Only in Afrique... Negotiating for a volunteer gig!

This is another one of my fabulous Mwanza experiences.  I really liked that place!  It seemed like Coca Cola was a staple in Mwanza.  Even the 'kilimanjaro' bottled water here is bottled by Coca Cola.  What really struck me were the huge coke bottles that seemed to be on every corner.  When I asked, people kept calling them 'pipi shops.'  Pipi apparently means 'sweet stuff.'  I just referred to them as 'coke huts'... They were so cool looking and there were always people around buying coke products from them.  It seemed like a hangout spot... I heard that those 'coke huts' would be set up even in the most remote village... Just as a frame of reference, a coke from one of these huts costs about 50 cents vs $2.00 in my hotel on the peninsula!

Since this international experience has taken my boldness to another level, I finally walked up to one and negotiated with the guy (there's really only space for one person in there) to let me get in.. just to check it out... of course my camera was nearby... He was okay with it for the most part especially when I greeted him with 'Shikamoo'... thats a respectful greeting for elders here.  Later I learned that it literally means 'I am beneath your knees'... Okay, I don't know how much more 'shikamoo-ing' I'll be doing in the future.. :-)

Negotiating my way in the Coke Hut.. Plenty of 'shikamoo-ing'

 And I'm in... That was easy.  First task was to figure out how to use a bottle opener.  This was practice.  Since I apparently can pass for a 'tanzie' I was put to the test.  I got to practice my swahili... A line formed as soon as I got in the coke bottle and it was 'training day!'  My first customer was surprisingly an Mzungu (how Tanzies refer to White people here). 

Well I fooled him because he spoke to me in Swahili.  I had no idea what he asked for.  My trainer helped me.  Before I knew it I was giving people change, opening coke bottles, and having a great time in my 5 minutes of volunteer work.  I think I tipped the guy and bought a sprite from him too.  Then it was time to go.  My hotel in mwanza was across the street and I had to head to the airport soon.  I shikamoo-ed one last time and told the owner of that coke hut that it was nice to meet him or 'Nashukuru kukufahamu'... and that was a mouthful... try saying that fast 5 times.. :-) More later... Baadaye!