Eid plans, and other things

Ramadahn is almost over. And that means the Eid is coming. Depending on the sighting of the moon, we will either have next Monday and Tuesday, or next Tuesday and Wednesday off of classes. One of the cool things about Tanzania is that religious holidays are generally celebrated by everyone. Maybe not religiously, but religious holidays of different religions mean that schools and offices are shut down and there are usually events or parties.

This weekend I am travelling to Zanzibar. I am planning on coming back Tuesday, so I should have plenty of time to see Stone Town and sit on the beach, and relax a little. I've been told that I should go to the Two Tables restaurant, so that is a destination for a meal one day. I'm excited to see Zanzibar during the end of Ramadahn, I've been told it's a good time to go. And next Tuesday there are half price Bollywood films at the cinema so that will be fun.

The power situation is precarious. Apparently the contractor that was hired to install more power generators isn't an actual company, it's just a company in name and doesn't have the resources to actually build the generators. So that doesn't help. And the Pangani River basin, which supplies most of the water for the hydroelectric dams in Tanzania, has problems. It's overgrown with weeds, and there are other ecological problems that cause water shortages in the dams. There might be even more power shortages. It's just a difficult situation. Most of the LCCT students are adapting well. We know when to come to the labs, and we know to work quickly and save often. And it's just how life is, there is no use complaining about it.

My roommate isn't eating dinner anymore. She wants to "slim." She drinks tea in the morning, eats rice and chicken or rice and beef for lunch, then drinks tea and eats ginger biscuits for dinner. Now, my roommate might have a little more of a behind than the average mzungu, but she is by no means overweight. I've been "sabotaging" her diet by bringing her chicken at night though. She has been very happy and thanks me each time I bring her food. I'm still concerned though, because I don't understand why she thinks she is overweight.

We have pineapple now on campus! The pineapple here is delicious. It does not taste nearly as good in the US as it does here. The fruit here in general is wonderful, and so much better tasting than back home. And it's very cheap. It is only 50 shillings for an orange, and 100 shillings for a strip of pineapple. I'm still holding out for mangos. They aren't in season yet, and it sounds like they will just come back in to season right before we leave.