Security

If there had to be one recurring theme from this trip so far, it would be security. We’ve had countless lectures on it and just side comments and conversations. Every time I think that I’ve heard the last thing I can about security, the issue comes up again and we’re back on the topic. No one from our group has been robbed yet or anything though a camera and a phone or two have disappeared when accidentally left somewhere for even a short period of time. Still, after all of this talk on security, they have got us feeling at least slightly paranoid to do much of anything that isn’t sitting alone in your room with the door locked. And even that is supposed to change once our roommates move in.

The University of Oregon travel clinic described getting diarrhea as not a matter of if, but when and that is basically how getting things stolen has been described to us. I can’t even count all of the different ways that they said people will take things and I guess there is some truth to these stories as even the brass fixtures on our bathroom sinks were stolen before we moved in. However, we consistently are given the message that Tanzanians are friendly people and like to talk, but more frequently we are told not to give away any true information about where we are from or what we are doing at the university, etc. This is definitely a conflict and I think it will continue to be difficult to even make good first impressions with people here if we aren’t even supposed to be honest with them and tell them our names. It’s just small talk to say where you are from and they have a right to be curious as you are obviously foreign. Why it matters that I am from Oregon or even just America, I do not know though they tell us “this is information.” We have to tell our roommates that they can’t hang out with friends in our room because people might scope out the layout and where things are, even try to trace your key to make a copy just so they can steal stuff from you. I can’t imagine it will be easy for me to befriend my own roommate if I am supposed to suspicious of him at all times and have to lock all of my things that I don’t even consider “valuables” in my closet right in front of him.

We just found out today that the impression they gave us about the housing thing here was that our roommates would be people who signed up to live with foreign students or something is not actually true. There is no screening process other than checking if they have a disciplinary instance on their record to keep someone from living with us. They made it seem like you have to interview and express interest to end up living in the dorms with an international student but now it sounds more like these people might be surprised to find out they’re living with some foreigner and not another one of their countrymen. I am still confident that things will work out and comfortable with this, though I thought it ought to be remarked on.

Though none of us have been threatened or robbed yet really by violence, there have been instances in the last week and a half that have prompted them to bring up security again. One international student from Austria or somewhere who has been here for a while but isn’t part of a program or anything foolishly went downtown on her own where she was tailed by a gang of thugs before they kidnapped her at gunpoint. They said they had seen her the day before at Mwenge (an outdoor market area closer to campus) and they made her tell them where she lived. They then drove her back to campus, made her go get her ATM card which they quickly withdrew the maximum amount from 7 or 8 ATMs in the area. Another unrelated incidence was that two international students were walking back from one part of campus to another where they were held up at machete point and had their backpacks with their laptops in them stolen. This one is a little bothersome because it occurred right on campus, but it’s important to take note of some things here.

I don’t tell you these things to freak you out because, believe me, the people in my group are much more bothered by knowing them than you are or ought to be. Knowing that they happened does not change the fact that they did, but the point of this blog is to get people into the same mindset that I am in and share my experiences with them. My philosophy on getting robbed, mugged, or anything else is that if someone really wants to do it, they will find a way to. This doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t be vigilant and such but rather that we shouldn’t live in fear or have to do so. We may have a target placed on us because we are white travelers who seemingly (and almost certainly do) come from wealthier and more luxurious backgrounds. If you get robbed, you do what you have to do to stay alive and sound. No stuff you own or amount of money is worth that. If you are in a situation where you can be cunning and escape greater loss, more power to ya, but it’s not worth risking putting yourself in even greater danger. I understand that there is probably some psychological damage that occurs and how your whole study abroad experience would be altered if you had an ordeal take place like the girl who was kidnapped, but the reality is that her situation was avoidable. In short, be safe and smart, but paranoia won’t do anybody any good.

Last night we walked back from dinner at an on campus establishment along an unlit road which might actually have been the one that those people were held up on. There were nine of us though and I stared down one guy that may have been following us from the place until he turned away. I don’t know if he was actually following us or if he could tell I wasn’t going to let him try and hassle us, but either way you just have to do what you can and leave the rest up to fate or God to decide.

That’s about all I have to say on that.