Greetings from Dar!
Anyone who's worked in retail can tell you that waiting is a part of the job, you never know when a customer will come in, so you always need to be ready! We thought it'd be fun to share some images with you of what vendors do in the quiet moments in between sales.
The fabric in the markets that we buy is cut in 6 or 12 yard pieces, which means lots of folding! While most people can tell without unfolding whether they like the print or not, sometimes it's necessary to open it up to get the full effect! Vendors like Anita have tricks to make folding super quick and easy, but it takes time nonetheless!
There's always time for chai! After a hectic rush, there's nothing more relaxing than sitting down to a cup of tea like Josephine here! Kenya is one of the world's largest exporters of black tea, and so it's common across East Africa to sip Kenyan grown tea with milk and lots of sugar. A perfect way to refuel on a busy day!
WHAT WE'RE READING // How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones
This coming of age memoir of a young black, gay man growing up in the South is as beautiful as it is painful. A poet, Saeed Jones assembles this collection of memories revolving around his relationship with his mother and establishing his own identity, with grace and power.
"People don't just happen. We sacrifice former versions of ourselves. We sacrifice the people who dared to raise us. The 'I' it seems doesn't exist until we are able to say, 'I am no longer yours.'"
