Orientation
As strangers in a new environment you will experience culture shock in one way or another. Visitors will also experience a great deal of stress as they transition from being in charge of their own affairs and work to the more structured life of a student. Life in Tanzania moves slowly, and people from heavily industrialized countries often find it difficult to adapt. More importantly, Tanzania (and all of Africa) is a place where relationships are valued above all things. This means that to Tanzanians it is worth spending the time to greet each other for several minutes before beginning to discuss matters at hand, worth the time to discuss prices for goods, and appropriate to take time to complete tasks while enjoying the company of co-workers. It also means that established preferences of personal space and privacy must be adapted to suit what is for most a new way of living and interaction. Please bring a sense of humor, a positive attitude, and the ability to laugh at mistakes. Come with a willingness to work and learn with others, and pray that the Lord who calls us all may grant us a joyful period of learning and adjusting together.
Money
Be sure to bring enough cash or traveler’s cheques to take care of your personal needs while you are in the school. You can change both cash and traveler’s cheques at banks in Morogoro, although there is a large fee and a lot of paper work for exchanging traveler’s cheques. Several banks in town have ATM’s, but be advised that only one of them take MasterCard. In fact, most banks in Tanzania don’t take MasterCard, so if you plan to access money via ATM bring a Visa.
Climate
The climate around Morogoro is warm and humid most of the year. November through February is very hot, with temperatures occasionally exceeding 40°C (104°F). June through August is the cooler months and you might need a light sweater. Evenings this time of year are cool and pleasant, but not cool enough to deter mosquitoes. The small rain season is from mid October to December and the longer rains are from March to May. It is advisable for both children and adults to bring lightweight, practical, colored clothing because Morogoro soil is reddish and easily stains.
Travel
The Lutheran Junior Seminary is situated at the foot of the beautiful Uluguru Mountains about 10 km east of Morogoro town along the main road from Dar es Salaam. Regular and frequent buses run between the two cities. Buses will drop off students at the Seminary on request. By private car it takes about three hours. Please note that transportation to the language school is the sole responsibility of the students and their sending societies. If you plan to drive in Tanzania, make sure to bring an International Driving License so that you can drive while waiting to get a local license.
If you do not have a car of your own, it is easy to catch a daladala (passenger van) to Morogoro. They’ll stop to pick you up and should cost 300 Tsh. You can get off anywhere you want to, but it will stop at the daladala stand in the middle of town. Finding the right daladala to take you back to the school is a bit more difficult, but their destinations are painted on the front of the vehicle. Look for one that goes to Mikese, or just ask the folks standing around which one goes to the Lutheran Junior Seminary. They’ll know where you want to go and how to get you there, but be ready to tell the driver when to stop, otherwise he won’t. It is much easier to take a taxi back to the Seminary, and most drivers know where it is. They shouldn’t charge you more than 4000 Tsh (or 5000 Tsh at night) and most drivers will try to get as much as they can from you at any time. It is advisable to get the phone number of a taxi driver you like so that you can call and have him pick you up on occasions when daladalas are undesirable (like after dark).
Health
All students have access to the campus dispensary free of charge which is staffed by a medical assistant, a nurse, and a nurse assistant. The Morogoro area has a high frequency of malaria cases, and the clinic is able to perform simple blood tests for diagnosis. It is expected that each student bring an adequate supply of prophylactic drugs for the duration of their stay, though malaria medicines and other drugs are available in the pharmacies in Morogoro, often at less cost than they are available abroad. Recommended vaccinations include yellow fever, typhoid, tetanus and polio boosters, and hepatitis A.
The best way to avoid contracting malaria is to avoid getting bitten. Use mosquito nets or mosquito coils whenever possible. After dark, keep your limbs covered and consider using a repellent. Before leaving consider starting a prophylactic.