A week in the life of Tanzania ** graphic warning **

Since the last time I wrote, I have had so many new experiences that I hardly know where to begin. A brief summary includes an attack by killer bees, a visit to a local hospital, a tour of the slums of Arusha with a local, a hike up to an incredible waterfall and a Maasai village, and the best dinner ever.

Perhaps I should begin with the most … exciting?? Last Friday afternoon, yes, even the day before I posted my last blog entry, I was out with many from our Volunteer House, past the east end of Arusha in an area called Usa River. Several of my covolunteers work out there, in an orphanage/school/widows support centre/eco park. Every Friday evening they host a party of sorts, with local food, drinks and dancing to enjoy. It had been less then 10 minutes after arrival when one of the boys threw a rock at a bee hive on the premises. Now a word about African bees: they are tough, focused and dedicated to the end. AND they like the smell of Burt’s Bees products. So – I was fresh meat.

Once the bees found me, I can’t describe to you how scary it was. They swarmed everywhere, stinging like mad, and I was only able to escape what I can’t imagine when a local family living in a hut nearby threw a sarong to me. It covered me which stopped the bees momentarily so I could run into their hut. They kindly kept me safe, picking out over 50 bees out of my skin and hair. Arms, legs, hands and head were ripe targets. The family was incredibly nice, speaking in Kiswahili and repeating over and over “pole” for sorry. After some 45 min I was able to leave the hut, and with help made it to the main road to jump into a dala dala (local “public transit” – more on that later) which eventually took me to a hospital.

I will skip some of the adventure in lieu of time and space to tell you that while the government run hospitals are cheap, this one was extremely basic. The doctor hardly assessed me, basically saying, why were you playing with bees? The nurses wished to inject me straight away with hydrocortisone, which in my stressed and pained state I simply agreed to because at that moment I thought there could be nothing worse than how I was feeling. I should also mention that during the attack, I had dropped my purse with all ID, money and phone in the middle of a field. Thankfully it was returned to me later entirely intact.

In Mount Meru hospital I am quite sure that the person two beds over was dying of TB, and the man in the next bed was suffering from AIDS-related complications. The bedsheet was bloodstained and the tub they gave me to relieve my adrenaline stomach ache was dirty. No one gave me a tissue to wipe my face of tears, snot and vomit. But like I said, there were bigger issues at that hospital. Needless to say, I am glad I made it through the end of that entire experience, although I am still fighting the ridiculous itching of many many bee stings that resurfaced after several days. Ahh, the human body. Best friend, worst enemy. I owe a particular thanks to Michelle, a woman from Ottawa area who is at the Vol. House with me, who helped me out a ton, getting me to the hospital and out again. I would have been in a much worse state without her.

Due to time and space considerations, I will cut this one off for now and catch up again in the next few days. So many of the things I have experienced are due their own entries and space for reflection on their own.

I wish you all well and I welcome comments and questions.

Best of love,
Erin