Victory and Defeat

What a complex day…I am exhausted yet I feel like I should get it all down; especially since I just had a great victory. Let us begin with the win because there was also defeat…
This evening Mesha and I were taken to dine at an excellent Indian restaurant with a man we recently met. To accurately explain my victory I am afraid I must be politically incorrect. One way or another, the discussion landed on the recognition of women’s work. The man views women’s work as a given that does not need to be recognized or appreciated although he knows that the house could not run without her. Holding this view was his first mistake, expressing it was his second. One of the difficult yet beautiful things about Tanzanians is that they are very frank. They frequently say precisely what they are thinking without any hesitation. Thus Mesha was quick to counter his views. To make a long story short, the win was our ability to utterly silence a man who openly holds patriarchal and sexist views of women. It really struck me how valuable a woman’s education is to her ability to defend herself. Without a doubt it is due to my education that I could discuss the essential importance of considerating women’s work in policy making and the efficiency of a man’s world.
Unfortunately I also experienced some defeat today. Mesha and I are desperately trying to make headway on the database. I think I already mentioned that the district ministers are all in meetings this week and so coordinating interviews has been difficult. While meeting with an officer today, however, we discovered the letter of introduction had not been properly disseminated to all ministers. Introductions are essential in the government sector. If you don’t ask questions with legitimate authority and clearance there are people who get very angry. Rightfully so I guess but we DID take proper precautions by insuring letters were to be sent to the right people. Unfortunately we didn’t double check far enough down the line of command and the final dissemination of the letter did not occur. I was rather frustrated but it's important to roll with the punches as they say. Anyway, the ministers had not received the letter and so we had to do some running around to correct the miscommunication. By Friday everyone should have the letter and we have two appointments so it should be clear sailing from there. HOWEVER…it has been two weeks and we are barely taking a chunk out of the work that needs to be done.

In funny news, an old drunk Maasai man on the daladala asked me to “just come” with him so I could join his harem of two wives. Umm…he mostly used hand actions to explain this so it was pretty hilarious and awkward…

In exciting news, I randomly met Forrest, the man who facilitated my trip to Bukoba, Tanzania, three years ago. I was just sitting in the foyer of the hotel and suddenly he was there before me, walking through the same foyer. “Forrest?!” I said. It was totally bizarre, then we sat for chai upstairs and I finally got to meet his wife and their adorable little baby.