It's a great place to raise kids

Over and over again, people tell us that Tanzania, and Arusha in particular, is a great place to raise children. But this is what they are supposed to say, right? I mean, they're raising their children here. Does anyone ever say "Yeah, I wouldn't send your kid to my kid's daycare if I were you. The teachers are below average"?

But I have had some time to reflect on their statement and I am starting to see things from their perspective. As an expatriate, Arusha is more of a small town than a big city and there is certainly a (relatively) small, international community of people that we, already, recognize around town. Most of the restaurants have some outdoor seating, and many have extended lawns (and even playgrounds) where kids are free to explore and play. The international schools (from what I hear) are fantastic, and  most expats work for organizations that help defray the (otherwise prohibitive?) cost of tuition. Furthermore, most expats are paid in US dollars/Euros which means a high standard of living and the luxury of having some combination of a full time maid, nanny, cook, guards, and/or driver. And with all of these benefits, many can still afford to be one-income families. Clearly there are upsides to living here.

On the other hand, a car is a necessity here and I miss the days when I could put Eleanor in the Ergo and walk to the grocery store, to rent a movie, to meet a friend for coffee, or get an ice cream after dinner. I want to teach Eleanor to ride a bike, and I'm not sure that is possible (and it's certainly not safe) here. I miss parks (that don't have big game roaming freely) and green space and museums and cultural festivals. I miss quinoa and almond butter. And I miss my family and friends. While I might get used to having just two free parks, having to drive to 5 different places to do all my shopping, only being able to see movies that are months (and months) old, and not taking Eleanor to childrens' museums, or art museums, or natural history or science museums, I cannot imagine that I could ever get used to my friends and family being thousands and thousands of miles away.

So while I do love having a housemaid, when this adventure has reached it's planned end date I still want to bring my family home. Where it's a great place to raise kids.