Flower Farm

September 21, 2008



It has been a busy week- jetting around my little area of the southern highlands. I have done a lot of meeting and greeting-



First of all, the flower farm- I am not really sure where to begin as it still feels like a dream. Six of us went out there- me, and two other girls from my class- Jess and Margaret. Three of the 2nd year (I sound like I go to Hogwarts- but you know what I mean- they are about to finish service) education guys went with us, Josh, Benja, and Jonathan. Well, I guess I should say they are the ones that took us there since I have only met Zummi and Adina twice before and they are all great friends with them. I should say something here about hanging out with people who are in the process of finishing their service, because I did a lot of it this week. It is great for many reasons- they speak Kiswahili at the superior level (I am supposedly at advanced low- but doesn't really feel like it), this in itself makes it worth it because there is little to no confusion on their end when talking with Tanzanians. They also know when we are getting ripped off, how to get places, they know people wherever we go, and can give advice on things. For example, How to cook a pizza over a charcoal fire? (Answer: cook the crust first flipping it, then top it, then move the coals from the bottom to a lid over it- switching the heat source from the bottom to the top- complicated but worth it.) So overall it is great- I think the reason why they hang out with me maybe my endless questions, texts, worries, etc. that they find funny. Or maybe it is when they express fear of returning to the states I remind them that you can get a milkshake at any hour at home, or that roads can be paved... I don't know. There are times it is tough to hang out with people who have already lived here for two years and are boys- because if you have been here for two years you are in good shape- meaning able to walk with a pack long distances, haul water- no problem. Also you don't worry so much about getting sick- your stomach is tough- well, everything is, nothing phases you. I am looking forward to being at that point. But meanwhile it is frustrating to let someone do all the talking for you, to sit with a blank stare, to text someone, "How do I build my water filter again?" Basically it is just hard to be the newbie.



There are times I think I am being tough when actually I am just being stupid. For example- when building my water filter, you are supposed to poke a hole through a plastic bucket- they tell us to heat a knife up in the fire and force it through. So I heat up the Swiss Army Knife my sister gave me (The most useful thing I brought next to my headlamp.) After the third or fourth time heating and poking, the knife closes on my hand. Once I realize that all my fingers are still there and I don't need to be Med-Evaced to South Africa, I realize it is just a cut with a burn over it- "cool-" I think, "I am so tough..." So I leave it uncovered to "air out". Once I meet up with the second years in Njombe, they didn't think this was such a hot idea, as I do live in Africa in squalor- and they tell me about a girl in their group who has a cut that gets infected causing pus to ooze out of every cut in her body- not so cool. So I agree to let them neosporian and bandage up burt or curn (These are the cut/burn combinations that Benja coined for the injury.) And luckily- no pus just a large pink scar.



Anyways, back to the flower farm. Zummi picked the six of us up in his pick-up at the closest village. (I think you remember what I said about Zummi and Adina from previous entries.) We drove out a ways and then on a hill I could see about 20 large green houses. They are rose farmers- growing and importing to European markets- they are the largest employer in Njombe and have about 130 Tanzanians on staff. A bit after getting there Zummi took us on a tour, it is amazing, they had a shipment going to Amsterdam that day and we got to walk through the greenhouses and learn about how to grow roses here, what buyers are looking for, etc. We went into the sorting rooms, the cooling room, all of this being run off a generator in Tanzania. Adina is a photographer as well, so she also has a studio on the property. Zummi and Adina's house is nice and homey- with a beautiful view. They remind me of my parents at home, if you took twenty years of my parents, moved them to Africa and gave them European accents. They are good parents, warm, inviting, laid back people, with a home that you feel comfortable in immediately. And of course, it is an added benefit that they are willing to feed and bathe a bunch of hungry, dirty American kids...



We did yoga on the lawn, drank wine, ate cheese, listened to music, danced, told stories, etc. Adina made a spectacular dinner of Lebanese food- which she served us on platters and we ate with our hands. I am still thinking about this dinner- I did not know it was possible to make food this good in Tanzania- hummus, tabbouleh, flat bread, falafal, lentils, cucumber raita- there was at least ten different veggie dishes- I was in heaven! Then, get this, the eight of us took a hot tub- outside, under the starry African sky- It was so beautiful. It was weird to think where I was- I could have been anywhere- full, relaxed, surrounded in beauty, laughing with new friends. Definitely my most posh night in Tanzania so far. The next morning after pancakes and coffee (I Know!) Z and A drove us back to Josh's site- which is incredibly generous as it usually takes 4-5 hours to go the 80 K by public transport. But in Zummi's truck took us a little over 2 hours. They hung out for awhile to see what the PC life has to offer-