Mkasu Tanzania

A somewhat delayed posting of my CRS Tanzania trip. My United flights were great but the Swiss Air from Zurich to Dar es Salaam was awful. Swiss Air is “proud” of its 3-class plane but what that means is Coach is very crowded. 1+ hour to get my visa and CTA (Certificate of Temporary Activity) at the airport; collected my two bags and off to Slipway Hotel. This is a lovely place on the water which was great as I immediately became ill with a URI (upper respiratory infection). CRS and I decided to delay my departure for the “country” until Sunday to give me an extra day of R&R. Worked! Made flip charts and drank lots of fluids. The drive was 8 hours; picked up Sebastian Assenga my friend and interpreter from the last 5 years. He has now retired from the Ministry so is available for CRS assignments. We arrived and went to the first lodging – no toilets! Was not acceptable for a 2+ week assignment so went to Twiga Hotel. It is owned by the Tanzanian National Parks; room had a toilet! The host is a rice growing and milling association. As it is the harvest season, we agreed to meet in the primary school room from 2 to 5 pm daily except Sunday. Topic is agribusiness 101. Every day - 30+ members learning a new “language”. I also taught the "Hokey Pokey" to the school kids.

I walked every morning around the hotel which is surrounded by two national parks. Sebastian and I ate lunch at Twiga Hotel every day – rice, beans and green vegetables with the famous Red Gold Chili Sauce (only in Tanzania). Went to the small village nearby Mkasu looking for Kleenex but was not available. Paper napkins were the substitute. Class went well every day with one exception: On one day, some participants were at a water crisis. One farmer diverted the canal to his property; not legal. A Village meeting was held to discuss the infraction – local government at its best. Sebastian gave a wonderful lecture on SRI is “system of rice intensification” - raising rice with minimal flooding; 15 day old seedlings are planted rather than broadcasting seeds (birds carry off).

Back to Dar and the Slipway Hotel. Had great tacos (!) with Tim Bergstrom, formerly with CNFA and now DAI. Packing and debriefing and then to the awful Swiss Air plane. Fortunately, United from Zurich to EWR to SAN.