My Contest Entry

PLEASE READ MY FABLE CONTEST ENTRY, "THE WASTED-POINTLESS WAR" ON FIGMENT.COM!!!

As you may have guessed from the headline above, I've entered a writing contest on the site Figment.com, and am in desperate need of more hearts. Normally this isn't an issue, but this contest, people have been getting an insane number hearts. I don't know how, but I smell something fishy in the air. However, I'll be getting to that AFTER the contest. For now, please go to Figment.com, sign up for an account if you don't have one (its fast, free, and super easy), and read my story: http://figment.com/books/89601-The-Wasted-Pointless-War. You only have to heart it if you like it, but please DON'T FORGET TO DO SO IF YOU DO (this happens more often than you would think). Thank You!

Karibu! - Welcome!

           Attention!  Just a quick announcement to let everyone know that, as of 3/21/2010, Baba and I are still alive and kicking!

          Hi everyone!  In a miracle of modern technology, straight from Africa to your computer screen, I bring you: Tate in Tanzania!  Karibu Tanzania na Asante sana kwa kusoma blog!  That's Swahili for "Welcome to Tanzania and thank you very much for reading my blog!"  To help me learn Swahili, I'll use some of it in this blog.  To help you understand what I'm saying, I'll be sure to post all the Swahili words I use here (though I was rather tempted to just leave you all hanging).
          Want to catch up on the latest?  The best way to stay current is by clicking on the subscribe link above or below to get automatic updates about my blog.  That way you'll be woken up in the wee hours of the morning every time I post something new!  (Just kidding...)  I rather like this method as well, as it allows me to see and keep track of how many people are reading my blog. You can also check out the post(s) below.  Want to start at the beginning?  Just click here!  Or pick a topic from the Labels list on the sidebar.  Whatever you do, come join me in Tanzania!

          Hidden Post Count: 1 (Can you find them all?)

          Not So Special Notice: I finally finished updating my blog.  Sorry, just a bunch of day posts, no interesting side stuff, that will have to wait for later, right now I'm just too busy.  In fact, I'm too busy to write why I've been so busy (though you might get the idea from reading my posts), which is why I'm doing this announcement here, rather than a post.  As a compromise, I offer you this traditional African story, which I think you will like (I'll link it in with a real post later), and may even remind some of you of a...certain someone...

          Like my blog? Have your own website, blog, ect.?  Add my headline animator to your site! Just click on the "grab this" link below this sample animator...

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Abunuwasi and the Cooking Pots

          Over the year's I've been told many, many, many African stories by my baba. Some of them are fairy tails, while others happened to him (or so he claims). I've decided to post these stories here for you enjoyment during those times when I don't have much interesting to report of my travels.
          This is the story of Abunuwasi* an the Cooking Pots...

Day 68: Nature's Song

          I just want to thank all of you for your kind words and for subscribing to my blog!  I now have 33 subscribers!  And I want to give a big thank you to Anande, Aishi, Mother, Faraja (my cousin), and Sandee Baker (A total random stranger, how cool is that!!!) for following my blog through Google Friend Connect.  If you want fame and recognition for following my blog, that is the only way.   If you like my blog, show you support by subscribing!  If you're wondering why then I haven't posted anything in ages, you'll have to read this post to find out...

Day 67: Baba is Sick!

          Baba's sick (again), we even had to take him to the hospital...

Day 65: The Sunglasses

          I forgot my sunglasses at Issac's house, and today Baba and I went back to visit Mama Estella.  Naturally it never occurred to me to ask for my glasses back.

Days 63-64: Time and Circumstance...

          Time and unforeseen circumstance befall us all.  A little bit of both befell me and my plans for fun after the second day of the assembly...

Day 62: The Assembly

          Today was the first day of our two-day spiritual assembly in Dar.  Since there aren't many English speaking groups in Tanzania, all of them congregated together at Dar for the two-day.  The assembly was being held in Mikocheni, a ways away from Kigamboni.  My dear, sweet, cousin Upendo estimated that we would have to leave at five in the morning in order to get there on time...

Day 61: Hot n' Cold

          Dar is a hot city.  It's like southern California, only a lot more humid.  But today, for a few hours, I was actually cold in Dar.

Day 60: The Perscription

          In Tanzania a pharmacy is called a "duku la dawa" (or "store of medicine").  There are duku la dawas everywhere along the country side, they're almost as common as hair salons and mini-marts (you can find "mini-mats" selling anything from fruit to basic necessities every thirty meters in Tanzania).  They are equally plentiful in Dar, as we found out today...

Day 59: The Bus to Dar

          Remember how I said that things always take longer in Tanzania, and that transportation is highly unreliable, especially if you need to get from point A to point B quickly?  Well guess what this post is about?!

Day 58: Mtumba

          Think that all the stores have to sell in Tanzania is Kangas and Kitenges?  Think again!  You can buy all the latest fashions in designer jeans and the like.  Second hand, of course.

Days 55-57: The Cheese Cake Conundrum (My Second Adventure)

          As you all know, one of the things I miss most since I've come to Tanzania is Root Beer.  It is the best drink on the face of this planet, and I could probably go on for several paragraphs about it (in fact, I have).  That is my favorite drink.  One of my favorite deserts (there's just too many options out there to narrow it down to one) is cheese cake.  I'm glad to say that they do have cheese cake in Tanzania.  I, however, have yet to have any...

Day 54: Hospitals

          Today I got to see the difference between private and government hospitals in Tanzania.  The differences were quite stark.