Food and Other Things at UDSM

Thought I'd post another update on how life here is going. We've settled into a fairly regular routine now with out Kiswahili class from 8:30 until around 11:30 or 12:00, then we head over to the cafeteria closest to our hall for lunch and then back to our rooms to study, relax and catch up on our daily journals, academic journals and blog posts.

The building where we have classes upstairs.

Our dorm, Hall 3. I am 8 floors up - count 'em. Great for views and a great breeze.

There are a couple of different cafeterias on campus, but we have gotten in the habit of going to the closest one to our hall - it is also the cheapest. I usually get the beans and rice (600 Tsh) or peas and rice (750) or okra and sauce with - you guessed it - rice (700). The exchange rate is 1100 Tanzanian shillings to the dollar so we are eating pretty darn cheap. Sometimes the meals also come with mchicha, a local spinach variety they cook with onions and a carrot or two if you're lucky. Goes very well with the beans and the sauces they have out. The thing about the food is that one bite at least always has a little extra crunch - either sand or a rock. Can't say I am a big fan of that but only one lunch we've had was ruined by all the sand when it was every single bite. I've also had the kebabs which are good but come with a big plate of French fries which are delicious of course but not helping my starch and grease to vegetable and fruit ratio.

Our regular lunch and dinner cafeteria - breakfast I have in the room.

Speaking of fruit and vegetables, getting fresh produce is amazing and cheap here - plus it is winter technically so things will just get better and cheaper as the season go on. We can get satsuma oranges (Clementines to the midwest folks) for 100 Tsh each, bananas for the same and avocados for 500 right at the cafeteria. We also now have our favorite fruit stand outside the university in the area called Survei (spelled wrong, I'm sure) before the Mlimani Shopping Mall. Today I also stopped and got some tomatoes, carrots, an onion, two small green bell peppers and three tiny potatoes. Had some vegetables with some bread and cheese shared around in our group and am going to try boiling the potatoes in my hotpot here next week with some onion. We'll see how that goes but I miss cooking. Ordering every meal like a restaurant or take-out place gets a little old, no matter now good the food is. But can't say I am tired of beans and rice yet so that is good!

Walking along the road from the University, in Servei walking towards Mlimani City Mall.

We've also started teaching at the local primary school but I'll write more on that when I go again this Wednesday. Good experience the first time though. Also will write a bit about the local mall later since I know this post is a little long now.

So, still really liking it here. It was warm today walking back from the market but the past few days it has been partly cloudy and cooler - lower 80s so that has been nice. And then I remind myself that it is winter...can't say I am looking forward to December weather here....

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