Safety and Security Notes Flashcards
Greetings
Greeting in Kiswahili is like curtain raiser in opening relationship between two or more people. In Tanzania one can be assisted simply because one greets and responds to greetings.
Self Introduction
You need to know other people and be known. Once people get to know you, they will se a need to protect you as community member. This also will reduce unwanted attention. If you live without introduction people will live without suspicion of you.
Telling your name to people/watoto will address you by it instead of ‘mzungu’.
Time and Daily Activities
In many communities pombe shops are active in the evening, late evening, and night. Avoid passing near them, as drunken people may be violent and misbehaving.
Past and Future Activities
Avoid telling strangers or people you don’t know well about your future plans like traveling for bad ones may rob your house. It is wise to tell your neighbors whom you know and greet regularly. If you will be away for a long period look for a house sitter.
Family
If you are staying with Tanzanian family, put efforts on knowing you home stay permanent members. In-and-out members may brings relatives with bad reputation. “Black sheep of the family”–> Mdokozi
Shopping at the market
- Identify the price of items before you go to purchase the them
- Always have change to make the purchasing easier. If you are able to pay in exact change this will reduce the potential for people to think they can ask for a higher price or ignore to give you your change back.
- Try to carry money in multiple places and never show all of your money at the same time.
- Never expose the content of your purse.
- Put your kikapu in front of you when shopping to avoid theft.
- Due to the congestion of the market, hold your purse in hand to avoid thieves.
- Build friendship with vendors for you may specify your needs for the following market day.
Shopping at the Shop
- Expiring goods are sometimes sold so check the dates. The seller may insist “Hamna Shida” but be firm.
- Shop at different shops to compare the price.
- Children would like to do your errands however they may expect to keep change as a reward. Do not make it a norm.
Cooking and Drinks Preparation
- Always extinguish fire after cooking
- Never re-fill the jiko/taa while it is lit.
- Fresh juice sold at bus stations and markets is not hygienically prepared, so avoid drinking it.
- Some local pombe is quite strong and made with unclean water. Avoid drinking local brew.
At the Hotel
- Go to the choo before ordering the meal to avoid leaving your meal in the middle to avoid poisoning/drug risks.
- Lodging: check for lockable door/windows
- Ensure there is a good mosquito net.
- Do not expose schedule to unconcerned people to avoid theft on the last day.
- Do not open the door for unknown visitor in during the night.
- Don’t hang or put anything near the window.
Health Needs
- Do not use local medicines; they may cause serious side effects to you.
- Neighbors, friends, and colleagues may ask you for medical advice and even medications. Avoid this and encourage them to go to the hospital.
Directions
- To ensure the validity of the direction(s), ask more than two people.
- Ask a direction from aprons you know like watoto or wazee.
- Always ask more than one way of getting to a place in order to have a choice of entrance and exit.
- Tanzanians use phrases ‘karibu tu/si mbali’ to mean just near/not far sometimes that does not reflect the actual distance. The place can be far and the words are just to encourage you and they are not used to describe the distance.
Climate and Agriculture
- Always wash fruits and fresh vegetables thoroughly for pesticides are commonly applied.
- Some places look safe during dry season, but are notorious for floods during rain season/seasonal rivers. Therefore gather information before traveling/taking a short cut during rainy season.
Transport
- Always take early/mapema buses in case of break down and other inconveniences.
- On safari keep your ticket to the end of the safari to avoid inconveniences.
- Keep friends’ telephone numbers on a piece of paper in case of emergency.
- In emergency, state name of bus, your route, place-landmark. If other passengers decide to leave the place, leave with them.
- To avoid drugs avoid offering and accepting food to/from other passengers.
- Stop over: eat/strengthen your legs near other passengers/bus. Sometimes people re-board wrong buses or are left behind.
Reporting a crime
- People with bad reputation are well known in the society. Avoid associating with them and never turn a deaf ear to warnings from colleagues, friends, and neighbors.
- Take some time to learn more Kiswahili that will prepare you to report the crimes.
Language for Special Situations
- Be careful with the person whom you invite into your house or hotel because it might send a wrong signal (ie. sexual relationship or expecting you to pay)
- Since you are a foreigner, you may be invited at the high table and offered plenty of food and strong drinks, so avoid over drinking.
