Tanganyika here I come!

I'm heading to the mainland today, referred to in Kiswahili as "Tanzania bara," or, as Zanzibaris like to say, "Tanganyika."  Quick historical context:  The borders of mainland Tanzania have existed since the 19th century, first as German East Africa, then after World War I as Tanganyika (The lake that forms the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo still holds that name).  Tanganyika won it's independence from the U.K. in 1961, and a couple of years later, the Zanzibar Archipelago followed in suit.  Shortly thereafter the two new countries decided to merge, combining their names to create "Tanzania." 

Zanzibar kept it's government intact after the union, and remains a semi-autonomous region within Tanzania.  The culture is somewhat different here, the ethnic makeup is different (there's a mixture of East African and Arab ancestry), there's a slightly different dialect of Kiswahili spoken, and the islands are uniformly Muslim (while about a third of mainlanders are Muslim).  Many local people here dislike the union; a common opinion is that it benefits politicians and the business class, but doesn't do anything for everyday people.  Pembans generally do not identify as being Tanzanian; everyone says they are from Zanzibar.  Hence the ongoing use of "Tanganyika," which is not common to say on the mainland.  It's a not-so-subtle way for people to highlight their separate national identity.

We Pemba volunteers experience this separation in our own way.  We're a very tight knit group, and while we all have friends on the mainland, we rarely see them.  Only 4 out of the 150-ish volunteers in Tanzania are placed here.  Getting assigned to Pemba is seen as a mixed blessing.  It's a topical island with beaches and plenty of water (whereas a lot of volunteers end up in dry, barren areas), but getting placed here also comes with the notion of being "sent away" from the group you trained with.  It makes me wonder if there's anywhere else in the world where Peace Corps volunteers are serving in semi-autonomous regions, and if so, what their experience is like.

I realize that it's been 6 months since I've set foot on the mainland, and I'm oddly a little nervous.  I've gotten really comfortable on Pemba.  It has an insulated feeling.  There's a strong feeling of cultural unity; everyone on the island is "in it together."  When I travel around the island, I carry that sense of unity- I can tell anyone I meet where I live and where I work, and I'm instantly accepted.  Right now I'm waiting for my boat in Mkoani, the port town on the South of the island.  It's about 3 hours by bus from my town.  I went out for street coffee and pastries this morning, and a couple of locals insisted on paying for my tab when they heard I was a teacher here.  In going to the mainland, I feel an odd trepidation.  I realize I've developed a bit of Zanzibari identity, and part of me feels like I'll be surrounded by strangers when I reach the mainland.

Just one picture to show you this time.  Back in early December I sent a package to my family for Christmas.  I found out that the airmail postage was more money than I had out of the bank at the time, so I reluctantly sent it by surface mail, wondering if it would ever arrive at all.  6 months later, it made it, everything intact inside.  It looks like it's been through a lot.  I wish there had been a GPS device inside to track where it traveled.