Dar is...

AWESOME!!!



















































I just made it halfway through my first week here in Dar (as many travelers through here call it) and I have to say that it is an amazing experience. Of course, walking down the street here or driving to a meeting is very different than anything I've ever seen, but it is really interesting to just take it all in and see how life goes on here.

Driving here is basically like a video game; you just take an opening when you see it with no real rules as to how to go about it. Instead of signaling, most people just honk their horns to let cars know they're approaching (or the people that just walk or ride bicycles everywhere). They drive on the opposite side of the road than back home, but from what I've observed, if there is an opening in oncoming traffic, you take it and the others just have to wait.

We definitely stand out here being white, but I almost don't notice just after a few days, because people don't bother you at all like I thought they may. In fact the people here have been just as nice, if not nicer, than they are in good ol' Texas.

The food has been really good and extremely cheap. I can have all 3 meals out and get completely full for a grand total of under $10, so I can't complain there at all.

Our hotel is really great; every Wednesday is Tanzania night here with a huge buffet of local foods (really good by the way), singing, dancing, and shows by tribal dancers and performers.

Now that I've gone through that, my job is great, too. I basically work 9-5; just not in an office setting. The day is spent out and about going from meeting to meeting. Between meetings, we're usually preparing for meetings or on the phone setting up more meetings. We're just getting going on those, but today we did head to the U.S. Embassy to meet with a diplomat there and should be going back next week to meet with the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania, as well as reps from USAID. We'll also be meeting with officials from World Bank and International Monetary Fund next week while we wait on the government to wrap up their budget session in the political capital (Dodoma). Once they get back, we'll start up those meetings.

The job is fast pasted and requires a lot of responisibility, as well as quick thinking and a positive attitude. I absolutely love it so far and look forward to waking up and facing a new set of challenges every day (it makes life more interesting).

This weekend, my collegue and I are thinking of a day trip to Zanzibar Island, but other than that, we'll just be taking it easy around Dar and learning our way around more. My coworker is Irish, so I'm getting him to teach me how to drive on the 'wrong' side of the road. Sounds easy enough, but I'd rather not just jump behind the driver seat in this crazy traffic; it'd be hard enough if they were driving on the 'right' side of the road with the way they drive over here.

I'll try to upload a few pictures and videos (if that's possible) for now and will put more up over time, of course!

Hope all is well with everyone!
email me if you get the chance