The discovery

Before I got on the plane, I was full of fears and doubts. I was starting a whole new experience, and I didn’t know exactly what to expect. But that was my goal at the time, I wanted a complete change of scenery! The first flight to Dubai was very pleasant. I had three seats for myself and a porthole to admire the sky. I had a good vegetarian meal and watched an Ethiopian movie to get in the african life, the story of a poor village kid who became a photographer on his way to Addis Ababa, the capital. I didn't sleep, despite the dim light and the fake glittering stars on the ceiling, for me it was the afternoon. When I arrived in Dubai, I had to walk for about 30 minutes to find the boarding gate for my other flight, I didn't feel like going through all the shops, I went through the parallel aisle which was quieter. I had a little hour of waiting, something to cool off. We didn't have a TV and the plane was small and full this time. But I still had the right to my vegetarian meal. It was now night for me, I tried to sleep in spite of the uncomfortable seats and the lack of space.

We had a first stop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (like the movie) apparently for security reasons. We stayed almost 2 hours on the plane before taking off again. The next stop was Zanzibar, this one was planned, some passengers got off and then we left for Dar es Salaam, the final destination. I had never made so many stops while staying on the same plane. After almost 20 hours of traveling, I finally arrived. I passed customs very easily compared to others around me who were drowning in questions. At the exit, Jovin (the school manager and where I will stay) was waiting for me, he did not have a sign with my name, but he spotted the only "white" one disembarking with large bags.

He was with a friend who asked directly to make a photo with me. I was a little lost and exhausted from the trip, but I was pretty calm and attentive to everything that was going on. I changed my euros for Tanzanian shillings a bit, then we took a taxi to Jovin's house. It was hot and heavy, but it’s the coolest time here. I was still in my winter gear, I couldn’t wait to get there. I stayed with Jovin's family, in a modest but luxurious house for the neighborhood.

Jovin, at 26, works as a safari organizer from his home, and his passion is to take care of the school. He lives with his parents, his sister and his niece. They are christians. They all speak english and have welcomed me and made me feel at home.

I have a room with a double bed for myself. There are Turkish toilets and since there is no running water, the shower is done with a bucket of water in the same room. For laundry and dishes, it's the same but outside. It's authentic and simple, I like it. There is only one water point, it is in the yard and it is sometimes cut off during the day. There are buckets of water filled all over the house.

Cooking is done in a coal stove, outside in a kind of small shed. I had the opportunity to spend time there, with Jovin's mother and sister, by peeling the potatoes. They don't let me help them much because I'm the guest, so I watch. They prepare three meals a day, so I have the pleasure of tasting good local dishes. “Vitambua” (small rice doughnuts) or “chapati” with a banana, and a soluble African coffee for breakfast, and a base of rice or “ugali” (corn flour and water) with vegetables for lunch and dinner. I also tasted bananas cooked like potatoes in tomato sauce: it's very good and substantial. The best I've eaten so far is rice with peas cooked in coconut milk and tomato sauce, I love that. They know I don't eat meat, so they never make it for me. It seems pretty easy to have a balanced meal while being a vegetarian here.

At home, I spend most of my time with Sasha, who is 4 years old. She is adorable, she follows me everywhere, we play a lot, she speaks a little English and I am teaching her French.

I also like to talk to Tina, who is 21 years old. She started her studies but had to stop, for lack of money. She hopes to be able to resume them as soon as possible. She likes me to take her picture, she is very pretty and I now have beautiful portraits of her. She goes out little, and takes care of the housework and the kitchen. There are far fewer places or activities around which young people gather here. I realize that it is a luxury to have access to so much leisure.

Everything takes a long time from this neighborhood. I learn to have a little more patience. Life is very simple, punctuated by basic needs: food, hygiene and education or work. The majority of the population is muslim and the other part is christian, like my host family. They speak Swahili. As I understand it, it is the language spoken in most East African countries. So I could use it later on in my journey. Those who have gone to school can normally speak English well enough, so there is always a way to be understood. I find Tanzanians very relaxed, which is nice, I'm never stressed out here.

One thing they don’t have patience for is driving, they can even double on the sidewalk if there is no room on the road. They drive on the left. All sorts of vehicles and pedestrians are swarming all over the place. I must confess that I admire them to succeed in driving under such conditions.

Jovin or a friend of his always accompanied me. It’s complicated since the neighborhood where I’m living is quite remote and has no street names, there are very few landmarks and indications. I like to be discreet, in this district, absolutely not touristy, it is not easy. People shout “mzungu” when they see me in the street. It's their way of calling tourists here. They are often happy to greet me in English and take a picture with me. I'm staying in the Mbagala neighborhood where the streets are made of sand. To go in the city center, I have to take several dalla-dalla and the traffic is often blocked. It might take me an hour or more sometimes. The best way to visit Dar es Salaam, which is a very large city, is to take a stroll , and let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere and the very intense rhythm. I have seen the National Museum, which is in a chic neighborhood, but I preferred the discovery of markets where you can find absolutely everything. After experiencing the chaos of the city, I was also able to enjoy the beaches to the south which are quite heavenly.

On the street I would love to take pictures, but there are so many people that I haven’t dared yet. It’s hard to stop, everyone is pushing you. So I take advantage of calmer moments like at the edge of the ocean to make some of them but they are not the same colors or the same atmosphere as at the market.

During my 15-day stay here, I volunteer at a school for disadvantaged children. I will explain more about this experience in the next article that will be specially dedicated to this NGO.