A few thoughts on the Third World

May 04, 2008 13:19

For those of you who don't know already, I'm planning to spend most of the summer in Tanzania, doing an internship and beginning the research for my MA paper. Tanzania, despite its abundance of natural resources, is poorer and less safe than Namibia, a fact which has caused me some concern. A few weeks ago, however, there was a murder down the street from my apartment on Florence St. Apparently it was the result of a cocaine deal gone bad. Yup. Yesterday I looked up Tanzania on the State Department's country travel recommendations. Some things I learned:

1. Most of the main roads in Dar es Salaam are paved. The side roads are not and are often full of potholes. Worcester? Ditto.
2. Drivers frequently use excessive speed and have unpredictable driving habits. Worcester? Ditto.
3. There are parts of town travelers should avoid walking alone in at night. Worcester? Ditto.
4. There are parts of town where travelers should avoid walking in ever. Worcester? Ditto.

I spoke with Dave Bell a few weeks ago about my summer plans. He recommended that I check out Nairobi. I asked him if Nairobi was safe, given the recent political unrest in Kenya. He immediately shot back with, "Is Worcester safe?" No. Point taken. This place is so poor it might as well be the capital city of some Third World country still crippled by the consequences of four centuries of colonialism. And like many Third World countries, Worcester's poverty is also the result of decades of governmental mismanagement. Here's a lovely video showcasing my fair city of residence:

image Click to view



Ah well. Back to finishing up my school work.
Previous post Next post
Up