"Hodi" - the worst word ever invented

When you are traveling to see various cultures, the differences you see naturally beg for you to make comparisons. One of the most common ones that I've heard goes something like "People are so much friendlier here in (insert country name) than they are in America!" For me, this was true in Fiji, not that true for Japan (sorry Boyd...), true for Eastern Europe with the exception of Prague where people hate Americans, and very, very true here in Tanzania. This sense of welcoming varies from country to country, largely dependent on how tourists of the past have behaved themselves. In any case, I said that Tanzania was probably the most open and friendly country I've had the opportunity to see, at least here in Bukoba. In Arusha, the tourist capital of Tanzania (due to its proximity to both Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti), I've heard it is a bit less so. Go figure...
The way Tanzanians in general, and the Haya tribe in particular (those from around Bukoba), display their friendliness is multi-faceted. The most obvious and commonplace way is the ubiquitous greetings they will give and receive on a daily basis. There is a whole etiquette based around acknowledging friends, acquaintances, and even passers-by. This entails stopping, asking them about their days, then their families, then their work, and a myriad of other topics. It can take up to five minutes or so to properly stop and greet someone, giving the correct inquiries and responses. I've been asked about 10-15 questions by a single stranger before, just while I am walking to town. It goes something like this (translated, of course):

"How is your morning, brother?"
"It is fine and clean. How is your day?"
"Simply fine and clean. How is your place?"
"My place is completely nice. It is Ihungo Secondary."
"Ahhh! Ihungo! What do they say there?"
"They have no problems at all. How is your place?"
"My place is fresh. Are you coming from Ihungo?"
"Yes."
"Where are you going?"
"Town."
"It is that way." (points to the only road around, which I am already walking down)
"Ah, I see, thank you for helping me. How is your family?"
"They are completely fine. And yours?"
"They are in America, but also completely fine."
"That's good. How is your work?"
"My work is that of a teacher. It is a lot of work, but nice."
"Ah you teach at Ihungo! Which subject do you teach?"
"I teach physics to forms 5 and 6. My students are very clever."
"They must be. Physics has many difficulties."
"And how is your work?"
"Oh it is going nice and slow. I am a farmer."
"Where do you farm?"
"There in the village. I have a small farm there."
"Aha. That is nice. I have been happy to meet you, I am continuing to town."
"What is your name?"
"I am called Masanja."
(claps and laughs) "You are truly Tanzanian. I am called Rutakutalutabuta."
"Ok Rutalupahubadoo, I will see you another day."
"Yes we'll see each other later."

This conversation, or one very similar, is so common it feels rote by now. Every day when I walk to or from town, at least one or two complete strangers and I will get to know each other this way, and I always fail at pronouncing their names.
I said there is are multiple ways in which Tanzanians show their hospitality and friendliness. This is an example of one of the ways which I really like. I get to improve my Swahili a bit, meet people, and feel like I belong. Tanzanians are also very open with their homes, treating them as communal gathering places, rather than personal castles. Due to this, I get invited to visit people whom I hardly know all the time, and often I go. Usually it winds up with me drinking a soda, talking a bit, and maybe forcing down some dagaa and ugali. But of course, in giving this hospitality, they expect the same from me, with or without invitation.
This is the part of the open culture they have here that bugs me. People I have met just once on the streets that I don't remember at all will often show up at my house. Its ok, except when I want a little personal time. For example, Sunday is usually my "study, lesson plan, max-to-the-relax" day. What invariably happens is that I am in the middle of solving some difficult problem, or I've reaching the climax of whatever book I'm reading, and a visitor will call. Here is hands-down the most annoying thing in all of Tanzania- the way they announce themselves. They say the word "hodi" (ho-dee) very loudly and abruptly, and with a strangely high pitch. If there is no answer, they do so again. And again. And again. Hodi! Hodi! Hodi! Then, if five or six of these don't work, they pound on the door a bit. Then back to the hodi's. Imagine being in the middle of a nap to hear this "hodi hodi hodi". Trust me, there is almost no way to be woken up that is more annoying. The real crazy/amazing thing is the persistence which these house-callers have. Once I decided to try to continue napping, and the guy knocked and hodi'ed for about 5 minutes at the front door, then went to the back door to try the same, and then returned to the front door. All told he bothered the crap out of me for about ten minutes before I finally mustered the rage to answer the door. The guy was wondering if I'd seen a fellow teacher. That was it. My gosh... I think I might've been a bit overly-brusque that time. Seriously, if doorbells existed here in Tanzania, people would go insane daily. I would probably be the first.

But really, all in all, the hospitality is nice. Really.