hapana asante

Day 5 in Tanzania, Day 2 of classes

I titled this entry hapana asante which means no thank you in Swahili because I feel the phrase represents my experience in Arusha so far. Since we walk through the clocktower neighborhood which is the town center every day, several times a day to get to and from school we are constantly bombarded with mostly men trying to sell us one thing or another. From newspapers to shoes, or even a taxi ride. Everything is still so new so when I am offered I am kind of thrown off and just shake my head but when I muster up the courage I look the businessman in the eye and say hapana asante.

Right now I am in the Arcadia Center which is a short walk from pretty much anything. On the way there I walk past the East African Communities headquarter and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which is still in session. Before coming to the center for our two hour lunch break I decided I would walk alone for a couple of minutes just into the center of Arusha because I felt ready to take my first short walk by myself. After just a few minutes of being asked every couple second if I wanted a taxi I decided to give up and walk back to the Arcadia Center. Literally 30 seconds after making this decision a man standing on the corner started walking with me and talking to me. (sidenote: supposedly I look Spanish because several Tanzanians have told me this). He started speaking Spanish to me and I just went along with it for the rest of the block. He wasn't trying to sell me anything he just wanted to know what I was doing in Arusha. Then the man selling newspapers on the street heard that I was speaking Spanish and started following me trying to sell me El País. I finally told him that I didn't have time today to read it with an hapana asante.

THEN a man who tried to get some other students and I to go on safari with his company the day before must have recognized me because he shook my hand and and asked me the same questions he asked the day before. Instead of being rude and saying "you asked me yesterday back off" I said, "yeah I recognize you from yesterday. You're a really good businessman. Very persistent." So we exchanged names and went on our ways.

While I know for a fact not everyone is trustworthy, I kind of appreciate in a strange way the curiosity and spirit these people in Arusha have. It is a little off putting to be hawked at because I'm a muzungu but I think its kind of a welcoming... at least they are talking to me instead of completely ignoring me. I'd probably feel even less comfortable if people in Arusha were unfriendly and cold.

kwaheri, tutaonana