21 September 2013
We are window-plastered faces. The plane wing backdropped by perfect clouds and crisp blue ocean. The bus ride. Crooked coconut trees extend highest in the sky. Local eyes follow the bus as it zips along the surprisingly well-manicured road. Children dancing, stopped and stared, wide-eyed at the passing wazungus [foreigners]. They play with soccer balls, old coke bottles, rubber tires and sticks.
Ocean. Breeze. Sunset. Birds flying. Noises, voices. On the bus Indian (Bollywood) music plays, fitting the mood. Golden headscarf wrapped around my face. Hot and humid. Sticky back. I could live here. I could be the quiet mzungu wife who plays with the little children. Cover me up in modesty, I like it here. Beautiful view, fishing boats in the calm azure water.
Musings on my first trip to a tropical island, Pemba, Tanzania. Ever since I stared out that window and saw my first glimpse of island life I have been forever drawn towards islands and their surrounding marine environments. I will never forget my time spent in Pemba –from our experience in classrooms and the role education plays in their society, to exploring seaweed farms and other important forms of livelihood among the islanders. Many of my experiences in East Africa have shaped me more than I can imagine, and I hope someday I can return to the beautiful countries of Kenya and Tanzania.
If you are interested in East Africa and marine ecosystems, I suggest reading Christine Walley’s Rough Waters: Nature and Development in an East African Marine Park. While I have not read it myself, it has been on my to-read list for awhile as it has been recommended to me many times. If any of you have read it before, please feel free to comment on this post with your opinions and reviews!
The Edited Jottings of an Amateur Anthropologist 