Villager MAR 08 grid.indd - Tubac Villager

L E T T E R S37I am dumb.Letter from AfricaHitch-hiking in Africano easy roadby Tim VandervoetThese are the first words that cometo my head as I woke up on thesecond day of traveling in the cab of asemi truck from Malawi to Maputo,Mozambique. I didn’t know then, butdo know now, that semi’s can becomevery hot, especially when you’resleeping right over the engine, at theedge of the tropics. So I found myselfwaking up gasping, suffocating in theheat, trying to ignore the mosquitoesthat endlessly dove my head frommidnight to 5 a.m. For 40 hours I didthis, and in retrospect, perhaps it wasa bit much.Being a Peace Corps Volunteer haschanged my perspective on a lot ofthings, namely money, transport andtime. Gone are the days of flights,or direct buses, or even short-leggedjaunts down a country road in amini-bus. Instead, I spend hours onthe side of the road hitch hiking,sometimes waiting five hours or morefor a three-hour trip. This is becauseI spend time most easily, and am sohesitant to part with my money.Because of these new values (andperhaps my own unending pride/arrogance), I found myself catching aride down the length of Mozambiquewith a trucker carrying planks ofwood from Malawi to Maputo. For40 hours we drove over some of theworst roads I’ve ever known, arrivingin the capitol at three a.m. with sevensmelly passengers, and three flat tires.Back home in America I had a usedToyota Camry, plenty of gas stations,and good roads to wander on. I was,I would say, a proverbial king of theroad. But, oh, how fast I’ve fallen (ormaybe I pushed myself down).While all of these things maketransportation much more enjoyable,I’ve found that it is actually themoney that makes the difference.Transport prices are not entirely outof range for me, but they are for a lotof people. The other day riots brokeout in Maputo due to increasedfuel costs, as transportation quicklybecame unattainable for most people.I feel like many people, especiallythose here in Africa, are living onthe edge and straining their incomesjust to get around. A lot of peoplewouldn’t go the extremes that I do totravel, and instead simply choose notto for monetary reasons.This is sad when I think about it, thatso many people back home shouldwaste their fuel on big cars andunnecessary trips to Phoenix, whilethe rest of the world can’t move atall. If it comes down to anything, Isuppose we are just too accustomed toour luxuries. Even I, after two years,can’t break from that correlation offreedom and travel, or from the ideathat 40 hours in a semi truck downAfrican roads is a punishment Iwouldn’t want to endure again.(Editor’s Note: Tim Vandervoet, whogrew up in Tubac, has been working asa Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi, insoutheast Africa, for nearly two years.)Adult general dentistryCosmetic dentistry. Crown & Bridge. Partial & Full Dentures. VeneersOur specialty is yourpersonalized comfortand care!Fearful? . . .Sedation availableTHE TUBACFARMER’S MARKETSalsas • GuacamoleOrganic Jam & JelliesHandmade SoapsOrganic Produce FromLocal FarmersVillage of TubacI-19N★ Plaza de AnzaParque de AnzaExit 34at Barrio de Tubacat Plaza de AnzaGETFRESH!LIVEMusic!Local ArtistsCactus / NurserySalmon • JerkyCoffee RoasterChili Ristras • OilsEVERY THURSDAY10:00 AM - 2:00 PMWIN A FARMER’S BASKET!Purchase any item from one of our vendors and becomeeligible to win a Farmer’s Basket! ($30 value)For more information call(520) 398-2506 or 398-1010I-19 South to Exit 34, East to Frontage Rd.North to Plaza de Anza (South of the Village of Tubac)A FUN DAY OUT!Do you have itemsyou’d like to sell on ebay?Collectibles, memorabilia or the like! Mike Bader398-2437 cell 370-7239Tubac Online SalesInternet Auction Consignmentsemail: TubacOnlineSales@att.nettIf you’ve been married long enough to have lost your illusions, but notnecessarily your hope, you MUST read Jim Duzak’s new book,“Mid-Life Divorce and the Rebirth of Commitment”.www.attorneyatlove.comHOUSE FOR RENT beautiful Santa Fe style home 2600sqft. Beautifullyfurnished ..located at the top of a mountain with stunning views. 2 largeporches landscaped with trees. Cool in the summer. Available May thruSept. ..$950 month plus utilites...please call 520 3779098.