A few years back while working in Ghana, I came across a number of people who were spending their gap year volunteering in Africa. I remember being quite impressed by the fact that these young high school graduates had put their academic lives on hold in favour of altruistic pursuits. I was curious and wanted […]

I shouldn’t have been shocked, I’ve seen it all before. But for reasons unknown that day, I stood still and watched a boy cleaning my hotel-room window. Perched right there in front of me, with a dirty rag in one hand and a spray-bottle in the other, in true-to-life high definition, a boy of no […]

DAR ES SALAAM — Surprising how some global events end up beating a path to your own front door. Just this morning I was reading a WikiLeaks U.S. cable written by the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania, which accuses Tanzania’s President, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, of accepting bribes to the tune of $1 million from the UAE-based […]

Finding a reliable taxi driver who can arrive on time and move you from place to place without any of the typical hassles can stave off the impending borderline insanity for a few more days. But if you happen to get a crackpot driver, remember to roll with the punches, keep smiling and stick to […]

For the past 3 months I’ve been working in the beautiful country of Tanzania, Eastern Africa — where the luscious vegetation of the coastal areas, fresh vegetables and fruit, delicious seafood and friendly people add to the excitement introduced by well-known icons such as Mt. Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam — the name alone, […]

Just the other day, at the Kempinski Hotel, I happened to wander in on the Miss Tanzania competition, no security, no badges — so I thought I’d pass myself off as a photographer from Man Magazine, interview some of the girls and take intimate pictures of the event. The drinks were free and the food […]