Pemba

Two weeks ago I was in Pemba. Pemba is a part of the Zanzibar archipelago which consist of Unguja and Pemba. Even though I was not on vacation, it felt like it. We had a training on Tropical Medicine. Noooo you don't want to know the details.

Started off from Kilimanjaro at 11am in the morning with Precision Airways. No problems with the flight, connected at Unguja Airport after some 6hrs of waiting to Pemba.

Everything was well organized. At Pemba I was picked up by Makame. Actually we were in Muhimbili together... so it was some sort of a reunion. He was more interested in Parasitology/Laboratory science. And now he is working with Ivo de Carneri Foundation at their Public health Laboratory. That is where the training was going to take place. Three other mates from Muhimbili were Lekashingo, Maurice, Elijah and Faustian Ndugulile. Other trainees came from Zimbambwe, Zambia, Malawi, Burundi, Kenya, Germany and the majority from Italy.

After one week of hardwork! We drove finally!!! to the Beach.












We passed through a forest reserve. Just some high vegetations no big game or deal. But the city dwellers from Italy were very excited. I can understand them very well. I get excited seeing a city full of skyscrapers! Who won't?




That is us eating after some fun. Which consisted of swimming and playing football. I was playing like Ronaldo and Lekashingo could not take it anymore. At the end I sprained my ankle and we lost 4-0. I continued limping for the rest of the training. By the way Lekashingo and Sara Banda... my ankle is doing just fine. The other day I was jogging with it (though with a limp).

On the next day (sunday). We went snorkeling. I had never done anything like it before. And I heard Pemba is a great place to snorkel. Which only means watching fish from above while swimming, if you understand what I mean. The fish were just beautiful.... when there are alive going about their daily activities..... reminded me very much of Nemo. And I think I saw a Clown fish, who was not funny at all! I agree with the other guys in film Finding Nemo. Very easy to recognize was also the Swordfish. Hope it was not a baby shark!

And everything was beautiful until I decided to go for a walk in the forest. Well I got lost and took the long way home. That became the joke for the rest of my stay in Pemba.

I guess this blog is full.... it does not allow me to enter more pictures......... That would be all guys

Sophia Urio's Send-off

Hallow everybody!

This weekend, for those not informed, was the send-off party for Sofia Urio. Does not help? She is getting married to Lukas Kimweri Mbaruku who is my cousin. He is born by my late Auntie Lucy. Who was Mom's younger sister. Luke is mama Lucy's last child, after Mbaruku and Kilalo. Enough with the introductions! Let's get on with the story telling.....

Well the party rocked!!!!!!!!!!! We got our bride... that was enough to make Kimweri smilling all the way back to Dar. Wait a minute. Before Kim could smile, this is how it went in pictures....

Hallllllloooooowwwwwwwww everybody Kim getting himself dressed up for probably the first time in his life!!!! Kim with a tie??????? Ohhh by the way at this point Kim's pulse was only 110 bpm.

Hey hey hey..... At this point Sangiwa Anthony said... "Hapa mambo yamebana! Kimweri ndani ya suti! sio mchezo" Lakini tuache utani ametoka chicha I don't have to say more, my brother looks just... simply great......

By the way, I was the Bestman. My first job 2 years after marriage. And I did my best to prevent Kim's pulse going sky high!




Mama Peter and Mzee Ukyota pia walikuwepo....


Mbaruku na Mourice pia walikuwepo...


Kilalo nae alikuwepo, Mawifi jamaniiiiiiii. The sister in-law. I know that smile is more than just a smile.... if you know what sisters in-law do..... just joking Kilalo, I know you will treat her with respect. Lakini mhhh... sisemi.


Mshenga wetu Baba Miu had to wait for a while (with thirst!) before the bride came.... Kimweri's pulse 120



Then Sofia came (Kim's pulse 125bpm weak and irregular), The Mshenga finally got some water. Or was it not? Guess you'll have to ask him. But a better question goes to Kimweri, how did you feel as the bride was about to get blessed by her parents?


Kim's Pulse 150bpm strong!

Forget about the Bride and Kim.... I bet everybody's eyes and salivary glands were concentrated on this..... I swear! I was about to go crazy! and my glands made 1L of digestive fluid! And these guys did not even give us a bite!!!!! (Got it later though).


They brought it over in a special style, or more correctly they were dancing and showing it off for so loooooooong, 2 minutes or something. See for yourself it looks just delicious! One day later while writing this blog I am still salivating. Sio Mchezo.

Halafu akakabidhiwa mwana.pulse 160!!!!!!!!!!! akawa ghafla mdogo.

On the next day we passed to say hallow to bibi. Nice picture, don't you think? The beginning of life and end of life.

And finally he was relaxed on his way back to Dar es Salaam. Look at that smile! Congratulations my Cousin. You are almost there. One week and you are in the CLUB!

Moshi

Moshi is a small town, but nevertheless it is very beautiful especially after the rains. Everything is very green. So I made some pictures for you to enjoy. For those who are asking themselves why i did not take pictures of Mt. Kilimanjaro...pole. The Mountain is so beautiful that you have to come and see it for yourselves.

Hallelluja... Amen

Okay Semkae…. I finally wrote something about Tanzania (some X-file stuff!).

Since you have never attended a healing-prayer session, this would certainly catch your attention.



You all know that bibi had a fracture of her femur which was then operated. Now about two months after the operation, bibi is doing very well. So well that she wants some action and in Bibi’s world that means prayers and healing sessions. She has been listening to some miracle healing advertisements for one week before she finally decided she must go and get cured. Well I am without work, and I was excited. Miracle healings have only been stories to me. This time I have someone I know, who can’t walk. I just wanted to see the miracle! Hallellujah!

On 21st of March I took my camera and drove Bibi to the congregation of healers. We drove in the Escudo with Mom and Edina. When we got there, it was nothing but impressive.

The Church, is located in a multi-complex building. Radio, Hall, NGO, Canteen, Seminar Rooms and even river Jordan!!!


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One must agree the place is well organized. Just as we were thinking how we would carry bibi, five highly motivated men and women came to help us carry bibi into the hall.

The Hall was very spacious, maybe capable of taking in about 600 people. But what really took me by surprise is the Public address system. The speakers were massive…. And loud! Even reaching dangerous levels for the ear. The stage was well decorated (like a wedding). And the preachers (performers) were dancing to the tunes of gospel Music.

In Germany I saw rock shows in churches and in Tanzania I was witnessing Zaire music (Lingala, Bolingo). Don’t get me wrong, this is not negatively meant. It’s just new. I think churches have signed a universal pact to take over the discos. Because that is exactly what happened. Everybody was dancing. I could not resist the tunes and started tapping my feets!

Then it was praying time. Suddenly everybody started talking in strange languages. This was very weird. I have never seen such rituals before. But in the end it looked like some mild form of self-hypnosis.

Before the preaching started, they collected money. Next came an hour of you-have- problems and Jesus-is-the-answer. I have got the point and looong time ago! And I think the worshippers have understood that point more than me… why should one come again and again to hear the same stories… just changed a bit. It’s like watching Movies….you know most endings. So these sessions might be more or less like entertainment. Others go to Movies and discos….why not some prayer sessions?

At some point I was tired and got out. Then I heard strange languages again. It was healing time!! To my disappointment nothing really happened. Only a dozen of fainted women and 2 men.


It is hard to say whether the fainting was natural or caused by fleeing demons. But did Michael Jackson also have Jesus besides him? Michael was also making girls faint…. Without taking out demons.

Well keep an open mind. X.

Sauna

It's Friday and -5 degrees celcius cold. And I am listening to this hip hop song; it's getting hot in here, so get off all your clothes or something like that. And I am thinking, I could do just that, even when it's freezing cold. So off we go.....

People like it in the sauna. Look at that smile, mmh tells you alot ehh?
I know what other people would think about the Sauna. And I am talking about the 'we-believe in God and everybody else is a sinner-types'. They will keep on explaining why and how bad it is to visit the Saunas. But why? because everybody is naked? Nobody is really interested in looking at anybody else. It's warm and one feels free. Nothing more. You wont get an erotish experience, if that's what you think. It was, of course for me a Cultural Shock the first time I was there.

But hey...it's minus 5 outside, and I would like to feel +95°C. I am a Tanzanian and used to +35°C for God's sake.

So after 15 minutes in +95°C, I a was finally able to walk outside in the Nude zone or 'Freie Körper Kultur' in minus 5°C. And I was able sing it's getting cold out here......

Here are some pictures, but nothing from the Sauna..... I am interested to hear from you.


Okay I could use some shaving

Würzburg

What does one on a Saturday in Germany do? Especially when there are very old Castle's to see? The teenies in Germany find it extremly booring. But I find it entertaining..... sometimes
Today (21 Jan, 2005) whe decided to go back to the roots, where Jessica was born. Würzburg.. funny because Wurzeln in Germany means roots. But anyway Würzburg is a small town in Bavaria which is in southern Germany, about 100km from Frankfurt.

Before we got to the hospital and the apartment where Jessica was born and raised, we first visited the Marienburg Marien Castle. The Castle is not very old, just 400 years old I was told. Nevertherless very impressive. It looked to me like it is about two times bigger than Indian Ocean Hotel in Dar es Salaam and it is located on top of a hill. So everybody sees it or rather more correct they see everybody. Someone said it belonged to Catholic Barons! By the way, some Irish missionaries came and made the Barons catholics. And later on they were getting rich from the wine business. And one can easily see how extravagant they were.




















Enough history, I don't know if it's all correct anyway!.

After the Castle, visited some interesting parts in the inner city. A freezed fountain, that was something different from what I am used to see. Jessica took with excitment loads of pictures.

Some hours later, tired and ready to sleep.....



thank you for taking time to read this