Matt Christensen

So I haven’t been writing very much lately because I have been so busy!  We have our first Kiswahili test tomorrow and the assignments for our research project are really starting to pick up.  I am beginning to get nervous/excited about how it is all going to turn out in the end.  I know that…

In regards to my research project:  I am thinking that I want to do something related to lactose intolerance among the Maasai.  My guess is that they are lactose intolerant because they are not of European descent.  It is interesting because they worship cattle and use much dairy.  I need to verify all these assumptions,…

Today we are going to go on an island for the whole day!  It is going to be fun to hang out with everyone.  We have been going on many little field trips to places like museums, cultural centers and bars.  I have really been enjoying the culture so far.  Everyone is very welcoming and…

I have been in Dar es Salaam now for five days! It has been great getting to know everybody over the course of the first week.  I am really excited to get to work with what seems to be a fun, curious group of people.  By curious I mean intellectually curious; I have had a…

Yesterday I had my first Tanzanian beer—a “Kilimanjaro” and today I had a “Serengeti,” both cost me little over a dollar aka ~1600 shilingi.  They both tasted pretty good and I was with great people when I drank them! Right now Ramadan is going on and there is a Muslim Mosque not too far from…

Today was my first full day on campus.  I saw a lot of really new, cool things, met some great friends, learned a little Kiswahili and rode a ‘daladala’ to boot.  A daladala is a van/bus that gets really very packed.  We rode one to the mall today to pick up some necessary items like…