Adjusting to Life in Morogoro, Tanzania

To orient myself before beginning fieldwork, I spent 10 days in Morogoro, Tanzania with a member of my research team. While I initially struggled to adjust to an entirely different lifestyle, my time was marked by new friendships, Swahili conversations, and the phrase “Karibu Tanzania” — “Welcome”!
Adjusting to Life in Morogoro, Tanzania
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My time with Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit was followed by the bulk of my LiA…in Tanzania! After a 2-hour bus ride from Oxford to London, a 2-hour wait in London, an 8.5-hour flight to Nairobi, a 3-hour wait in Nairobi, a 2-hour flight to Dar es Salaam, a 4-hour wait at the bus station, a 4-hour bus ride to Morogoro, and a 30-minute Bolt ride through the streets of Morogoro, I had reached my destination. Needless to say, I was struggling to stand upright when I first met Salum Kulunge, a Senior Wildlife Officer at the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority and a fellow member of the Morally Contested Conservation project. However, his generosity, along with the generosity of everybody I met in Morogoro, made me feel instantly welcome in this very new (but very beautiful!) place.

My time in Morogoro was initially marked by a mix of awkward adjustments and amusing encounters. Having spent the last three years eating a single banana for breakfast every day, I initially struggled to consume a full plate of meat or eggs, noodles or chapati, and yams or cassava every morning with Salum’s family. A heavy breakfast was well worth it, however — something I realized only after going on a strenuous hike through the Uluguru Mountains and expending all of my energy in the process. I had likewise never before washed my clothes by hand, witnessed the slaughter of an animal, or used a squat toilet, all of which came with learning curves of their own. Nonetheless, I’d be remiss not to recognize the hilarities that emerged from my struggles to adjust, whether they be my laughter when a goat sprinted inside Salum’s house and hid in the bedroom, or the scream that I stifled upon waking up in the middle of the night with a cockroach on my face. This was my very first time living with a host family, and I wanted to embrace it — critters and all.

While I primarily spent my 10 days in Morogoro orienting myself, Salum and I did take the time to translate my research questionnaire into Swahili in preparation for fieldwork the following week. Salum also gave me a tour of the Sokoine University of Agriculture and its affiliated Solomon Mahlangu Campus, where I obtained valuable research advice from Dr. Sayuni Mariki, whose own research on human-elephant tensions had inspired me to study human-wildlife conflicts. Learning from Dr. Mariki about how to obtain data on population trends and weather patterns in local villages, and talking through my questionnaire with her in Swahili, increased my preparedness for the work that would soon come.


In that vein, the opportunity to finally put my Swahili skills into practice in Morogoro was an INCREDIBLE experience! Having studied Swahili at Cornell for the past two years, I was both excited and anxious to see how I would fare outside of the classroom for the very first time. My conversations (or attempted conversations) invited many smiles from street vendors, schoolchildren, and Salum’s neighbors and friends — all of whom were likely surprised to meet an Indian-American Swahili-speaker but nonetheless welcomed me (and my mistakes) with open arms. The teller at the bank where I exchanged cash, the Bolt driver who drove me to Salum’s house when I arrived, and many of the students and teachers I met were all wonderful conversation partners who increased my confidence in navigating unfamiliar situations. In the process, I learned many valuable phrases: Naomba urudie tena, tafadhali? (“Can you repeat, please?”), Za saa hizi? (“How are these times?”), Nimeshiba (“I’m full”), and so on!

While Salum’s family and I were hardly surprised by the drastic differences between Tanzanian and Indian culture, our similarities instantly caught my attention. I was delighted and surprised to see the many bajajis traveling along the roads of Morogoro — a nostalgic reminder of the rickshaws I ride every time I visit my grandparents. The largest outdoor market in Morogoro was bustling with farmers selling okra, avocados, cassava, baby bananas, papayas, and so much more, much like the Santa Cruz market that my mom and I love in Mumbai. The similarities in cuisine were particularly striking: I had little difficulty inhaling the sambusas (like samosas), kachumbari (like koshimbir, a tomato and onion salad), bhajia (like bhaji, a fried vegetable puff), pilau (like pulao, a vegetable rice dish), and a whole host of other dishes that I regularly eat at home. I was equally excited to try chipsi mayai (potato wedges cooked in eggs), mandaazi (a sweet fried bread), and other uniquely East African dishes. While some foods took more adjustment than others (like the red snapper fish served with its eyes on, or the baobab fruit seeds that I almost accidentally swallowed), my inner foodie was determined to try it all. :) 

Finally, like the people of Oxford, the people of Morogoro made my time there especially meaningful. I’m grateful to Sophia, who accompanied Salum to pick me up from the airport and bought me a tasty kitumbua at the bus station; Doreen, who set aside some cashews at her local shop for me to buy for my parents; Hamza, a cardamom and strawberry farmer whom I met while hiking up the Uluguru Mountains; and Jimmy, who taught me about wildlife migrations while at Mikumi National Park. I’ll miss all of the friends I made in Morogoro as well: Najma, who taught me how to make sambusas from scratch; Neema, who gave me a tour of Jordan University College and introduced me to friends with whom I’ve stayed in touch; and Nadia, who made bracelets with me out of water bottle labels and eagerly helped me hang my laundry on the clothesline outside. And finally, I’m very grateful to Salum and his family for hosting me with as much generosity as did my mentors at Oxford. Though my time in Tanzania was just beginning, I already knew I would soon miss it!

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Go to the profile of Princess Agina
7 months ago

Trisha, your recount of your time in Morogoro is so captivating! It’s inspiring to see how you embraced the new culture (from trying local foods to practicing your Swahili). Your journey reminds me of my own adventures in unfamiliar places. Wishing you even more wonderful experiences and connections during your stay in Tanzania!

Go to the profile of Trisha Bhujle
7 months ago

Thank you, Princess! This means a lot. My time in Morogoro will always be very special to me and I hope to return soon!

Go to the profile of Claire Wu
7 months ago

Fascinating!!! Endlessly inspired by you :)

Go to the profile of Christopher Cullen
7 months ago

Loved this post, it was so interesting to hear about your experiences.