A Little Education on Bajaj's in Tanzania by Me (your favorite international student teacher)

When I first got here, I was amazed by all the traffic. Dar is a city that has a population that officials aren't even sure of. Whenever I ask how many live in Dar, I have heard numbers that range from 3 million to 5 million. No one is quite sure. What I do know is that if there are 3 million people, the roads aren't prepared for them. All roads are two laned roads. You can imagine the rush hour traffic with that many people trying to get home on two lane roads. It's during those traffic jams that you are able to thank God for knowing how to be a white person who can get a bajaj. :) I have recently become one such person. It's helpful to get a bajaj for the simple and only slightly scary fact that traffic laws don't apply to bajaj drivers. Therefore, if you hit a traffic jam in a bajaj, it's not a problem!!! You just drive around it. If that means driving off road for a bit and weaving in and out of other cars that are at a standstill, so be it. A 2 hour traffic jam can easily become a 45 minute bumpy ride. :)
However, I've been here for almost a month now and I just recently gained the skills and confidence to get my own bajaj. Why is it so hard? There's just a lot of stuff you have to know! Therefore, in case any of you ever come to Tanzania, I am going to give you the step-by-step instruction of getting a bajaj with, of course, a little Amanda flair along the way. ;) By the end of this blog, you'll be an expert.
Maybe. HAHA!

Step 1: Picking a bajaj driver to approach for business: There isn't really an age limit on drivers. So sometimes I walk up to a bajaj driver and think, "No wonder you drive so crazy. What are you? 12?!" Therefore, pick an OLDER driver. Older typically equals more experience and more logical sense to not drive crazier than necessary. If you make a mistake and approach a driver, they open their mouth and you realize during the conversation that your driver's voice has not changed.... it's time to find another driver. Be polite but get away from that little kid quickly.
Step 2: GREET the bajaj driver: This culture is all about greeting. Greeting everyone. Everyone is a friend or a family member. Respect is paid to older people by the younger and its just a big deal here. Therefore, when you meet your bajaj driver that you think you wanna do business with... it's totally normal to start the business transaction with... "hi, how is your day going?  How is business?" and so on. You bascially do this to become friends with bajaj driver a bit. Know why? Because a happy bajaj driver is gonna be an ounce safer than an annoyed and angry bajaj driver. ;)
Step 3: Tell the bajaj driver where you want to go: Say the name of the location and ask if he knows where it is. If he can't make eye contact with you and looks uncertain. He doesn't know where it is. You can ask him after he darts his eyes, "do you know where it is?" and he is going to say, "yes" whether he does or not. What he's actually thinking is, "No, but I could probably figure it out.... eventually...after stopping and asking 2-5 strangers and making this trip twice as long for you. I'm in no hurry. I've gotta do this all day."
However, if he makes eye contact, repeats the place, he probably is familar with where to go. (A smile is an added bonus of assurance. If you get a smile and eye contact.... you've got a winner.)
Step 4: Ask how much he's gonna charge you for the ride? You have to have a price in mind that is normal and reasonable to begin with... otherwise, he's going to try and charge you twice as much. He's not trying to be rude. He's not trying to rob you. He assumes that since you are white... you have the money, and you shouldn't mind paying him that money. He'll say a price. It's probably too high. Tell him your price. He'll say it's too low... and then let just let the bargaining begin. If you ask for a price and returns it with a shrug, and asks YOU to set the price, this may be another sign that he doesn't know exactly where it is that you are headed.
Step 5: Agree on a price. Get in. Hold onto your stuff and prepare for bumpy ride, and DON'T backseat drive.

See? Now you are a professional! O and by the way, it's all in Swahili!
Yeah, that may take another blog to teach you.
O well... I tried!!! ;)
At least, now you can understand what I go through to get around in Dar.