Waiting is part of the
Tanzania experience.
Right now, we wait for
either the tractor to come, the sun to dry up the soil, or some other solution
to our situation to magically appear. It doesn’t rain during the dry
season….normally. Well, this morning, it did, and half an hour of showers was
enough to turn the “all weather road” through the park into a mess of mud and
water. Sure enough, our car got stuck, just as others did.
Two days ago, we waited
for Peter, our Tanzanian colleague, to show up, or at least call. The whole
day. When Peter finally made it to the entrance gate of the park, darkness had
fallen. No one is allowed to enter the park after dark. However, the people at
the gate know him, and were willing to let him pass, but not without authorization
from higher up. So they made a few phone calls. Meanwhile, Peter waited for a
decision – for 1 ½ hours. And we waited for Peter. Who didn’t come that night –
the decision had been negative.
Walking around the
village during the late afternoon, I observe a harmonious feeding community:
goats, baboons and warthogs all peacefully coexisting, finding a meal in the
light of the low-standing sun.
Late afternoons are the
best time in the village anyway. The heat of the day is over, people have
finished the day’s chores, and lie on woven mats in front of their houses,
weaving ropes from leaves, chatting with each other, or just looking into the
air.
More about my Tanzania experience on the IUCN website and Kesho Trust website (thank you Kesho Trust!).
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