Greetings from Tanzania!

Greetings from Tanzania!

My lady and I made it to Dar es Salaam and found a nice little apartment to settle into for a couple months while she does research in the city.

Jet lagged, hot, sweaty and happy.

 As luck would have it, we "randomly" got a place that ended up being owned by a professor who runs the institute which my girlfriend is being supported by. We showed up to move in and asked who our neighbor in the compound was and were introduced to the professor and his large and friendly family. It turns out he had a stroke a few weeks back and wanted to try acupuncture to improve his recovery time. I've been working with him a few times so far, and he loves it. I’ve also started treating one of his wives for diabetes and I have a growing list of friends and family who want treatments as well. Every time I go next door to treat I meet new ministers and more of the local ruling class. Not what I was looking for, and not necessarily who I would like my work to be limited to in the long run, but they are curious about Oriental medicine so perhaps this little auspicious coincidence will bear fruit in connections to local medical organizations. Who knows. My place is just to ride these little waves, treat whoever needs my services, and see if it turns into opportunities to teach acupuncture and moxa to those who need it most. 

So far it's taken some time to get used to the unique climate here in the city; hot, sweaty, crowded and dirty. It is strange coming from the high snow-filled mountains only a week and a half ago. Seems like a different lifetime. If it wasn't a dirty crazy hot city I might be tempted to stay in Dar and set something up. Our plan is to live here in the city for a few months, after which we are trying to make it up to the Usambara mountains where it is cooler and we can enjoy nature and the peace of village life. Mariko lived in a tiny village in these mountains for two years and has been dreaming of them ever since. I’m told it is one of the most peaceful places she has ever been. I can’t wait to see it. There is a little clinic out there that serves the area. I’m hoping to be able to set up a relationship with them and see if I can do some training there. There are still many unknowns about how the medical part of this journey will unfold, yet we just arrived and already everything seems to be continually falling into place.

It is my hope to get out of the city and into the wild for a few days in the next couple weeks. I want to meet a hippo and bask in the new set of equatorial stars. That adventure comes next. Our current one is set in a little bubble amidst shanty towns, with tuk tuks zooming around, constant chaotic traffic jams and a teeming sea of human life. 

The view from my bedroom window. Poverty and relative wealth sit side-by-side. Our side is protected by a big fence with sharp spikes on it and guards lounging under the trees 24hrs a day. At night "the dog" is brought in. He sounds like a real beast. I saw where they kept the dogs at another house we looked at. Tiny little concrete boxes in the sun with small air-holes in a metal grate from which a frothing and barking set of jaws would poke out when I passed. I hope our guard dog has a better life.

Fortunately the Tanzanians are incredibly nice and welcoming. Compared to many places in Africa it's safe here. We still have to live in a guarded compound, but we get lots of hellos and smiles every time we venture out. As I type I can hear drumming off in the neighborhoods close by. Yesterday we found it’s source. A little shack with a wide open dirt yard filled with older Tanzanians dancing and singing up a storm. Another little gem to explore in the coming days.

My daily walk to the market for fresh vegetables and fruit takes me through the traditional woodworkers market. It is a several block row of little stalls filled to the brim with “ebony” elephants, statues of Masai warriors and carved masks. I made my first purchase of local art from a nice and talented woodworker named William. I had no intention of buying a rhino, but William was so nice, and so hungry, and the rhino was so full of character I couldn’t resist.

His name is Stony Tangawizi.

I will keep you updated on our adventures. Mariko, Stoney and I feel so fortunate to have this incredible opportunity and I am happy to have you join us.

Much sweaty and sincere love from Tanzania.