Readjusting to Life in Tanzania

Now that we have been back in Tanzania for 2 weeks, we are learning to re-adjust to our life in East Africa. After 3 months in England, some of aspects of life in Dodoma that I had got used to before our UK trip suddenly seem very strange again. I am having to re-adapt a second time, as I remember some of the things which make life out here a lot less convenient than life in the UK.

A huge portion of my current life is taken up with managing our home, especially the kitchen. I had forgotten how the simplest of tasks in England can actually be far more time-consuming here. Even going to the shops to get food takes far longer than in England. There are no large supermarkets or even shopping areas/ highstreets where the food shops are all located close together. Finding the food I need for family meals means visiting several different places spread out across Dodoma. Once I get to town, the heat also makes the task seem longer! However, the shopkeepers and market stall owners are mostly very friendly and will do their best to help us find what we are looking for.

Last week, a kind friend watched the children for me so that I could get to town without the hassle of strapping little ones into car seats, getting them out at each shop and strapping them in again each time.... So off I went on my own. Conscious of time, not wanting to leave Joel too long between feeds, I whizzed into town in our 4x4, bouncing over the worsening pot-holes and screeching to a halt in a questionable parking position outside my favourite Indian-run food shop: The Two Sisters Store.

I walked into the welcome cool of the shady interior and consulted my shopping list. "Is there any frozen chicken today?" I asked. "Or some brown flour? Any kitchen towel at the moment? Or maybe (this was a long-shot but worth an ask) some Sensodyne toothpaste for Andrew's sore tooth?"

The answer to all of the above was, "No, not today, but maybe we'll get some chickens soon and there may be brown flour in next week". After being spoilt with several food stores and supermarkets right on our doorstep in Lancashire, I came down to earth with a bump as I rearranged my thinking and acknowledged that I am now back in Dodoma- and luxuries like the above are not readily available.

However, whenever I am tempted to feel frustrated with the larger work load involved in being an "At-Home-Mum" in Dodoma, I remember how fortunate we are compared to many of our local friends here. Also, I can always escape to my personal store house of wonderful memories from our recent trip to the UK, which bouy me up when the work load seems overwhelming. Here are a few of the highlights which stand out.

Joel's safe arrival into our family:

Trips to exciting places, including a trip to London where we took little Ben to meet Big Ben:
A fun tube ride on efficient public transport (and I really mean that, since train rides in Tanzania are a world removed from the higher expectations of your average Brit!)
Enjoying the beauty of an English Spring:
And of course, memories of a good old plate of delicious fish and chips!