 independently-strong-willed and insanely opinionated women has taught me a lot about myself as a heterosexual male. These women are very bright, very gifted, and have so much to offer, but sometimes I'd like nothing better than to start a He-Man Women Haters Club of my own (although membership would be somewhat small at this point....American women students at the Univ. this fall out-number the men 42 to 9). I think in a really good way being around this many women has sensitized me to many issues women everywhere suffer with everday, and has definitely opened my eyes to certain things I absentmindedly do on a regular basis that may be insensitive and/or unhelpful to women and all feminists. Yet, for anyone who might argue that men and women aren't that different and that our most basic differences are merely socialized, you're crazy. And to be honest, while the differences are fascinatingly wonderful and very interesting to witness and comprehend, they are equally as stressful and frustrating when delivered in large doses. This is by no means a rant against women. I love women, I'm dating a wonderful women, and above all I truly respect and appreciate women everywhere, I just love being a man and would like all my fellow man-friends to know that I miss you, thank you, and love you for being men and for allowing me to do things with you that I otherwise could not do or might get in trouble for doing in mixed-company. And at the same time, know also that being a "good man" is hard and "good men" are often hard to come by, regardless of where you are in the world. Sexism, like racsism, is still a reality and is still something that needs to be destroyed (sometimes more so in America than anywhere else, despite what we might think), but at the same time I for one can say that I love having a penis, while still recognizing my priviledges in having one (which are often unfair), and miss the hell out quality male companionship/homoerotic male bonding (haha, don't take that too literally mom and dad). Anywho, school starts soon and aside from not having to share a bathroom with girls anymore once that happens, I'm sure I'll have a gang load of new Tanzanian and other International male friends to keep me satisfied (no one could ever replace you guys, don't worry). As for now, its getting to be supper time so I should seriously think about sufficiently stuffing myself with wali. Sidenote: I saw the biggest catipillar I've ever seen today, as well as the creepiest spider in probably all of Tanzania. So long for now friends. Salama. p.s. I decided that in talking to natives and writing in my blog I can at times be rather hard on America. As a balance to my actions I will end this post with a few things that I've discovered I absolutely love about America since leaving it.......Guster, black bean burgers smothered in pepper-jack cheeze and guacamole, having dogs as pets instead of abusing them as security systems, LUFDA, corn on the cob, Martin Luther King Jr., Megan, ESPN, and fruit snacks. more later...
4 Comments:
Happy Nane-Nane Zach! It's so good to hear from you and all about your absolutely amazing experiences! I'm sorry that you are surrounded by so much estrogen right now, but I'm excited for you when school starts! I love ya tons and bunches!
~Mari :-)
8/09/2006 09:09:00 AM
1)I am happy to know that I made the list of things you miss in America
2)All of your little boyfriends will be waiting for you when you get home (and dave and nancy you should probably take the homoerotic line seriously... I'd be worried if I were you =])
3)I love you and I miss you a lot
8/10/2006 12:29:00 AM
wouldn't be the first time that my name was listed behind 'fruit snacks' on a person's likes of the United States.
although, being from iowa, i'll take credit for 'corn on the cob'.
keep up the awesome posts, i'm sure mine will be less prolific but no less exciting.... i'll keep you updated on my blog progress as the date creeps towards 9/10/06
kevin
8/14/2006 03:23:00 AM
Awwwww . . . Pookie Bear! I miss you too! In fact, you have no idea how much I have been missing you lately. I am really happy to be at school with so many wonderful people, but frankly, no one here knows me in quite the way you do. OOOH, and David and Nancy, yes, take those comments about homoeroticism seriously, but note that there is nothing to worry about. Homosexuality is nothing to fear or be "worried about." It is a beautiful, natural way for two human beings to share a common experience (GOSH, MEGAN . . . lay off the gay bashing . . . just kidding. FFB WOOT WOOT). I look forward to more and more wonderful posts from this man. Keep up the enlightenment, and hey, nothing wrong with hatin' on the USA regularly ;)
Jamie
P.S. You should know that I appeared on stage in front of a PACKED auditorium of a couple hundred people wearing nothing but a pink man thong and a head band. You would have been proud.
8/26/2006 07:43:00 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home