TIA

This.Is.Africa. A few weeks ago I re-watched the movie "Blood Diamond". If you haven't seen it, make an effort to watch it. The movie itself is amazing. Anyway, there is a line that they use frequently and it is "TIA" or "this is Africa". I personally love it and now use it a lot in my daily life. I want to share with all of you some of the more memorable "TIA" moments.

Transportation. One of the most confusing and sometimes irritating thing that you have to deal with on a daily basis. Let's say you go to the bus station (or bus stop) and know that a bus is supposed to leave at 11:00. When you get there you find out there is no bus at 11:00 and the next one is at 3:30. You wait around until 3:30 and still no bus. You ask again if the bus is coming. You're told yes the bus is coming but is late. You wait and wait and wait and finally the bus shows up at 5:00 but it takes an hour long break so the driver can eat dinner and drink tea before finally leaving at 6:00. Then you get on the bus to find out that there are some chickens a few seats in front of you. As you're about to pull away from the bus station (or bus stop) a man runs up with 3 sheep and you watch as he and the bus driver put them in the luggage compartment under the bus. This time you successfully leave the bus station (or bus stop) and along the way to your destination you make frequent stops picking people up at random spots along the road and dropping people off in what seems like the middle of nowhere. The entire time you think to yourself "TIA".

In Morocco, grand taxis are another common form of transportation. A grand taxi is an old Mercedes Benz so you think, "Ok, I'll be traveling with 4 other people." This logic is wrong. A grand taxi will leave when there are two people sitting in the front (with the driver) and 4 people in the back. This can be fine when the 4 people in the back are nice and small and don't have hips to speak of. However, usually you will be in the back with three other large and very hippy Berber women. When it's a short taxi ride it's kinda nice to be squished in the back but on the longer taxi rides it becomes very uncomfortable. When in the front, if you are next to the driver you also have to deal with the stick every time he shifts. No matter what the case is when you bump along with the grand taxi, you would be right to think, "TIA".

Culture. This is where "TIA" can be used in the best possible meaning. When you are invited to someone's house and you are served the biggest meatiest piece of meat. You'll be offered the best seat and you will not be required to lift a finger. Do you need a refill on your tea? No problem, you can drink as much tea as you like. Take more bread! Eat, eat, eat!! As a visitor you will be pampered and treated with more respect then you ever think you will get. TIA.

Many countries in Africa have a very relaxed and what Americans would consider a slow-paced culture. If you ask for directions somewhere, they will probably know where you need to go but wouldn't you first like to drink some tea?? You may have a business meeting and before you start, drink some tea together and talk about your families. After your business is finished, have some more tea. Workers in the fields have to work under a very hot sun so it's common to see they laying under a nice big tree at midday. Class may start at 5 and go until 7. You may finally start class around 5:30 and when you finish your students will stick around to chat or they will ask you to keep teaching. Time is a guideline but not a code. Things will start when they start and end when they end. TIA.

Landscape. It's amazing how many different landscapes you can drive through in one day. If you start in the lush mountainous region by the afternoon you can be in the flat desert. Or you may continue on through the flat desert and come upon a hilly desert filled with small oasises. Maybe as your driving along you will notice a change in the animals you see as well. In the mountains you will see more sheep and goats whereas in the desert you will see goats and camels. For awhile you may think you're hallucinating but no, there really are goats in the trees! Keep your eyes open or you'll miss the change from one region to the next. TIA.

Food. When you go to the market and buy all your vegetables for a week for less than $5 you may think you calculated wrong but no, you really did only spend $4. When you want to buy a chicken you go to the butcher. The butcher then proceeds to grad an alive chicken and cuts its head off and then hands it to you in a plastic bag. Another normal thing to see daily is the hanging bodies of several different types of animals along with heads, feet and *cough* other body parts at the butcher counter. The eggs you buy will have bird poop on them and maybe some feathers. You know it's all fresh at least. TIA.

There are so many things that I see or watch happen that I can't do anything but think to myself "TIA". It is my new mantra and for those of you who are also in Africa, I encourage you to use it. Not only does it make me remember where I am but it makes me grateful for this experience. TIA people, TIA.