Arusha Town!

As I’m writing this, I am sitting at a cafe in Arusha where Langoi has parked me while he gets something done to his car. We came to Arusha today to run some errands and get some work done on his car. I wish I could express how different it is, and yet, how similar to a big city back home. It is still early (relatively…11:15 am), so the cafe isn’t full yet which is probably why they tolerate this Mzungu sitting here after her chai and japati are done. There is a lot of traffic going by, both on foot and vehicular. There seem to be a lot of car part stores along this particular street. You can find just about anything from spare car parts, floor mats, to radios and everything in between. It’s very colorful yet dirty and dusty. You kind of get used to it after a while. I remember the first time I came to Tanzania over a decade ago, and I was shocked at the buildings and houses, especially the bomas of the Maasai, because it is so different from America. But I think that difference is what gives it its beauty. The people are friendly and warm to me. I have never really felt unsafe in all the years I’ve been traveling here.