The rain streaks horizontally across the office windows. The wind blows perilously sharp sticks against the large glass panes. Every hour or so, there are 15min of deluging monsoon... Just enough time to start gathering the animals 2 by 2, and then it all stops. The sun briefly reappears from behind the thick haze of clouds. No I'm not home in NYC; it's the 'short rains' season here in Tanzania. I suppose that refers to the brief time of each downpour as well as the length of the season itself (about one month).
*Sigh* only two and a half weeks ago, I was on the beach in Zanzibar on a getaway with some friends for the long weekend. What, you didn't get a 4-day weekend 2 weeks ago? You mean to say that you culturally insensitive bastards worked during Eid-el-Fitri, the end of Ramadan? Golly I love working for the UN and getting the holidays of every major religion off, plus half-day Fridays ;-)
Anyway, as usual, Zanzibar was glorious... especially after over a month of confinement to my barnyard of an office. It’s just such an easy trip from Arusha--40min on a cheap little puddle jumper flight and you land on an island paradise, where the white sand beaches are dotted with cheap little bungalow-style hotels and thatched roof bars complete with hammocks, bonfire pits and reggae music squeaking out of the ancient stereo systems.
This time around I was in Kendwa on the North-West tip of the island with a bunch of guys from work for three days of relaxing, tanning very carefully under the hot tropical sun, being that corny tourist girl that picks up seashells along the beach, and wowing the beach hawkers with my Swahili skills. Then I was joined by my Romanian/Canadian co-intern/friend/housemate Catinca (she fills a lot of categories) and her very funny quasi-Mafioso father who generously sponsored the rest of the weekend. On the last evening on the beach, we hired a boat taxi to take us to Nungwi at the very Northern tip of the island and our whole group set off for a sunset 'cruise' and decadent dinner. On our way back, as the lights of the beach bars glittered along the coast, a different light appeared under us in the water. It was a bioluminescent algae bloom, glowing ghostly green. The phosphorescence is caused when the water is agitated around the algae, so our little skiff looked like Tinkerbelle, leaving a trail of fairy dust in its wake.
The next afternoon, Catinca and her father dragged me off the beach kicking and screaming, after I had embarrassed myself by begging every bar/restaurant owner on the beach to give me a job so I could stay there forever… Ok, I didn’t actually do that, but it certainly crossed my mind. If I’m not back in NYC by Christmas, you know where to find me…
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