In the first two weeks of December, our organisation VSO called us back to Dar for their annual conference and for another week of Swahili training. We took the opportunity and made our first weekend trip to the island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a federal state within the country Tanzania (TanZania is the united republic of and Zanzibar and Tanganyika- the latter being the mainland of Tanzania). Where anywhere else in Tanzania traces of the past are hard to find, in Stone Town (the capital of Zanzibar) you are walking through some centuries of mixed Arab, African, Indian and European influences. Its heydays were when the Omani Sultan moved its capital to here, but sadly enough, under these Sultans Zanzibar became the centre of the East African slave trade to the Arab world. We stayed with Peter & Jane, a very hospitable Canadian couple who made our stay pleasant and comfy. We wondered through the souk with its cacophony of noises and odours, got lost in a labyrinth of small old Arabic alleyways, admired impressive old carved wooden doors and a old Persian hammam, went to the old slave market, and at night we ate in the Forodhani Gardens where dozens of vendors sell their food in the open air. But above all, we enjoyed being in a tourist destination with bars and restaurant with drinks (ice coffee!) and food (desserts!) and service (no hours waiting!) up to (more or less) international standards. And all of that with a white sand beach with breathtaking and panoramic sun sets over the clear blue Indian Ocean. We took the tourist chasing safari sellers for granted...

After this weekend we had to leave Zanzibar to go to the annual VSO conference in Dar Es Salaam. It was good fun to see some fellows back and interesting to hear each other's experiences throughout the country. After the conference we got another week of Swahili training- pretty useful, but still way too short to have proper conversations... but we're improving- step by step. We also used these two weeks in Dar to buy some of the things we cannot get in Mtwara, such as Santa Claus hats J.

We finished our two weeks of travelling around with a visit to Nyangao, a rural village in Mtwara region. We were invited by Jim and Pam for their farewell party. The setting of such an event was a bit new to us: all people were sitting in the same direction, as an audience, facing Jim and Pam who were sitting behind a table listening to many, many speeches. They got many presents, amongst which a living chicken. As they had no idea what to do with it, they took it home and started feeding and caring it. Until the next day the giver showed up insisting to slaughter it immediately. And so it happened...

The last two weeks in Mtwara we worked, did some swimming, played volleyball, had a xmas bbq at the beach and bought two new bikes. This month the short rainy season started, which means that hard rains falls down every now and then. Not that it makes the climate cooler- one hour of sun after such rainfall and the air is hot and humid again.

Right Now we are back again in Zanzibar, starting a one week holiday to celebrate New Year's Eve here and to climb Mount Meru next week. More about that will follow next time!