Michamvi Zanzibar: Beans vs Mashed

Michamvi Zanzibar: Beans vs Mashed.
Dec 21

Ms. Tanzanian Pageant fed me lunch at her restaurant.  She came to my bungalow to get me in the afternoon to see if I wanted to meet her sister who had just arrived to see her.  Her sister was with a German man.  I guess they think outside of Tanzania…  But here is the thing: her sister was in a car accident three months ago.  She is still on crutches.  Her husband died in the car accident.  Ms. Tanzania Pageant was married once.  Her husband died a year and a half ago.  That makes me a little nervous.  Maybe I had better start thinking of an escape plan soon…

Waking from a nap to find your laundry washed and hung to dry is nice!

I have been working on some writing while I have been relaxing and enjoying life here.  But the problem is the mosquitoes.  They are eating the hell out of me when I sit on my terrace with my laptop and edit work.  I told Ms. Tanzanian Pageant, “Imagine you eat beans every day.  Every day you eat beans.  Beans.  Only beans.  Beans are all you know.  Yesterday was beans.  Today, yep, beans.  Tomorrow, beans again.  And then one day mashed potatoes show up.  You have never tried mashed potatoes before.  Wow, the change is so great.  You eat a lot of mashed potatoes.  You go and tell all of your friends and everyone you know, ‘Incredible!  Come with me.  I have something to show you and for you to try!  Mashed potatoes.  You are going to love it!’  And then everyone eats the mashed potatoes.  They all love it because the change is so nice with Beans vs Mashed.”  That is me here as a foreigner to the mosquitoes.  I am mashed potatoes.

Beans vs Mashed is making my life very itchy.

I found this guy on the beach today. He is a good time.

Today I saw the oldest man I have encountered in Zanzibar.  He was the beer hauler for the restaurants.  He could barely walk, but he was hauling 24-big-bottles of beer from the back of a car to re-stock the small businesses.