Me: Are all of the guides men?
Arnold the manager: Yes
Me: Why haven’t you hired any women as guides?
Arnold: [Laughing, looking at male guides] Ah, well, guiding a safari is hard work.
Me: Driving and talking about wildlife? Women can’t do that?
Arnold: Ah, but they have to change tires.
Me: I can change a tire [Slight exaggeration.]
Arnold: Ah well, some there are some guides who are women, but they are very few in all of Tanzania.
Me: But you haven’t hired those guides?
Arnold:[Laughing] Ah, no, not yet
Me: This is serious. I’m doing economic research here in Tanzania and if you leave women out of the formal labor market, and don’t let them have good jobs like guiding safari, this will be very bad for the Tanzanian economy. Very bad. [Slight exaggeration, mostly in regards to my qualification for that statement]
Arnold: [Contrived seriousness] I understand.
Me: Well, I have to do some research about other companies and compare prices. But if you hire a woman guide, I will definitely hire your company for the safari [Slight exaggeration].