After the trip to Kilimanjaro I stayed in Arusha because I had a job at a local veterinarian. For a two weeks period, I took care of 13 dogs and 10 cats. Every morning we cleaned the kennels, walked the dogs and played with them, cuddled them and of course fed them twice a day. In return, we lived with the vet’s family and were cooked for by their housemaid.
“We”, that is Melusine (French), Niels (German) and me. We were three volunteers during this time and that was necessary because the work was impossible to do alone or even as a couple. We were a good team and shared the work. A volunteer normally works 4 to 5 hours a day and has weekends off. People who take care of animals know that they don’t have a schedule but want to be cared for every day. So we worked until noon/afternoon, then had a few hours off and in the evening the animals were fed again. At the weekend, the family took care of the animals. However, the animals were close to our hearts and so we also supported the family at the weekend.
The family is very Christian. They even have a church on their property. There is a church ceremony almost every day, and it is anything but quiet. There is singing, preaching, loud shouting and then singing again. Everything is very emotional and passionate. For us less passionate believers, it took some getting used to, because our room was only about 3 meters away from the church. You can see what that means in the video below.
It was a very intense time. A time in which I settled in Arusha and somehow arrived a little bit. Unfortunately, we weren’t quite as free during that time, because in addition to work, we also had to be “home” by 10pm. One of the rules of the house. I often felt like a teenager who wanted to go out for longer but the father just wouldn’t allow it.
However. I am richer by a few experiences. For example, I now know how to cook with the help of a cow and how to successfully breed chickens.
I would absolutely not want to miss this time to experience what it means to live with a Tanzanian family. It’s the only way to really immerse yourself in a country and get an idea of local life.