T.I.A.

TIA - "This is Africa." That's been the theme of my last couple days, and you PCVs and RPCVs out there know exactly what that means: low points. The roller coaster has plummeted again! Despite the high highs of living here, there are, of course, the lows.

That beauty of a car I posted pics of last time is proving to be a real pain in my side. Every rose has it's thorn I'm learning, even with cars...especially in Tanzania.

I have been through more loops that you can fathom trying my level best to first, procure a name change on my registration card (The owner never gave me the original registration card, so I had to track her down in Zimbabwe. Literally. Otherwise, my new best friend (MER!!), the Tanzania Revenue Authority a.k.a. TRA, was threatening to charge me a whopping $500 to have a new one made. That's not bribery at all. Nope).

Then, following the name change saga (BTW: The owner kindly traveled back to Arusha to drop it off for me), I learned I also have to purchase what's called a "Motor Vehicle License" - no big deal, a mere $100 to be on the road. Okay. Okay.

After surfacing post the TRA drama, I felt like all was hunky dory. I had made my way through the darkness, some minor stalls and fixes by my fundi after his major engine overhaul, and the light was on the horizon. I was awaiting my fixed-up car on Saturday (yesterday), bubbling with excitement for my Mid-term break travels the next day (today in theory) with Hunter and his brother Peter visiting from the US....until my fundi (car mechanic) called yesterday evening to report the following in Swahili:

"Furaha am very sorry 4 what had happen. Nilipomaliza kazi wakati nimekwenda kubadilisha nguo mwanafunzi wangu mmoja amejaribu kuwasha gari pasipo mimi kujua na akaingiza gia vibaya gear ya reverse ikafyatuka nimejaribu kuvalisha kwa nje imeshindikana kwa hiyo sina namna zaidi kuitoa tena na kuvisha. So pliz usinisubiri tena nami siwezi kukurudishia gari ambalo halina reverse."

Awesome.

Roughly translated, he says, "Tait, I'm very sorry to tell you when I had just finished fixing your car and went to change clothes, one of my students (i.e. mechanic friends) tried to drive it though I was unaware and blew out the reverse. I can't fix it now so don't wait for me as I am unable to return a car to you today that has no reverse."

The best part: he turned off his phone after sending this message, so I couldn't call him back to find out more details. Clearly, too embarrassed and ashamed to answer to me, he forced me to do something very mature: to tattle tale on him to his brother, my buddy Bernard, with whom I used to work last year (my original connection to this fundi). Bernard eventually got through to someone at his house that was then able to ask Peter what was going on. Current status: still unclear.

One of the most challenging aspects about this culture for me is that it's extremely difficult to discern when someone's telling the truth and when they're lying. The fundi himself could've blown out the reverse for all I know and is instead telling me it was his student who did it. Who and what am I to believe??

Bernard, his older brother, promises me the car will be ready on Tuesday morning at the latest. He texted from a funeral today assuring me he had assigned another additional fundi to the task to speed things up. However, the car was originally promised back in August. I'll believe it when I see it!

I wonder where the fine line is between expecting good out of people and expecting too much? I tend to fall in the latter bracket and end up being disappointed. Note to self: I need to keep my expectations lower!

Our students are back home with guardians, hopefully all salama until the 24th! Upon their return, we'll be participating in our first ever Track & Field Event at a local International school with a track. Just imagine what the javelin will be like for our Maasai students :)...

Also, had a GREAT time reconnecting with Bright Tate and her buddies from PC-Malawi. We cooked an epic breakfast the morning they left for Kili. Go CMW go!
And last but not least, with Ibby and her sweet Baba, Bill, on their way to the big hunt.
My "SMISH" award of this month goes to this lil munchkin, Eric.