THE FEVER RIDE
Acting against The Usual Practice ⬗ 2nd August, 2026
"House in the Village", by A. Breitenbach
"Alexi! Njoo sasa hivi! Tunahitaji msaada yako! - Alex, come immediately! We need your help!" Joel came hastily to my home.
"What's up?" I asked.
"Frenki is seriously ill! We think he has Malaria and needs to get to hospital immediately! The Boss is not around, we can't reach his wife.
None of them can take him to the hospital in town!"
"Ok. Tuende! - Let's go then!"
BABU GOA
And The Stones in My Garden ⬗ 2nd August, 2026
"Babu Goa", by A. Breitenbach
Our new house was overlooking the village and the bay. The gate had been built already but the fence was not yet completely finished. The garden was a mess and I decided to give it some care. I weeded it and removed the stones. The good-looking ones I used for framing the parking lot and the walkways, as is custom in Tanzania. I proceeded slowly, as I found the time.
One day, when my wife and I returned home, I noticed that the job had been finished. All the paths and the car-park had a nice stone lining. But who could have completed the work? .
THE POWER OF LATENT EXPECTATIONS
And And How to Manage Them ⬗ 19th July, 2026
Photo: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, by Christian Krknjak, Pexels.com
Latent expectations are like underground rivers - unnoticed and yet powerfully shaping rocks and soil
over time.
In a similar way latent expectations in development projects are real and powerful, shaping communication
and collaboration. They remain hidden over a long period of time because they are taken for granted or considered
to have a higher priority over the official agreements.
Latent expectations have a strong impact on people’s attitude and behaviour and therefore are likely to have ...
Looking through The Narrative
The shadow of the person passing by the bus stop is only his appearance. It does not resemble the actual person with all his features. These remain undisclosed unless someone sheds some new light on the scene.
Development work in the Global South seems similar: It is more complex than it appears. There are expectations, taboos and cross-cultural issues alongside the contracts and the rules of the donors. In my eyes, a "working understanding" cannot really be obtained from the conference table. That is where faces are saved. Real understanding can only be achieved by working and living with the people on eye level in the field. It is here where the basis for mutual trust and openness is laid. Gradually, one will be able to see through the narrative.
My observations were the trigger for writing this blog. "Two by Two - Mbuyu Perspectives" tells about my experiences, encounters and perceptions from a field-level perspective. It is written for people involved in cross-cultural endeavours - or preparing for it - and people who just take an interest in what happens in development work.
Enjoy reading. If you wish to stay updated, subscribe to my RSS feed. For questions and comments, feel free to contact me.
I am Alexander
For three years my wife and I worked in Lindi, Tanzania. It is one of the poorest regions in the country. We worked with a local NGO in the field of sustainable agriculture and poverty aliviation.
Safari - Culture - Encounter - Hope
Distinctive, creative ideas - it is that which turns travelling with us to a one-of-a-kind experience.
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