Keeping House in Mbeya

As hoped, here are a few more 'outsiders' thoughts on how life is here...

Just living takes a lot more effort in Africa. Many indigenous people have no choice but to live subsistence lifestyles. If they don’t work the land they will not grow anything, and if that happens they will not eat. Non-essentials or even luxuries are alien concepts. The problems are large and the process of change is slow.

For ex-pats the problems are different, but expectations are higher and adaptation to the new reality can be slow. For most white people in Mbeya, living in a walled and gated compound is a pragmatic necessity - they would be too vulnerable in any other dwelling. These compounds often come with guards and home-helps. An alien concept to many employers, but much-valued income for the employed.

The additional effort required to have a ‘normal’ lifestyle is typified by the problem of fresh milk. It needs to boiled for 10 minutes, then strained, twice. Constant attention is required and the job can take all evening. Is it worth it? Well, I for one was very grateful that Liz went to all that trouble! Of course, the easy solution is to buy UHT milk in cartons, and get used to the taste. If you can afford it!

Readers aged over 40 may remember the tag-line to a 60s American puppet show (was it Stingray or Fireball XL5?) – ‘Anything can happen in the next half hour’! It feels like that in Mbeya. On returning from a 3-day absence, we were confronted by an unattended compound, padlock changed (which we later found out was for a good reason). On gaining access, it transpired that the water had been left running, completely draining the large external water tank. In the house, several new communities of insect were cheerfully feasting on green beans and bananas, while the dried beans had to be separated from attendant weevils. Each of this set of circumstances could be overcome, but it was trying nonetheless.

It was a shock to us to find the night-time so noisy! Who let the dogs out? Well, just about everybody it seems. There are dogs everywhere, and they bark at anything, including each other, keeping up a cross-town conversation all night. Add in night birds and street noises and it’s a wonder anyone ever sleeps! Mind you, now that we are back in England it does seem a bit quiet …

Simon and Lynda Wisbey