Memorial.

I have always hated bartering with a vengeance. However, since coming here it has become one of my favorite hobbies.

Our little group has now expanded. Lizzie and Mel, Hawwa’s uni friends are finally here and have joined in with everything we are doing at the school and our African adventures

We went to Memorial market on Saturday. After five minutes of walking around I realised that I was gonna have a massive problem. Why do they have a market that sells amazing things like brand new or excellent condition old navy and true religion jeans that cost about 2.50 here? English price for a pair of true religion jeans is over 130 pounds. I was in shopping heaven that was made up of loads of dirt and people trying to get my money. So Aya’s Tanzanian bartering tips are:

1. 1. The first price they give you is never the actual price. So when I am told a price no matter how reasonable I think it is, I either looked massively shocked or start laughing to show the stall owner how ridiculous I think it is. The way I see it is that I am laughing cuz I will never pay the first given price. The owners are usually good humored about cuz they know they are trying to rip you off.

2. 2. Go way below the price you actually want to pay and work your way up until you meet a common ground.

3. 3. Show other store owners stuff you have bought at other stalls and tell them how much you paid. I do this A LOT!

4. 4. If you really,really want something and the owner won’t go down to your price just buy it. You kinda loose face if you feign a walk out and they actually let you go. You then kick yourself cuz you’ve missed out on something really good (I did this, then got my friend to go back and get this AMAZING vintage jacket for me as I couldn’t let it go.)

Lizzie and Mel were kinda ruining Hawwa and I’s poker faces. They were not used to our bartering techniques and thought it was hilarious and so kept on laughing at the stalls.

All in all its good fun for both parties, the clothes owners will always make sure that they make a good profit and you get awesome clothing at a fraction of a fraction of the price you would pay back home. Defiantly one of my top 5 things to do in Moshi.

7ikmat el-post: Keeping a straight, serious,even sometimes outraged face is key during the bartering process. When you leave the stall and round the corner you can then burst into hysterics all you want :D