Women and children love bags with the
face of professional wrestler John Cena on them
Teenage boys love Shania Twain and
Celine Dion- they will blast “My Heart Will Go On” from their
cell phones without shame or reserve
Obama. He is black, he is the president
of America. It doesn't matter that his ancestry is actually from
Kenya, not Tanzania
Tanzos love Just Beiber. Not as much as
Celine Dion or Shania Twain, but he is up there.
Soda is expensive, which means that it
becomes a treat for children and the prize of becoming wealthy. There
is no status icon more potent than Fanta.
Tanzos pick their noses. In public, out
there, no shame. One person told me that it isn't good when people do
that, the act is still socially frowned upon, but the majority of
Tanzanians are trying to change that
You know a bus is safi when you get on
and there are no chickens. Tanzos carry chickens across the country
by bus, chickens under their seats, sitting on their laps, sitting in
the overhead compartment. I have had many discussions with my dada on
how chickens are clean, but ducks are dirty. She would rather have
chickens than any other animal, and having a cat or dog for a pet is
stupid
Maybe it is because I'm white, but
Tanzos, men especially, but not exclusiely by any means, stare. You
will lose a staring contest with a Tanzo. I have tried.
Bus rides are usually crowded, and the
seats are tiny, but even when the bus is half empty, and there is
plenty of room, Tanzos like to cuddle, and will rearrange themselves
so they are leaning against you, or have their arm in your lap,
whilst on your bus ride.
Tanzanians don't have the same
boundaries that Americans do with space. In fact, they really like
touching each other while talking to each other, whether its a smack
to get your attention, or, my mama's favorite, caressing my shoulders
and chest while talking to or about me.
Another thing some Tanzos love is shirts that they may not know the meaning of. When I was there, driving through a big market, I saw a guy with a shirt that said "WHAT IS YOUR O FACE?" on it.
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