I had a lot of time to think and read this weekend. I’m reading two books – one, a history of the revolution on Zanzibar, written by Don Petterson, who was an American attache to Zanzibar in the 1960s; the other, a book on engaging communities by Peter Block. The book about the revolution surprised [...]
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News today from a friend in Pemba that (FINALLY!) KPMG is following through on its commitment to help the people of Kiuyu Mbuyuni achieve the Millennium Development Goals. She writes, “MVP is now taking off based at the PHL as from your suggestion.” Ah yes, and I made that suggestion a mere 20 months ago [...]
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Just got a note in response to my holiday card to a wonderful man I met in Zanzibar in September 2009, when I was there launching the Millennium Village Project that was to be sponsored by KPMG.
“Hi, Beth, Wonderful to hear from you. I apologize that I didn’t follow up with details after my [...]
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Last year a few days before Ramadan began, my friend Aziza from the Zanzibar Ministry of Finance took me shopping for a baibui, the traditional black robe Muslim women wear in public, especially during Ramadan, when discretion and modesty prevail. As an extremely independent and outspoken American woman, I couldn’t imagine myself dressed so self-effacingly; [...]
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It is now two weeks since my return from Tanzania and I am just getting my New York mojo back. I have a way to go before I shake the aura of disillusionment that hangs over me these days. Egos, corruption, the incredibly slow pace at which the project moves forward and the fact that [...]
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I was truly sad to leave Pemba this morning. And what an ordeal it was – weepy goodbyes and last gazes at the mango trees, laden with fruit but still not quite ripe enough. The only reason Stephen and I made our flight this morning was that we were the only two passengers on Indigo. [...]
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Pemba. We’re sitting in the one air-conditioned office at the Ministry of Finance in Chake Chake, the office reserved for the Officer in Charge. We have an appointment to meet Maua, the acting officer in charge, who is handling Bakari’s responsibility while he’s in the UK getting an advanced degree. Maua agreed to take us [...]
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On Friday I made my last trip to Kiuyu Mbuyuni (for now), stopping by to talk with the District Commissioner and the District Planning Officer on the way. I went with Adi from the JP5 program and was happy to see that after all the discussions and tension about his expectation that I would [...]
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Time has flown and dragged; I’m in that strange state of trying to reimagine New York and to milk every last experience in Africa. It’s hard now because I have an urge to stay and seek opportunity here, live a nice life on the peninsula, join the yacht club and hang out with comfortable, spirited [...]
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September 11th. The date and those buildings are so very far away now, it’s hard to imagine New York. It’s slipping away from me, the park, the pace, the promise of autumn that wafts through the last few days of summer. Like a petticoat flaring up on a breeze. How refreshing it would be for just [...]
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I am writing today from my lovely, if slightly dusty room at 236 Hurumzi Street in Stone Town, formerly known as Emerson & Green. The décor is sultanic – big old carved wood bed and day bed, caned chairs, huge armoir, brass tables, and a swimming pool-sized stone tub. For a luxurious place, though, [...]
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I have been busy, I guess – and sick, and not keeping up with events. Just returned to Pemba yesterday after a nice long weekend in Dar, where I went ostensibly to interview one of the candidates for the team leader position (and by far the best among them) and to attend a reception at [...]
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