Two weeks ago, I went from Kigoma to Moshi by car. Over tarmac and dirt, through mountains and plains, past forest reserves and gold mines.
Moshi and Kigoma are pretty far apart geographically, about 1200 km by road, and perhaps further apart in attitude. The first thing I noticed about Moshi, besides how empty the streets seem, is that heads turn when our car passes. And, no, not because it's an exceptionally flashy or crappy looking car--it's pretty average. But because our company logo is plastered on the doors.
As pedestrians walk past their heads swivel around till they're bent nearly backwards trying to read the door. We get out, and meter maids ask us what our company is all about. Random strangers ask us where the office is.
When we put up a big signboard on the main road to direct people to the office, one passerby stopped and stood there contemplating it for a while. He fiddled with his phone and then later came up to my colleague--"you see?" he said pointing to the screen. "I found all about this Sustainable Harvest now. I looked it up on the internet."
I haven't quite figured it out. Is it suspicion? I would guess that people are just as suspicious in Kigoma, but their culture is less overt. Or maybe people are always actively looking for a job, and a new company in town might provide that? Or is it because Moshi is a small town run by a tight-knit community, where new-comers must be closely examined?
