Karibu Tanzania

Those are the first words to be heard upon arrival: Welcome to Tanzania!
On Tuesday night I arrived to Dar es Salaam. (Don’t know when I’ll have internet connection to actually post this, so better just to write Tuesday night than last night, etc.). I must seem suspicious because of all of the passengers at the visa stop, I was the only who was required to have his picture taken and a visa insert pasted in my passport with the photo stating that I must leave the country on the day stated, 29 May. My greatest concern was that Fr. Mnubi from Loyola High School, who was waiting to schlep me back to LHS, would leave thinking, “He must have missed his flight.” It was dark –and even more than might be usual because of some problems with municipal electricity on this end of town – so I didn’t see so much at all. I did see the dalla-dallas that I’d heard and read about. Along the way, I’ll get a picture of one of these well-used mini-busses filled with folks.

I thought of my Dad and Ted Demski and also about the folks over on Larchmont Parkway in Toledo. In the heat of the summer my dad and Ted and Rob Loeb’s parents and their neighbors would take their lawn chairs out on the lawn or sit on the stoop and listen to the Tigers on WJR (“the great voice of the Great Lakes) and solve the world’s problems in this way. You see, as we made our way back along a certain stretch of road closer to LHS, folks were out of their houses enjoying the company of one another (assisted with a little something, from what I could tell); there was a summer vibrancy in the air – though, of course, technically being south of the equator we’re headed toward winter.

The road to LHS is in bad repair. Not sooo bad, though -- for Detroit area Jesuits: It’s half as bad as the road going from Colombiere to Gargaros (sp?) in the spring. The ruts here have a lot to learn from those car-swallowing (at least tire-swallowing) outside Clarkston, MI.

Finally, we arrive to a walled compound and the gate is opened for us. Electricity has been out here, too, but comes on just after we arrive. The lesson is to have a torch with you at all times – to be ready like the wise virgins (and with my iphone application, I was!).

Mnubi kindly showed me to my room, but couldn’t decide whether I was assigned to “s” or “m.” That frightened me only for a second until I realized these designations were meant for the community’s Superior and Minister who suffer and inflict their own sorts of pain! As we opened one of the screen windows up, we noticed a slight hole at the bottom, with a little lizard peeking its head through. I didn’t shriek, but I did make what must have been a perceptible flinch. As I said out loud “might as well get used to them now,” Mnubi noted that lizards are our friends – they stay away from us and feast on mosquitoes.

Community Mass is at 06h15 Mass tomorrow, so I should get some sleep. In order for that to happen with so much on my mind (not least of which is my sister Marcia’s poor state of health) I’ve asked someone who might help to make an introduction to Mr. Morpheus: Dr. Ambien; calling Dr. Ambien.

Good night.