Tanzania

Tanzania is a relatively large country in southeastern Africa. The official languages are Kiswahili and English, but more local languages like Sukuma, Makonde, and Maasai are also spoken, along with some Portuguese and languages from the Indian subcontinent. Tanzania has a multiethnic society, and many people learn a regional language before either of the national ones. The terrain includes mountains, waterways, and plateaus. Overall, the climate is tropical. The black rhinoceros, the increasingly rare Pemba Scops owl, and the moray eel are some animals you may see in Tanzania. Mainstays of the economy include agriculture, mineral mining, and banking.

Out on Zanzibar, see the Beit el-Ajaib (House of Wonders) in the old Stone Town. This large building, once a palace, now houses an impressive history and culture museum, and it has a full-sized replica of a traditional sailing boat made of only coconut fibers and wooden pegs. Take a fishing boat ride over to Toten Island (also known as Island of the Dead) in Tanga; rising out of the mangroves are ruins of an mosque that may be over 500 years old and gravestones from the more recent past. See lions, elephants, and more at the Ngorongoro Crater or chimps and beaches surrounded by mountains at Mahale Mountains National Park. Speaking of mountains, there is that really big one, Kilimanjaro.

Maize, rice, and wheat are common starchy staples. Typical vegetables include bamia (okra), mchicha (a kind of spinach), and njegere (green peas). Chicken, beef, and fish are popular. Ugali is a porridge-like side dish that can be made in many ways, often from cornmeal, but also from millet flour and peanuts, a wheat farina, or buckwheat grits. Try coconut bean soup, which also includes rice and curry powder. Vegetarian African and Indian restaurants can be found, and there’s even organic Japanese cuisine. Tanzania has many customs associated with meals. Sometimes men and women must eat separately. Perhaps the ritual of chewing a clove before dinner would be simpler and more pleasant.