Friday, October 06, 2006

Well, it’s officially October and I officially have no idea what to talk about. I realize it’s been awhile….and quite a long while at that….since last I graced this blog with a new post, but to be honest I really haven’t had that much to talk about….I mean write about. Strange yes, especially when considering the plethora of crazy and strange adventures I’ve had since July 19, and even stranger when considering where I am and what I’m doing. Still, in comparison to what Kevin would call my previous ‘fables’, any attempted reconstruction of my Tanzanian activities as of late would seem rather boring. Furthermore, if anyone else has developed a keen interest in the blog ramblings of my fellow international study abroad-ers (that’s you, Kevin and John), you can understand how impossible it would be for me to top or even hope to contextually compare to these guys’ stories and respective European insights, much less compete and vie for our readers’ (that’s you) attention (too much blog, not enough time….although, I must say that Justin has been doing a rather stellar job….he must not have a life.) Actually, everything I’ve just said is bullshit. I mean, John and Kevin’s blogs are amazing (but there’s really no reason to feel like I in any way need to compete with their prose…however refreshingly good it may be and regardless of how jealous I become of their talents…by the way, good form gentlemen) and there really hasn’t been much that’s happened in my life these past two weeks that’s necessarily worth “writing home about,” but I suppose me living in a crazy place like Tanzania should enable me the ability to at least make something up without you knowing the difference. And in reality, considering how many randomly provocative thoughts I have whizzing around in my head right now I really shouldn’t have to make anything up, and should instead able my sore fingers (I’ll explain why my fingers are sore later) to conjure up something insightfully fresh and new for ya’ll, if only just slightly perceptively worth-while. Yet, for whatever reason, I just can’t seem to find the motivation...until now that is (check that, I found the motivation last Sunday but because of frequent power outages have been rendered unable to post until today, but whatever). It’s almost as if my brain has been running on information/provocative thought-overload, and instead of trying to release some of that “tension” I just don’t and instead let my mind continue to float…or maybe sink is a better word? Maybe it’s too immense or too complex to adequately “release” on paper and I should give myself a break; only problem is, is that everyone I think to talk to about it is a thousand miles away and one phone card (and lots of money) short of convenience. And not that there aren’t people here I can talk to and who can most definitely relate, but it’s just not the same kind of comfort and lacks a certain familiarity. Not to mention I’m a little behind in my LCCT work (what’s new). Here I go bitching again…point is, things are good, life is crazy, school is weird, I often feel stupid for how little I know about my country and at the same time really wish I knew more about this one, my mind is cluttered and for lack of a greater ability I have no idea how to either describe it or dispel it (but hakuna matata), and while my life really has not been all that “exciting” lately, I’ll do my best to hit on some of the finer points. Here it goes…and mind you without paragraph breaks despite my most recent request to include them from my favorite LUFDA captain ever (I love you sweety). Trust me, I’ve tried it already and for whatever reason the online template for my blog doesn’t allow it….or maybe I’m just too stupid. But whatever, deal with it. Anyway, about my life…concerning my passing reference to “sore fingers”: making African hand-drums is a bitch. A really fun bitch (what?), yet extremely tedious, hard, time consuming, and rather unfriendly to one’s hands (which is interesting considering how important a hand-drummers hands are to his art, but I’m really just convinced that Tanzanians are tougher than Americans…or maybe I’m just a wimp). Plus, wet goatskin smells horrible…imagine a mix between urine, my dog Hershey after a bath, and Frenchie. And how would I know all this you ask? Well, for starters I should explain why I’m learning how to make African hand-drums…aside from the fact that it’s really cool and I love hand-drums…which, in turn, should also key you into why I am “behind in my LCCT work.” So, on top of studying/taking courses at the University (hapa…that means here) for a semester, we (meaning the LCCT students…which for those of you who don’t know what that means it stands for Lutheran College Consortium to Tanzania…get with it folks) are required to submit either a research paper or a creative project and methodology paper on a topic/subject area of our choosing to the LCCT board in December and then give a presentation at St. Olaf for our “re-entry meeting” (lame) in Febuary, which all counts for a third of our total “program grade” that in the end earns us a total of 16 credits at our respective home institutions. Plus, we’re suppose to be “journaling” four times a week (yeah right) and are responsible for doing 30 reflective newspaper article responses…which I’ve done, let’s see, zero of…but that’s not the point. The point is, is that with a little help from my dance teacher and Thomas (oh Thomas, where would we be without you), I’ve contacted and developed a relationship with a charming little man by the name of Mzee James Mbunju who is the owner and artistic director of the Simba Performance Group stationed in down-town Dar. Mwalimu Mbunju has agreed to take me on for the remainder of the semester as his personal apprentice in the art of drum-making (and hopefully some drum performance too). On average I’ll be going down to his shop three times a week and am hoping that with a little creativity (and a little luck) I can pass this off as my “creative project”….I suppose now all I need to do is work my ass off and try to make a ton of drums as well as also figure out what to do for my methodology paper (that’s a big word, ‘methodology’… what does it mean?). I originally paid him 72,000/= to cover the cost of materials and what I thought was a little extra to compensate him for his time in teaching me this stuff, but I get the feeling that he wants more money for more materials and I’m afraid my budget may not allow it. If I could I’d pay him a ton more in order to show my appreciation for what he’s doing and buy tons of materials, but the reality is that I’m a poor college student with empty pockets and big aspirations…we’ll see how it all works out though. I know that we’ll at least be making one drum entirely from scratch together (and hopefully I’ll make one entirely from scratch by myself), so I imagine that that alone should count for something. I think it would be interesting to elaborate in my paper on the social and economic implications and taxations of making, playing, and performing drums and other percussive instruments as your main source of income, and examine how this trade and/or market has changed and evolved as a result of European colonization and imperialism. It’s amazing how hard this guy works and how much time he pours into his craft; I can’t imagine how he’s survived after all these years and am certain I’d be burnt out. There are so many other artisans in similar positions, only not as fortunate as Mbunju to own their own theater companies…but no need to elaborate on all that, I’m sure there will be plenty of time for that sort of mush and for now I really should move on. Aside from the joys and tribulations associated with making hand drums three times a week down-time, this opportunity has also given me an excellent chance to: a) associate and familiarize myself with this bustling yet highly impoverished coastal metropolis (with insane amounts of crazy Muslim influence); b) see first hand how unbelievably bad-ass my Mwalimu and his performance group really is; and c) experience the implausible perfection and sheer beauty that is Heritage Hotel’s 4500/= Indian lunch-buffet. The city itself is not all that big (in comparison to Chicago or New York, or even MSP for that matter), but is sufficiently complicated enough to thoroughly confuse at times even the most astutely spatially directional person like me. I’m getting better though and within a couple weeks I’m sure I’ll be just fine… but man can it be a nut house/rat race sometimes. If there’s nothing else to be said for big cities like Dar, I’d at least better mention all the crazy smells (some considerably less pleasant than others) that are constantly changing from one step to the next that one must become accustomed to when walking around. I first noticed this phenomenon when traveling around New York City for a couple weeks at the end of my senior year of High School. Dar is definitely no different when speaking in reference to the plethora of intriguingly sporadic smells big cities have to offer, only instead of pizza mixed with garbage and fuel exhaust (as is common in Chicago and New York) you experience samaki (which means fish) mixed with garbage, chipsi ma yai (which is french-fries sautéed, if you will, with eggs), cheap cologne, marijuana, car exhaust, and fesses….and let’s not forget the sounds of Dar: above the caustic and slightly overwhelming street vendor ruckus (trying to sell you mindless shit that you neither need or would ever want), you have a pleasant mix of car horns, what I like to call harbor madness, and the nearest Mosque’s call to prayer/three hour Islam-lecture being that it’s Ramadan right now. Another interesting thing about down-town Dar: privately employed “security guards” with sawed-off shot guns protecting the entrance to the classier/high quality joints….like jewelry stores, Chinese restaurants, and porn shops. Makes for quite the experience and man is it always one hell of a time. As for my Mwalimu being the world’s biggest bad-ass, there’s really no way I could hope to describe his company’s performance I had the pleasure of watching last Friday night, but let’s just say that an evening full of dancing, drumming, fluting, singing, acrobatics and fire-breathing like they provided is enough to make even a grown man wet himself and cry out of sheer disbelief and enjoyment. It was hard enough keeping track of what Mzee Mbunju was doing from one moment to the next (be it drumming, singing his lungs out, playing the flute like a mad man, or getting his groove thing on) much less trying to fathom all the other craziness happening on stage, but I must say that they put on one hell of a performance (to say the least) and I can’t tell you how honored I am to be his student. And for those interested in knowing more about cheap Indian buffet, just know that it’s the closet to heaven I’ll ever get…or should I say Mecca? As for the rest of my life…like I said, boring. Well not really, but it’s time that I actually get on with publishing this damn thing and if I don’t hurry and finish now I’ll be late for the 5:30 showing of the Swiss murder mystery about falling rocks and sex scandal going down at the “European Film Festival” in Mwenge (sidenote: the Finish Embassy has sponsored a three week long Film Festival highlighting some of Europe’s finest cinematography in the last few years. Admission is free, popcorn from Cafeteria 1 is 100/=, and I’m pretty sure I’d fail all my classes if the festival didn’t end next week….and Finland proves once again why they’re the coolest country in the world). sidenote mbili: I wrote that last part last night (it’s Friday now) just before the internet cut out, meaning that I’ve already seen the movie (along with a French film that reminded me of Megan and a horrible Polish flick), am very sorry to postpone yet again, and am now again headed back to Mwenge only this time in order to pick up a shirt I’m having made…pretty sure it’s gonna be the sweetest shirt I’ve ever owned. But yeah, toodles for now because it’s time for me to embark on my Friday journeys, which like I started to explain will take me to Mwenge, down-town for some present shopping (wouldn’t you like to know who for?) and Indian buffet (give me a break, it’s been over a week), and then onto more adventures in hand-drum making. With any luck you’ll hear from me much sooner than last time, but for now please enjoy the new post and salama kabisa. I love everyone…except those who have already seen the first episode of LOST: Season 3…I hate you and feel that I won’t be able to talk to you for at least a month. Kwaheri!

16 Comments:

Blogger megan craven said...

1)I am very disappointed that Lindsey and I are not listed as religious blog readers. We are the only two here at luther college who do a really good job of staying on top of everyone's blogs!
2)Justin is always mentioned, but he usually only reads other people's comments and creates one of his own...basically he is a cheater.
3)I'm glad I'm not there to stress about the fact that you haven't done any of your LCCT work (but you probably should start some of it) =]
4)Don't think of your life as boring because while you might not think it is exciting right now, it is always nice for those of us back home to hear from you.
5)What are you buying for me? =]
6)I love you and it was really nice to read a new blog entry!
7)Skype soon?

10/06/2006 08:36:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

1) I have a crush on your girlfriend, and we very well may run off together.
2) Will you be able to bring home any of these drums you are working on?
3) I love you and think you are cute and miss your left-leaning member.
4) I also am a loyal blog reader who wants a lil more shout out (hehe just jokes).
5) What are you buying for me? (just kidding, i am not a selfish jerk like Meggie Poo)
6) I love you more and am WAY MORE excited than Megan to read a long blog entry.
7) I have tried calling you 9 billion times and cannot seem to figure this thing out, but I promise that one of these days your phone will ring and it will be my sexy, deep, Barry-White-Like voice.
8) Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for the adorable princess birthday card that you had Megan send. I wanted to thank you on the phone, but thus far, I have only failed.
9) I already have two more numbers than Megan and am not done yet.
10) I am glad that "boring" for you consists of crazy drum-making lessons, tasty and cheap Indian food, walking around in a smelly city in Africa, dance lessons, attending a foreign film festival regularly, not doing your homework, and watching your drum-making teacher ROCK OUT in a pants-wetting experience!
11) I had a dream about you. It was slightly erotic, but mostly about getting fatty burritoes in Costa Rica (even though the entire time I was in Costa Rica, I did not see a single burrito).
12) Let's Be Friends!
13) I have exciting news to tell you about Crested Butte and graduating and such things.
Love,
Alphalpha

10/06/2006 10:32:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So I've only read the first 10 lines so far, but I would like to say that if you read closely zach says what he said at the beginning was bullshit, and that he is having a wonderful time. I love you boozer. Remember not to take any shit off of nobody. I can't wait to see your face soon. Oh, and I promise I'll read the rest of your long-ass blog.
Frenchel

10/06/2006 10:43:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's French again. I finished the post. Umm, thanks for letting the world know I smell, but I guess that's what happens when you don't shower. Everything is going great here, and it sounds like it is there too. You might not know it(I think you do), but life always turns out. Trust me. I hope it turns out for both of us right now. I'll talk to you soon. You are the wind beneath my wings.
French

Also, I know it's the wrong country, but I would appreciate it if you could tell Mr. Echo hi for me if you see him.

10/06/2006 10:54:00 PM

 
Blogger megan craven said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

10/07/2006 01:02:00 AM

 
Blogger megan craven said...

Jamie lied. He is not in love with me, he is in love with you and really just wants to push me out of the picture. Who is the selfish jerk now?... Jamie is (in case that wasn't clear) because he is so blind with lust for my boyfriend that he doesn't take into account other people ;).

10/07/2006 01:04:00 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Im not getting into numbered things(way to blow it megan, that shit is for private mass emails, not the entire world!) but I can't even explain how excited that I am for you with your drum-making apprenticeship. As a novice drum maker, I expect you to rub off all information that is possible onto myself. I haven't watched any lost three, so dont feel like you cant talk to me. Oh yeah, I got skype, my name is carlju01, so look me up and leave me a message if you get the opportunity.
It sucks that you feel as though your life is boring at the moment. Basically I think you just have just had a radical three months, and dear god, you may have fallen into a bit of a routine. Now, who is to blame for all of this, well I think the obvious answer is the Finnish. A gentleman as yourself happens to be a connaseur of the film industry.(spelling?) So, get off your ass, stop watching movies and go dance around naked and do messed up drugs or something. Ok so that is obviously in jest, well, except the naked part, get naked all the time.
I check all you kids' blogs several times a day, but basically because they are on my firefox tab bar or whatever it is called. But i check my email and facebook first, so fuck you, i do have a life.
I miss you man, I love reading your non-fictional fables, and they make me smile. keep having fun, eat that cheap indian food up, the next 2 months are going to cruise for you, settle down, LC midterms are next week, so we will see you soon enough.
Sidenote, there is a band tonight at americana, last time i was at american with a band, you were there, and offered to purchase me and a particular slutnik some tequila, tho i declined, you still offered and i love you.
Love,
Justin

10/07/2006 04:27:00 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I LOVE YOU, MEGAN!

10/08/2006 08:31:00 AM

 
Blogger Kevin said...

aw boozizzle.....
I feel you about the 'zone' of experiences that seem to bombard you on a daily basis. while yours may be of a rather cultury-shocky nature, i guess here it's just so close to home that there are itty bitty little things every day that make my mind scream 'oh, that shit's goin on the blog'-- but then i wonder why i'm so obsessed and i wonder if it's important and i wonder if i'll remember and then when i don't i get pissed..... etc.
i think it's like an addiction to remembering things, but with no real payoff.... i dont get it.
to your post--- the drum making sounds awesome... but you knew that... keep up on your classes, i'm not one to talk (i've only had 2 classes), but i would imagine that at some point it will be important... just pull a lucas and do it all at once in december.
your post was epic, and i enjoyed both its length and its girth....

much love, LOST SEASON TWO BUDDY,
kevin

ps- i'll figure out skype if youwanna do it later

10/08/2006 10:57:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Zach-

I would just like to tell you that I was very glad I got to talk to you on the skype the other day. It was fabulous, I loved hearing everything you are up to!
I would also like to say that upon your return to lutherland on december 11th....I am expecting to be serenaded by some mad drum beats and a song written for me and about me in swahili or however you spell it. OK? sweet

peaceout!
linds

10/10/2006 08:12:00 AM

 
Blogger megan craven said...

I would just like to say two things:
1) The only reason Linds wants a song is because she secretly has a crush on you (and has since you became friends) =]
2) She thinks I am an idiot. I constantly have to ask her to help me spell things, and then when she asks me how to spell swahili, she doesn't believe me and instead writes "swahili or however you spell it". Thanks for the trust Linds!
3) That's all
4) I love you

10/10/2006 11:50:00 PM

 
Blogger megan craven said...

I forgot to mention that when you come to France for spring break maybe you can spend a couple of days while I am in classes with Kevin searching for Julie the hot girl from EPCOT!

10/10/2006 11:59:00 PM

 
Blogger Eda said...

Oh Zach....how I wish you were here to hit me and stuff! I miss that! Additionally, I don't know if I've portrayed to you how freaking sweet I think it is that you are learning how to make drums...dude, that is so cool! Also, how cold is it here, you ask?! Freezing!!! I hope Africa is keeping you in warm air, or at least warmer! I finally finished last semester! Drink to that! I also just sent out all my study abroad stuff, so that's becoming much more of a reality! Um, I miss you, and I want you to touch a lion for me while you're there....and ride a zebra. Ok, well, it appears as though I should have used the numbered email system that my beautiful roommate, your lover, chose to do since my comment seems to be quite utterly unstructured. I will work on that for next time. For now, love is flowing across the pond from Larsen 102...peace out brotha!

10/12/2006 02:22:00 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Zach! This is your old friend Brittany. Luke gave me your blog and told me to check it out- so I did. I have to admit that I haven't even come close to scratching the surface in reading all of your blogs, but from what I can tell you seem to be enjoying Tanzania. I can't even imagine how cool it must be there (and not temperature wise...haha). Well, that is all I've got for now. I promise to comment on more specific things when I have more time to read your amazing blog!
~Brittany

10/12/2006 08:46:00 AM

 
Blogger Hilary said...

ZACH!!! so i finally read your blog... it was wonderful (and perfectly long) as usual... and it also took me super long to read all of the comments that other people left ... clearly you are loved. i'm so glad to hear you are having fun making drums (even if your hands are sore and smell bad). have an amazing week, month, day... and let's set up a super crazy Skype conference call again... that was tons of fun. cheers!

10/17/2006 11:57:00 PM

 
Blogger Scott D. Meyer said...

Booze. So glad you thought of a creative project. I did a photo one and it is so worthwhile to have something tangible to bring home. If at all possible pay the man and keep going to the teacher. That experience of working with someone in TZ is invaluable. And hey, about the journal entries, can't you use your blogs? I'd say you're doing pretty well when you take those into account. Anyways, wanted to give a shout out. have you had a chance or met Bre or Josh by any chance? They are friends of mine who moved to Dar in September and live somewhere near the research flats on campus. look for the wazungu.

badaaye.

10/18/2006 05:17:00 PM

 

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