Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Sorry it's been a while!

mom came to visit! it's been a crazy time. There's so much to say about her incredible visit, but I'll let the video do a bit of the talking. I miss her already and I'm so so glad she got to come visit! next up-- dad better come see me!


Next in news: the song that I wrote in Swahili for the Umoja Ensemble kids was performed for the first time! Maasai Joy school had a parents meeting and they asked the kids to perform a few songs for the occasion. The first song on the video here is the school singing the National Anthem- I love the song, it's really beautiful. Then on the video is my song "Watoto wa Umoja" which means "children of Umoja". I think it turned out not too badly! I think they had fun with it. The third song on the video is another tune Tiana arranged for the group to sing. They're just so cute, aren't they?!






While at the party we threw for mom, I performed a song I wrote about a month ago called "Muzungu in Arusha"-- it's been a big hit here, I must say! Mostly because other foreigners, and even Tanzanians, can relate to it in a lot of ways. Here's the link to the video mom took and below are the words (with translation of swahili in parenthesis) :
Lyrics:

Teksi (taxi), Teksi, Sista, You wanna teksi?
Don’t wanna teksi cause I’m out of pesa (money), yeah
Want to go to the near sakoni (market)
But they just can’t speak pole pole (slowly)
For this sista, who wants to buy ndizi (bananas), yeah
So I suck up my pride, go inside the Shopright (big grocery store here)

Want to practice my Kiswahili (Swahili)
with my new best friend who’s sitting on me
we’ve become quite close now since we met on this daladala (public transport bus)
but before I get chance
I make a frightful glance and hear,
yeah I’m on the wrong daladala

but I love this place and I love the laughs
and how these children smile
and how a simple muzungu like myself can last here for a while
and I love shikamoo (respectful greeting to elders)
and how all the time goes slow
and how on rainy nights I slumber soundly
even when I leave and this dust comes off,
I’ll always have Arusha on me

They start to ask me, my new rafiki (friend),
If I could please sing some karaoke
But I pass up the offer to sing ‘I believe I can fly’
When they ask me what my name be
I say ‘danielle’ and they stare at me
And the attempts to say my name begin and finally I have to grin
What’s so tough about my name in Tanzania?

But I love this place and I love the laughs
And I love the roaring pikipikis (motorcycles) from afar
And the wedding bands that blow by in their caravan,
hot pink ribbons streaming
And I love pole sana (very sorry)
and how every lady’s called momma
And how Mount Meru looks so misty
And if I leave and this dust comes off, I’ll still have Arusha on me

The power goes out and I start to doubt
If I’ll have a hot shower this weekend
But in candle light together where we sip upon our Tuskar (beer)
It’s official- I’m feelin’ Tanzanian

but I love this place and I love the laughs
and how these children smile
and how a simple muzungu like myself can last here for a while
and I love shikamoo and how all the time goes slow
and how on these rainy nights I slumber soundly
and when I leave and this dust comes off, I’ll always have Arusha on me

----------------------------

So TOMORROW I start teaching at Makumira University here in Arusha-- well its about 30 minutes outside of Arusha, but close enough. So I'll be teaching a class on composition and arranging-- it's the first class they've had like it so there's lots of things missing that I'm used to-- like a syllabus, maybe no text book.. i'm not quite sure what time the class starts... haha. It's a bit of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants experience, but I'll write after tomorrow to let you know how it goes!

all the best,
Dani

4 comments:

  1. Love it babe. Great to see the kids perform your song. Good luck tomorrow. You'll do great. You're good at flying by the seat of your pants.

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  2. Dani- I love this muzungu song. it is both heartwarming and hilarious. it makes me glad that you are doing so well.
    best of luck at makumira; i hope that the class starts after you get there.

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  3. Hey awesome news about the university class! That's so cool - I hope it's a good experience for you and I'm sure it will be for your students too :)

    Love "Muzungu in Arusha"! You are full of so much spirit!!

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  4. Dani I finally had some time to watch the videos and truly enjoyed them. It was great fun to tag along via video on the visit Stacy made, and I really hope I can come visit too. Your song was very original, fresh, humorous and poignant. I can get a real sense of your attachment to the people of Tanzania from the lyrics. Thanks for sharing the video, and your love with all!

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