Leaving on a jetplane

I woke this morning at 6:30, not remembering it was my last day, or that I had the morning off. Once I remebered, I laid in bed soaking in the view outside my window so I wouldn't forget it. I fell back to sleep until 9, when Laura woke me so we could go into town. We decided to walk, and by "we", I mean she wanted to walk, so I agreed as long as we could take a cab back.

It took a little over an hour to get there. We stopped at the exchange bureau, then went to some shops for t-shirts and souvineers. Moshi was much different today than it had been the first day. No one really bothered us at all, except for my fiance, Jimmy Carter, who managed to find me once again. We shopped for about an hour, then came back to the house and had lunch. Once we ate, we laid in the sun at my request. I can't accept that I'm coming home to winter. Absolutely devastating.

I didn't want to start to pack, so I lounged around. I was afraid that if I packed too early, I would have too much free time, and I would be anxious to leave. I am waiting until the last minute to shower since it is the last shower I will have until I get home. I hung out with Laura a bit, and we chatted about leaving. It's bittersweet. I will miss it here, especially when I was just starting to get comfortable. On the other hand, there is not much to do here after the first 3 weeks (because the programs are over), and I can see how boring that could get. I feel badly for Laura- she still has 3 more weeks here.

I am upset that I didn't get to say goodbye to a lot of my fellow volunteers. I left for town this morning not realizing they were going on weekend excursions and wouldn't be here when I left. I have everyone's email, though, so I'm sure some of us will keep in touch.

When I finally packed, my suitcases are relatively empty, compared to the first trip. I gave away most of my clothes, all of my shoes except one pair I am wearing home, and my toiletries. I am looking forward to unpacking- there really isn't much to unpack.

I am off to shower now, and have an early dinner so I can leave here in an hour. I know the whole trip home will seem torturously long, but I will try my best to pass the time. I am out of reading materials, but have movies on the plane and a bag of medicine to knock me out. I am not going to know if it is day or night when I get home. So, please forgive me if I am not quick to answer your emails and responses. I will do my best, but plan on needing some time to get acclaimated. See you in America!

Farewells

Last night, Kandice, Shingi and I went to dinner at The Watering Hole. It is a small, unmarked gate along a stretch of road about 20 minutes walking from home base. Inside is like a little American paradise. It is operated by all Americans, and features food rarely found elsewhere in the country, like burgers and quesedillas. It resembles a tiki bar, almost, made of bamboo and glass and set in a lush jungle outside. It's a great place to relax with a couple drinks, and watch the sun go down and the stars come out. Tonight they are showing a movie, WALL-E (a personal favorite), outside like a drive in. We're going back for dinner, and my farewell night.

Today was my last day at Faraja. Kathryn and I talked about a few options to make the day special, and settled on bringing food. It seems to be the major factor most of them are lacking in their home life. We started the day with a light lesson, let them play early, then brought them in for juice and cookies. They were extremely well behaved today. I suspect they were given a speech before we arrived this morning.

They loved the juice and cookies. Sadly, most of them are used to eating so little that 4 shortbread cookies were too much for them to finish. But, they all took their time and ate everything, then proceeded to lick the crumbs off their paper plates. When they were finished eating we assembled the Burger King crowns for them. They went absolutely wild with laughter when I put the first one on my head. We "crowned" each student individually, and the whole class clapped for each person. It was so cute. I read to them for storytime with all their crowns still on.

They were told it was our last day, but I don't know what meaning that has for them. I think they are used to people coming and going, so they didn't seem very affected. I was sad to see them go, and hugged some of my favorites. That little Evenlight, though. I couldn't put her down. Luckily, she stays after class, so I spent more time with her. The hardest part was watching them go, knowing there was no way to find out what will become of these children.

Mr. Massawe and his wife invited us in and had a meal prepared. I filled out the paperwork to sponser Neema for secondary school. I found out that her real name is Betty. I couldn't help but chuckle. Before we ate, Kathryn and I received gifts from them, pieces of fabric called kongas in traditional African designs, along with a very sweet thank you letter. We, in turn, gave they our gifts. We had gotten them kongas as well, and 5 cases of poridge for the orphans. I emptied my backpack, full of clothes I didn't need at home, to my dada (sister) that I am sponsoring. I gave her the backpack, too, for school. I gave Mr. Massawe money to open the PO Box, and Kathryn gave money to the family to feed themselves and the children. They were jumping up and down, and I received more blessings than I have ever in my life.

We ate their delicious meal, and it was time to go. The first time I cried was when I hugged Neema goodbye. We will keep in touch through email, but I know I will most likely not see her again. I told her to do well in school and make something of herself. She is too smart to end up on the streets like so many of the girls here will. When the van came, we bid farewell to Mr. Massawe and his wife. They want me to come back with a husband (boy oh boy) so they can meet him. I didn't have the heart to tell them how long they would be waiting for that one. They tell me I'm already too old, and I better hurry up. Hahahaha, imagine that!

It hadn't hit me that I would never come back to Majengo until I got in the van and put my hands on the windows opposite of theirs. I cried all the way out of the village, watching my students playing in the street and waving to us as we left. By the time we got to home base, I was just tired. I ate lunch and took a nice nap.

I am composed again, and more than anything, excited to board that plane tomorrow! I depart here at 9:40 PM, fly one hour to Dar Es Saalam (where more people board my plane), then 9 1/2 hours to Amsterdam. I'll be knocking myself out for that one! I arrive there at 7:55 AM, have a 3 hour layover (which I am looking forward to for the shopping!), and then leave for Newark at 10:35 AM. I arrive 8 1/2 hours later at 1:35 PM. These time changes are going to kick my butt.

I will shower now and get ready for dinner and a movie. In the morning, I will start to pack. It won't take long, so maybe I will go to town or something as well, and try to make the most of my last day in Africa.

Bling Bling

I apologize for not blogging yesterday, but them demon spawn I was teaching in the morning wiped me out. It was by far the worst they had been in 3 weeks. I had pencils whipped at my head, children giving each other bloody noses, and they all mocked me when I would yell at them. When I got back to the house, I fell asleep for the entire afternoon. I woke at 5, and got ready to go out to dinner and our dancing lessons. It was an alright night. We didn't do as much dancing as I hoped, but at least they had Coca-Cola at the restaurant.

This morning, I had a different attitude going into Faraja. I think I realized how much little time I have left, so I laughed at alot more. I feel like we haven't taught them much, and Kathryn and I always say we went on an expensive babysitting venture to Africa. Today, they were all angels, go figure, so I dropped the homicide plans that had been brewing from the morning before. I think that o matter how you slice it or dice it, I am just not a children person. Obviously, this discludes those that have personal meaning to me, like cousins and friend's kids and so on, but I don't care much for anyone else's.

After the orphanage today, we took a group trip to Arusha, a large city about an hour away. (By large city, I mean it has a stoplight. One of two towns in the whole country that boasts traffic signals.) We went to the Arush conference center, where the United Nations Internation Tribunal for the Rawanda genocides is taking place. We got to sit in court and watch the proceedings live for about an hour. I am completely uneducated about the whole matter, but found it fascinating. The man on trial today was a Minister of the Interior of Rawanda that ordered genocide killings of the Tutsis. The trial has been going on since November of 2004.

After that, we went shopping. FINALLY! I had been thinking about what I wanted to bring home to remember my trip, and I decided early on that I wanted a Tanzanite stone (their natural home being Tanzania, hence the name.) Our driver brought me to "the best" jeweler, and after looking at hundreds of stones, I picked "the best". I absolutely love it. It is the highest quality, and therefore looks nothing like you would find in America. I am hoping to eventually set it into a ring.

After the jewelry store, we stopped at a Massai market, and I got a ton of fun jewlery. I am going to miss bargaining when I get home. I'm finally getting good at it! We got home a little later and just had dinner, so I am going to shower and hop into bed.

I have two more days with the kids. Kat and I decided we are going to throw a party on Friday- which should be fun. We'll bring cookies and juice and the Burger King crowns (Thanks Aunt Jen!) I am going to try to have the PO Box opened tomorrow as well. Wish me luck!

The lion queen

We departed at 12:30 sharp on Friday for safari weekend. A very nice, new Land Rover was our home for the weekend. Michael was our guide and driver, and he was very knowledgeable, as I might be after 5 years of safari school! We set out for Terangire first, which was about 2 hours away. We stopped at a little gift shop on the way to eat our packed box lunches. It was better than some of the others I have had here.

We arrived at the park, and immediately saw a huge herd of elephants. I asked Michael what kind they were, forgetting the options were African or Asian. I figured that one out on my own. Now, I took tons of photos, and they are going to tell the story of the safari much better than I can on this blog. I remember seeing lots of giraffes, zebra, gazelles, and warthogs at the first park. The terrain was more or less like I had imagined. Dry, dusty, quite a few trees, but still lots of open space. If you have never gone on safari, then you can compare it to a Where's Waldo book. You sit and stare out the window, looking at a tree stump and think you're seeing a bear. A lot of the animals are very difficult to spot, but Michael found them in no time.

We stayed in the park until sunset, and then drove to our hotel, which was in the park itself. It was a Sopa lodge (I had no idea what that meant when we booked it but I was expecting a mud hut). We pulled up to a 5-star, modern hotel and 3 people approached as I got out of the car. One took my bag, one gave me a glass of fresh juice, and the third handed me a hot, moist towel. FINALLY! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. The rooms were clean, and large, with spa-like bathrooms. We went to the restaurant for dinner and got a 4-course seated dinner of the best food I've had here yet. We got a couple bottles of wine, and had the kind of night that I didn't want to end.

We woke up at 5:30 the next day for the sunrise safari. Unfortunately, when I woke up on Saturday, I was not feeling well. I had caught the stomach bug that so many of my roommates had. I was just thinking how lovely it was going to be, sitting in the van on bumpy roads for 12 hours, with no restroom. Thank God I brought my Immodium AD. I got out to the van and tried to get comfortable. It had rained the night before, and was colder than normal, which makes the animals sleep later. And there I was, sitting in the back of a 4x4 with, bumping through the African savannah, freezing to death with the windows and roof open, swatting tsetse flies away, drowning in insect repellant, not seeing even one animal, and having diarrhea at 6 AM. It was at that moment, I decided, that I am starring in the Truman show. My life is too entertaining to not be filmed and enjoyed by others.

I don't know how many people are able to fall asleep in those conditions, but those of you who know me understand how I did it. I woke up at 8, arriving back to the hotel for breakfast. The food was incredible again, and I didn't want to leave the comfort of having a nice room, with good food, and a professional staff that speaks English. But, at 9:30, we set out for Lake Manyara.

The nicest thing about safari weekend was that all 3 parks we visited were different from one another. Though Lake Manyara had a savannah area, it was mostly tropical jungle. It was incredible to see the elephants and giraffes navigate through such dense areas. We saw a huge herd of baboons that were extremely entertaining, fighting and swinging across trees. They were adorable. We did spot a couple lion, but they were far from the road, and behind some bushed lying down. They might as well have been rocks. I was disappointed, since I really wanted to see the big cats the most.

We left Manyara and headed to the lodge for the night. We pulled up to a place called Twiga, which means giraffe, and they opened the gate. Taking one glimpse of what was awaiting me, I wanted to die. It was, excuse my language, a hellhole. The rooms held 2 people, had very old and ratty bedding, contact paper for the floor, no windows, a bug problem, and a bathroom I wouldn't shower in an elephant had pooped on my feet. Now, I should mention that I am closer with one woman here now. Her name is Kandice, and she sleeps in the bunk below me. No one else had a problem with where we were staying, which was the worst part because I didn't want to make a fuss, but Kandice took one look and screamed "what the %^#@ is this place? I'm not sleeping here!" It made me feel so much better. I don't mean to be a prima donna, but come on. From a 5-star lodge to this?

We went over to have dinner, which was disgusting in comparison to the night before. I tried to fall asleep as fast as possible to avoid lingering on my surroundings. I was up all night, positively sick. I was getting up every hour, at least, and going to that horrid bathroom. The only thing I could do in there was laugh at the circumstance. Just like the morning, there I was sitting, sick, in the most disgusting place I have ever seen, with no alternative, looking at a rack holding a Spiderman bath towel that was made before I was born. It had no edges, just frays, and was so faded, you could barely make out the logo.

We woke up at 5:30 again, had breakfast (toast), and set out for the crater. As low spirited as I was, I still had high hopes. Ngorongoro crater is on most of the "1000 things to see before you die" lists, and it boasts the best opportunity for seeing animals. The crater was not easy to get into or out of. There was only one road with no guardrail, down the side of a cliff. Once we got down there, though, it was incredible. It is almost completely flat, about 10 miles in diameter, and 20,000 species of wildlife live there among each other.

We saw the same animals for the most part, but there were many more of them here. With few trees and little brush, they were easier to spot, though not in the tall grass if they were lying down. We saw a cheetah from a distance, which was cool. We saw a couple lion, but they were far off and lying down. I was so disappointed. If you are there at the right time, the animals come right to the car and walk past. I was really hoping to see the cats up close.

After 5 hours in the crater, we headed back the way we had come. I was sad to leave, but thanking God that there was a restroom at the gate. We were flying through, and Laura, who was sitting in front of me, yelled for Michael to stop. I jumped up to ask what she had seen, but as soon as I lifted my head to the window, I saw the face of a lion cub poke out from the grass about 15 feet away from the car. JACKPOT! Michael backed up and pulled closer. Two cubs were enjoying naptime with their mother, and we were able to get up close and personal. They were boys, about 4-6 months old, and they reminded me of Ling and Thao back home. They were adorable to watch- if we were closer, I am sure I would have lost a limb trying to pick one up. Best of all, no other vans were around us. When we saw the lions the first time, there were 11 vans with people climbing on the roof to get a view.

I should mention, since I think it is noteable, that I am not a bird watcher. I have never had any interest at all (sorry Mom-Mom) in birds. HOWEVER, this weekend, I have seen some incredible birds, and I really enjoyed them. They are hard to photograph, unfortunately, but I took a couple photos. They looked like they were fake because some of them were so bright, from orange to turquoise and everything in between. The storks, though, were disgusting looking. He told us that they just walk around and eat garbage and droppings. My response to that was, "Well, if you are what you eat, I would have guessed they ate garbage."

As we drove up the mountain, I looked at all the photos I had taken. I got some great shots, but those lion cubs were the icing on the cake. I tried to sleep on the way home, which was a 5 hour drive, but the bumpy roads and inability to get comfortable made it nearly impossible. I was wiped out when we got here last night, but was so glad to be here after the place I stayed the night before. I took a hot shower, ate some dinner, and laid in bed.

I didn’t want to go right to sleep, so I picked up Twilight, which Lauren Smith told me I had to read. I was set on not liking it. 2 hours and 150 pages later, I too, had fallen in love with Edward Cullen, like the rest of American female adolescents. I’m still feeling awful, so I didn’t go to the orphanage this morning. I just read another 100 pages. I can’t put the stupid book down because I don’t want to walk away from the fictional person I am in love with. Am I twisted, or what?

So, I’m going to read more now. I have batik class at 3, which I am very excited about. For dinner tonight, we apparently go into town, and after we eat, a bunch of locals teach us how to dance. Should be interesting. I’ll bring a camera.

I am in the week countdown, and am super excited to come home and share my stories and pictures. I wish I could capture everything here, but it just isn’t possible. I’m doing my best, though.

Mzungu

Today is absolutely the most boring day I have had since I have been here. I woke up and got ready for school today, but after eating breakfast wasn't feeling too hot, so I stayed behind for the morning. My stomach was a bit dodgy, and others with similar symptoms recommended I stay out of the heat and near a working bathroom and fan. So, I spent the morning doing some laundry and sleeping a bit. I must say, hand washing your unmentionables is quite humbling.

Once everyone returned from placements, they put out lunch for us, but it was the same old- same old gross food that we are all sick of. Potatoes, vegetables, and chicken bones. I opted for ritz crackers and water instead. After lunch, we had an individual meeting about our placements. The organizers wanted our feedback and such. I was able to go first and it took all of 3 minutes. I decided to go lay in the sun for a little bit, but lasted about 30 minutes and it started to rain. I took my clothes off the line, went inside, and have been in my room for the past 3 hours.

Some people were going into town, which I was considering, but they were walking. I know better than to attempt that. Being here and around the other volunteers makes me feel incredibly unable. They are hiking, and climbing, and walking 7 km to town with no problems, some of them following all that with an afternoon jog. I am, by far, the most out of shape person here, and it gets me down. Honestly, I'd rather pay some locals to hoist me around in a poster bed a la Aladdin for a great price rather than sweat and pant any more than absolutely necessary. I know, I know. Princess, again. Anyway, another volunteer is celebrating her birthday today, and a bunch of people are going into town for dinner. I wasn't necessarily invited, and I didn't feel like sticking my nose in, so I am staying here.

There will be 4 people having dinner at the house tonight. I hope they give us something good. I have just about had it with the meals. The meat is so disgusting here that I've been mostly vegetarian since I arrived, partially due to the sight of huge hunks of fatty beef hanging in shop windows, unrefrigerated, with flies landing to have a buffet. The chicken isn't much better. I see them on the side of the road, eating the bits of garbage left over after the locals burn it each night. Not quite the vitamins I need in a chicken. The burning garbage actually doesn't smell terrible, more like smoldering fireplace, but when they light it at 9PM 30 feet from your bedroom window, your eyes get a bit irritated, and you start to smell like beef jerky. Luckily, that has only happened twice, and none of my roommates have gnawed on me yet.

I have been meaning to mention mzungu on here for a while. Mzungu means visitor in Swahili, but it has taken on the meaning of "white person". You would think it is the first word they teach their children. Whether you are walking, or in a van, they see white skin and start shoulting "mzungu! mzungu!" and pointing, sometimes while jumping up and down. The adults use it less, but I have heard it from a few. In town, many salespeople have "mzungu price" because they think we are dumb and they rip us off. Soda is 250tsh (20 cents US) if Mr Massawe orders it, but 400tsh (about 30 cents) when I want to buy a round. If you need the dime, you can keep it buddy. Anyway, some volunteers get extremely offended by mzungu. I, on the other hand, think it is hysterical. Imagine me driving through New York while pointing and screaming "black people!" and tell me I wouldn't look like swiss cheese by the time I got 4 blocks from my starting point. I am almost jealous that they are able to be so blunt in their culture, and we have to be so guarded not to offend anyone in ours. Just goes to show how colorful the world is, I suppose.

Speaking of New York, I am aching to be home. I am counting the days. Not that I am having a bad time, it just feels like I haven't been home in a month and I want to be around my family and friends. It is hard to live in a house with 20 people, eat all your meals with them, etc, and not have a good friend. They are all nice, but I don't feel particularly close to anyone. There is nothing to do alone here other than read. I have finished 4 books already. Once Monday comes, I will be counting the days. And the weekend will pass quickly, because I am going on safari!

5 other volunteers and I depart at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon, and we are on safari until Sunday night! I don't know the order of the places we visit, but our tour will include Lake Manyara, Tarangire National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater. All three places are ideal for seeing animals this time of year. The Serengeti is too far for a weekend trip, and I don't care to extend my stay any longer to see it. I want to see some animals, take some pictures, and come back. I'm sure the food will be less than optimal, but I hope the lodging is decent. We are apparantly staying in a 5-star lodge. I don't have any clue what that means here, but I am hoping it has some hygenic standards, a bathroom, and running water. I don't ask for much at this point.

Unfortunately, I will not have access to the internet (or a computer) until Sunday night, if we return before 10, or Monday morning. I'm sure I will be exhausted on Monday, but will try to blog ASAP about my weekend. Next week we have a couple fun trips planned that I can tell you about also. Cross your fingers for no rain, and that I see some animals. I am particularly on the lookout for a cheetah, which will be Lauren Smith and Tony's wedding gift if I can catch it, fit it in a backpack and pass it off as a child through customs. I am also hoping for some flamingos, an giraffes. And not to be Debbie Downer, but I would love to see a good kill. Here's to hoping!

Still alive

I had the day off from school today for our tour. We left the house at 8, and headed for our first stop, a blacksmith shop in a Chagga village near the mountain. It was very amusing to wath them melt and hammer the metal to make arrouws and things. They had a few things for sale there, and I was able to practice my bargaining skills, which have come a far way from the first time I walked out of a car dealership, sobbing and shaking.


Next, we walked 5 minutes to the home of a Chagga family. In the 17th century, the Chagga tribe was at war with the Massai people, fighting over land and animals. The Chagga used to escape their enemy by living in caves, sometimes for up to a year, to protect their families and their animals. We had the opportunity to travel the caves, so you know I had to do it. Once I got down there, though, it was much smaller than the tour guide had described. He said we would need to crouch down to walk. Well, I was army crawling on my knees and elbows to fit through some of the passages. He said 60 people stayed in that cave for a whole year. I's rather have been killed by the enemy. I took some photos so you could see what it looks like down there.


After that, we hopped back in the bus and stopped at a local market, that doesn't get many visitors. Unfortunately, the local people don't like being photographed so we couldn't bring our cameras. It was so fascinating, vibrant, and full of people yelling, chickens being slaughtered, and fruits on people's heads. I was able to do a bit more bartering for some fabric I liked. I hate being followed, though, and people here are very harassing to get you to spend money. Even sitting in the van waiting to go, men are shoving their arms in the windows trying to show you their merchandise.


Next stop was the waterfall. We sat under a thatched roof and had lunch (which, to put it mildly, was gross), and then started out for the waterfall. This was only a 10 minute walk, so I figured it wouldn't be a problem after the hike I had already taken. And I was wrong. It was so steep that I slid down most of it. Even with bamboo hand rails, I had to climb to make it down the rocky slopes. Once we got there, we were at least 100 yards from the waterfall, and the only way to get closer was to walk through the river. Not happening. So, I took some photos, and started the trek back up. Now, if the walk down was hell, the walk back up was cleaning the devil's underwear. My heart was beating so hard, I think I saw my chest palpatating on the outside. Absolutely crazy. But, I made it, sweating and panting, but alive nonetheless.


We composed ourselves, and walked about 1 km to a Chagga museum. We saw a traditional home, which is the size of my living room at home, and houses up to 15 people, 2 cows, and some goats, with a kitchen and attic. Unbelieveable. The museum had some cool artifacts, but I was so dead tired by that point, I wasn't really interested. Next to the museum was a beautiful resort, and we were able to go in and walk around, and have a soda at the bar.



We were on the way home from there, but the guide wanted us to stop and taste banana beer. To put it best, mix oatmeal with banana juice, and add a warm miller light. It's possibly the most vile thing I have ever tasted. I vow to never again drink beer I have to chew.



I just had a nice shower, and now I'll off to have a BBQ dinner. I can't imagine it will be wonderful, but who knows. I still have some snacks from home left! I bet I will be in bed quite early this evening. After a nice cocktail of Motrin and water. Talk to you tomorrow!

Dirty Dancing

It is just after lunch on Tuesday, and I have a few minutes before gender issues class to say hello. I miss all of you back home.

My children were little devils today. Lots of fighting and crying, making one tires mwalimu (teacher). I must say, though, something happens each day that makes me laugh. They are just like children in the US, they have their own little personalities, and I always laugh when I feel like I can see their brains trying to wrap around a situation. A little girl named Evenlight (Evenia for short) has captured my heart. Most of the others, I could leave or take. But not Evenia. She is the youngest in class, 4, and has a very poor mother who looks after her. Today, she stayed after class and wanted to pretend to be the teacher with the ruler and the chalkboard. If I was going to take someone home with me, it would be her.

I am really wishing I had a video camera with me. I would like you all to see dance time. They like American music, and they start jumping around when the radio comes out. The girls are taught to pull their skirts tight around their bottoms, and move their hips like JLo. It's so funny to see them doing these provocative dances, and the boys staring at them. Then when the boys dance, they do this thrusting movement that makes me laugh so hard, I leave the room. It really is no wonder most children are sexually active at 12, and so many women have lots of children. They really are taught young- it's ingrained in their culture. The hardest part is to realize that and not yell at them for it.

After class today, I spoke to Mr. Massawe and his wife about the orphanage. The students pay no school fees. He says he knows the parents are poor, and the children will end up in the streets with nothing to make of their lives, most of the girls using their bodies for money. So, he makes no money at all to support his family. The only money they get is from donations and sponsors. His 15 year old daughter, who I spend most days with and just adore, is not in secondary school because they cannot afford it. She is my African sister! I really admire him for caring for the children like they are his own, and living without so much for his own family. I can't imagine what that must take.

I asked today for the address so I can send care packages from home, but he told me that he had to close the PO Box because he couldn't pay the fee. It's just under $30 for a year. So, even people who are fundraising for them have nowhere to send any money. It's really heartbreaking. But, I will do everything in my power and my fiscal capabilities to help them out. I will get the PO Box back open, and hopefully send my dada (sister) to secondary school. Again today, they bought us Coca-Colas and fed us little bread cakes (which had the consistency of a rubber eraser, but at least they tried, right?).

Tomorrow I have the day off from teaching. We are going on a tour, and to swim in some waterfalls. It will be a welcomed break for me. These little rascals are tiring me out!

Bittersweet

It is just before 6:00, and I am sitting here at the computer smelling dinner cooking in the kitchen. The children wiped me out again today. After lunch, I fell asleep and missed Swahili lessons and how to clean your clothes to get the dirt out. I just sent my laundry to be done this morning. A full bag cost me $6.20. There is no way I'm going to waste a couple hours scrubbing it myself for that amount of money.

Today was bittersweet at Faraja. I started out my English lessons with the alphabet, explaining that the letters make sounds, and the sounds form words. One bright student, Ally, picked up on it quite fast and he learned to read easy words by the end of class. I felt like that was quite an accomplishment for one day, considering the language barrier.

After class, Tumifsu Massawe (he told us his name today- a week after we started) walked Kat and I to the local primary school (grades 1-7) so we could see some of his old students that were sponsered by previous volunteers. They looked so cute in their uniforms. The school teaches English and Swahili together, so the children will be ready for secondary schools (grades 8-12) which only teach in English.

We spoke to the headmaster of the school, who speaks wonderful English, along with all the teachers, and she asked if we would be sponsoring any children. I definitely want to sponsor Ally, and Kat is sponsoring Judith. Right now, we have identified those students as ready for school. Most others are too young or haven't learned enough yet, but maybe another one or two will be ready. It costs about $400 to sponser a child for a full year, including tuition, books and supplies, and 2 uniforms.

We walked back with Tumifsu and talked about a few children in class. Turns out that 4 of them are HIV positive, and have already lost both parents. One of those children, Abduli, has a learning disorder and is dyslexic. He lives with his very poor grandfather, and I don't know what will happen to him when he passes away. Ally's father is passed, and his mother is "crazy", so he lives with whatever relatives will take him in. He is a smart boy, and I want him to be in school. It was so sad to imagine what the home life of my students must be like.

I, in turn, am trying to remember my home life. I feel like I have been here for weeks. I am looking at photos often, but it does no justice. I will be more than ready to come home in 2 more weeks. I am going on safari this weekend, which I will blog about at another time, and I am really looking forward to that. I hope it makes the week pass quickly! As much as I am happy to be here, I wish I could be home at the same time. I have dreams almost every night (the malaria medication makes them very vivid, I hear) that I am planning a trip here, but am not here yet. Then I wake up and see the mosquito net. Surprise!

Special for visitors

Wow. I just read all of your comments, and am sitting here at the computer with a big goofy smile on my face. Thank you all so much for your encouragement. Sometimes when you are so far away, you forget your support system back home.

I have received a couple questions by email, and I promise I will try to give as many answers and as much detail as I can over the next two weeks. I only have 15 minutes on the computer at a time, so I'm trying to break it up a bit.

I have gotten the most inquiries about the children and the orphanage. Faraja is in the backyard of a man and his wife who decided the street children needed to be taught. It is a single room with windows so the breeze comes through nicely. There are 25 children right now, between the ages of 3 and 6. Some can't write yet, some know multiplication and division. It is extremely difficult to teach when everyone is at a different skill level.

The children know English by repetition, but don't comprehend it. They can repeat the ABCs endlessly, but don't realize that those letters make sounds. We have, so far, sucessfully taught them "heads shoulders knees and toes", by singing and pointing 10 times each morning. I never want to hear that song again. We try to organize activities and games, but it ends in chaos. They don't care that we are standing in front of the room- they are running out the doors and climbing on the tables. The "teacher", Mr. Massawe, doesn't speak very good English at all, so I ask him questions and he says yes to everything.

On Friday, he took my hand and led me to the "toilet" out back. He pointed and said this is where the students use the toilet. It was an outhouse-looking structure, with no door, and a hole in the middle of the ground. I nodded. Then, he said there was a special toilet for visitors that he forgot to show me, incase I needed to use it. He stepped to another wooden hut, this one with a locked door. He took the key from above the door frame and opened it, and there was the hole in the middle of the floor, exactly the same as the other. I am not quite sure what makes this one the "visitor" toilet, but I know I am going before I leave the house in the morning.

Princess

I woke up at 7:30 this morning, excited for a relaxing day of sightseeing. The bus picked 14 of us up at 8:30 for our waterfall and coffee plantation tour. After an hour, we were among the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro, among the Chagga tribe. We got out of the bus and walked to the tour guide's home to meet his family, then began a walk to the waterfall. Or so I was led to believe.

Two hours later, we arrived at the waterfall, after vigorous hiking through a dense tropical jungle. There was no path, the guide was making it as we went. He stopped to show us special flowers and plants and to take pictures of bugs and animals. Now, walking through the jungle is something I have always wanted to do. I have always dreamt of being in an authenic, non-tourist environment to just be alone with nature. Today, though, was not a walk. It was an uphill hike that left me gasping for air and sliding down mud banks into creeks.

The tour guide picked tomatoes off a wild tree, and they were delicious. He cut 4" pieces of a branch and showed us how to make a toothbrush. I felt like I was in Survivorman or Man vs. Wild. It was fun, but physically not what I expected at all. I am glad I took Motrin this morning with my malaria medication, because my back was quite sore.

I must say, though, that the sights were unbelieveable. The views were amazing. The authenticity was unparalleled. Once we reached the waterfall, it was such a breathtaking view, I wanted to cry. I have never seen anything like it. We walked towards the bottom of the falls to the small lake, and sat on rock to have lunch. I drank my water quickly, and the food was gross, but I knew I needed fuel for the way back. Some people went swimming, but because we were up so high, it was much cooler, and the water was freezing. For an hour we sat with the mist spraying on us, and I couldn't help but shiver and complain about the cold.

Well, God showed up with his sense of humor, and while we were gathering up our belongings to head back, it started to rain. It was cold rain, but I was trying to stay under trees to stay dry. 5 minutes later, it was downpouring. I was getting soaked by feezing rain, and the whole trail had turned to mud. I can't describe what it was like, trying to find footing up the side of a mountain, with no traction. The walking stick I was carrying saved my life numerous times today. My backpack was soaked, along with the contents. I was absolutely miserable.

It stopped raining when we got back to the tour guide's house, and he showed us how to make coffee. We made our own- from picking the beans, to shelling, roasting, grinding, and drinking it. It was very interesting, and I took a lot of pictures all day.

I can't remember a time that I was more proud of myself than today. I am shocked at what I was able to do and withstand. Other volunteers have labeled me as "the princess", and made fun of me while I was having such a hard time, little do they know how big a step hiking is for me. I'm usually wiped out after walking 4 blocks (right Kyle?). I was sweating and exhausted, hiking uphill both ways, in pouring rain, going back and forth between hot and cold, in a jungle on the other side of the world, alone. Which princess, exactly, does that? Me!

So, while I was walking and they asked me what I was thinking about, I told them I was trying to figure out how I could put this experience into words for my blog. I soon decided that I can't, so I will share my pictures when I get home, and can only hope you can use your imagination a bit. So, in lieu of that agenda, I started thinking about what I'm going to buy myself when I got home as a reward for being awesome.

I haven't showered yet, and am starving, waiting for dinner. I plan on eating, showering, and spending the night in bed with a book. Tomorrow's plans- NONE!

TGIF!

Happy Friday, everyone! I am sorry I couldn't properly blog yesterday, but the computer has been very tied up, and it has been hectic here.

The kids are keeping me busy, that's for sure. I am exhausted every day when I get back for lunch, so I haven't spent much time in town. Yesterday we had a feedback meeting and everyone was asked to use one word to describe their experience. Mine was overwhelming, among confusing, challenging, sad, exciting, and frightening. I guess it really depends on your personality and your placement. One of my room assisted in 3 childbirths today. Again, I won't go into detail of how that goes here, but its not like home. After class a few of us laid out in the sun. It was the best part of the trip so far : )

I fell asleep at 7:30 last night (no laughter- I said I was exhausted!) and I still feel wiped out. I'm going to nap now, because at 6:30, we are going out to dinner at a local place called The Watering Hole, owned by a couple from Georgia, to get American food! I am beyond excited! I would pay $50 for a cheeseburger right now. I really miss cheese. There is no cheese used in cooking here.

Tomorrow, 15 of us are going on a tour of a coffee plantation run by a Chagga tribe, which should be interesting. After that, we hike a little bit to a waterfall and go swimming. Of course, I am the only person here who didn't bring a bathing suit. But, I will swim in shorts if I have to. I will take lots of pictures. We should be home by 6:30 or so. Sunday, I am taking a relaxation day. It is the ONLY day in 3 weeks I will have nothing to do or anywhere to be, so I will spend it being lazy, or maybe going into town. We'll see.

I bid you all farewell, and hopw you enjoy your weekends. I thank you for leaving comments and sending emails. I can't reply to each one, since I only have 15 minutes on a dial-up connection, but I read them all and they keep me going. Thank you!

A little birdie...

...pooped on my shoulder. Someone buy me a lottery ticket.

Glass half full

Habari za mchana! I wanted to take a quick minute to write that everything is going much better today! The class was much better today. The teacher was there the whole time to provide the discipline so we could teach and they would listen. It was much less chaotic than yesterday. Although, when I would ask the teacher what we should do, he kept explaining that we were the experts, and it was our time. He calls me "teacher" constantly. I think its hysterical, little does he know I have NO experience teaching or even being around children. It's funny how they assume we have a better way of doing something or more expertise just because of where we come from.

After class, the teacher and his wife invited us into their home. They had prepared a large lunch for us, and it was steaming hot, which meant we could eat it. It was delicious- pork with fried green peppers, sliced potatos, and ugali with a spicy salsa sauce. After we ate, Mr. Massawe (the teacher) walked us through the village, and I saw it much differently today. The people were nice, and the scenery was beautiful. It is not a tourist area, so it is a completely authentic view of another way of life. It was incredible, and I tried my best to soak it all in. Thanks Mom and Bob, I am appreciating this experience so much.

So, today I am filled with joy again. I was looking at Mt. Kilimanjaro in the van this morning, and thinking, "Maybe I should stay an extra week to climb it. I think I want to go up there." I get adventurous when I'm in a good mood, I guess. Anyway, a van just took everyone else to town, but I wanted to stay home and do some yoga. I have been very active, lots of walking and chasing children, and my legs are so sore! My back has been feeling fine, except that in the mornings, the hour ride on the van hurts. The roads are not paved, and they are not even close to flat. Some of them are so bad, we drive through the brush on the "sidewalk" to avoid them. It is constant bouncing around, so it bothers my back a bit. Other than that, no complaints!

Bamboozled

Good morning! I am sorry I didn't write yesterday, but as I will explain, I had the most trying day I have ever had in my life, and electricity was on and off every hour. I am exhausted, but got some sleep last night, and in half an hour, I leave for Faraja Orphan Center again.

Yesterday morning, the bus left promptly at 7:30, and after dropping everyone else off, Kathryn and I were the last to arrive at our placement, around 8:45. I was more than happy about that- it meant a shorter first day! Our placement is much different than everyone else's. Rather than on a main road or a walkable area, we are quite deep in a large, very poor village, with small, twisty roads. Mama Lillian told us on the way there that we are in "the slums". Great! The ghetto of the ghetto! Just what I was hoping for.

We arrived to some strange looks from women on the street, to about 25 children singing a welcome song for us when we arrived. They were adoreable. The teacher introduced us to them. The school is in the back of his home, and has been made into an actual room, with a roof and walls by previous volunteers. There were pictures on the walls of colors and numbers. It looked like a normal American kindergarden classroom. I was quite impressed. Then, within 5 minutes of us arriving, the teacher disappeared, leaving Kat and I to screaming kids, aged 3-7. We had no plans, as we were told this would be an observation day. We scrambled to do numbers and letters, then they decided they wanted to play, so they got up and ran out the door and through the streets. It was complete chaos, and I was in panic mode.

Three hours later, the teacher came back, but did nothing. He sat and watched what we were doing, coming and going, but not helping or showing us what to do. It is definitely not what I had expected to be doing. I was prepared for babysitting and assisting, not lesson plans and quizzes. I am way over my head. The teacher asked if we wanted "halftime" around 11. He invited us into his home, gave us bottles of coca-cola (glass bottles- I love those!), and his wife brough cake she had baked for us. We tried our best to make conversation, but it was difficult. He speaks very little English. He and his wife walked us around town a bit (while the children were being looked over by his 15 year old daughter). We saw the butcher, and it was enough to make me be a vegetarian for the rest of my time here.

We were picked up at 12:30, and I had NEVER been so happy to get on a bus in my ENTIRE LIFE! I was feeling very discouraged and intimidated, but am trying to remember that this is culture shock, and it is only my first day doing something I had never done, with people I have never met, somewhere I have never been. It's okay to be scared. So, I figured I would regroup.

Lunch was ready when we got to the home base, and others were sharing their stories about their first day. Turns out, all of us had been left alone on our first day. We suppose the figure we know what we're doing. We don't. I wanted to nap desperately, but we had a class at 2 about health issues in Tanzania. I won't go into specifics, but if they gave volunteers that information before they got here, I bet many wouldn't come. One girl who is volunteering in a hospital was appaled by her first day. I won't tell you what she reported, but it horrified me. Thankfully, if we need a hospital while we are here, we go to a private hospital with European standards, not the public hospital.

Swahili lessons were at 3, and by 4, I thought I was going to die. I showered, without hot water because the electricity was out again, and took a 45 minute nap before dinner. I was planning to go into town to watch Obama, but I was so tired, I thought I should stay here since we have a TV. About 6 of us who didn't go into town gathered with the staff in the living room, and watched on a 15" TV. It was very emotional being here for that. Mama Lillian was crying and praying the whole time. Electricity went out 3 times during the broadcast, but thankfully, the house has generators. Normally, they don'y use them, but I think they decided this was too important to miss. I am glad I was able to see it. I heard that locals were going wild in town.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was my Tuesday. I am going to Faraja in 15 minutes, and expect to have another insane day. After I return and have lunch, we have a class about the education system here, then another Swahili lesson. I imagine I will require another nap. I am looking forward to tomrrow, as we have only a feedback meeting after lunch, then all free time! I have been wanting to do some yoga, and to sit in the sun and read, but I have had much less free time than I thought I would. I think that is the main drawback to the program. It's just too much, and many of the other volunteers I talk to have the same complaint. It's hard to handle, and quite exhausting. But, I am doing my best. I will speak to you all soon, electricity provided.

In the swing of things

Hujambo, friends! It is 5 PM in Karanga, and this day, January 19, marks the busiest day of my life (and 6 months left to shop for my birthday gift). I had a decent night sleep again, surprisingly, despite the dog fight outside my window around midnight.

I woke at 6:30, to be ready for breakfast at 7. (Poridge, fruit, and brownies) At 8 sharp, we had to sit as a group and take care of all of our permit paperwork, which meant filling out endless forms. Following that, we took a group photo in front of the house, with 20 different cameras. It reminded me of Sunday mornings at High Point. At 9, we had a community activity that involved a neighborhood scavenger hunt. It was the first time I have been locally out of the CCS compound. The people here are the nicest people I have ever encountered in my life. Once we finished and returned to home base, we had discussions about what we found.

At 11, we had cultural learning class, which covered introductions, rituals, and family life. At 12, we had our first Swahili lesson. It didn't quite sink in. My brain is on overload! We ate lunch at 1 (rice, beef stroganoff, okra stew, cucumber and avacado salad), and were joined by the "mentors" who will supervise us at our placements. I met two men (one young and one old) who were math teachers at the local primary school. They were very nice to speak to. Then I met with the man who runs the orphanage I will be working at, with Kathryn, the other volunteer who is working there with me. He is very nice, but speaks very little english. We managed to have a conversation, though it took a little while. He didn't tell me much about the orphanage that I didn't already know, other than it is the farthest placement from our home base, so walking won't be an option.

Once he left, I laid down to rest, only to hear that the driver was taking a group into town to shop for clothes. So, I jumped back up and ran out the door. We went to a boutique called Unique Batik, which was about a 30 minute ride from the house. I got a couple shirts and a pair of pants, and everyone else left with something, too. The driver decided he needed to run errands, so we had to find our way back home. The owner of the boutique was nice enough to drop some of us off at the top of our street, and the rest took a daladala (like a bus). I went with the owner, and she dropped us off so that we only had to walk about half a mile down our street. While we were walking, a girl named Glory ran up to walk with us and hold our hands. She was very quiet, but adoreable.

Once we reached home, I decided to start writing this blog. I was about 15 minutes into it until the man from the safari company came to speak with us. It was brief, so afterward I returned to the computer to finish, and the electricity went out while I was typing. Thank god for auto save. So, it is now 6:32, and I am about to go have dinner and go to sleep! Tomorrow is the first day of work, and the bus leaves at 7:30 sharp. Eek! I can't wait to report to all of you tomorrow about how the first day went!

Toto, We're not in Kansas anymore...

...I think we're in, like, Africa.

Yes, we sure are. After two flights (one wonderful, one terrible), and a 6 1/2 hour layover in an airport that rivals most malls, I arrived safe and sound in Tanzania last night. My luggage made it too, which is more than some of the others can say. The drivers took us to the home base (about 35 minute drive), and it was absolutely pitch black, so I couldn't see a thing. Except the stars. The night sky here puts anything I have ever seen to shame. There are just layers upon layers of little white specks. It was breathtaking.

We got to the house and were greeted by Mama Lillian, who was more than happy to see us. She hugged me and started jumping around! We were led to our rooms, and had the night to unpack or go straight to bed. I have 3 other women in my room. One is my age from the US, one is a middle aged mom from Texas, and the other is a young woman from Northern Ireland. We unpacked together last night and chatted a bit.

The room isn't bad at all. The bathroom area is quite large, as is the whole room, and we each have a drawer, a shelf, and 9 hangers. It is surprisingly clean. I am on a top bunk, right next to a floor to ceiling window with a beautiful, lush garden outside. We got into bed around midnight and secured our mosquito nets around our beds. There are glass windows as well as screens, so we opened the windows, and got the most beautiful breeze to fall asleep to.

I woke up this morning around 5 TZ time, and couldn't fall back to sleep for my life! So, I watched the sun come up, listens to the dogs barking and roosters crowing. The breeze was cooler in the morning than it was the night before, and the mosquito net looked so soft and beautiful billowing over my bed. I relaxed, and read, and rooked at the garden for a few hours until the others woke up. It felt like true minimalist luxury.

I got dressed and had a granola bar for breakfast, and hurried to the welcome ceremonies. Mama Lillian led them, and we introduced ourselves, and were invited into the Chagga tribe with a ceremonious dance. I'll teach you all when I get home. The staff were all singing and chanting, and the volunteers were trying to keep up and were laughing. It was a lot of fun. Then we took a ride into Moshi, and it was the first time I could see Africa in the daylight. It is more beautiful than I expected, more lush, and the people are much happier.

We stopped at a small local market on the way, then went to exchange our currency, and walk through Moshi. I must admit, it was overwhelming. People are everywhere, all staring at you, and as you walk you are surrounded by men trying to put bracelets on your arms and hats on your heads. They are not put off by a simple "hapana asante" (no, thank you). I decided I had enough, so I went to sit in our van and wait for others. Before I knew it, there was an arm reaching in the window, and a boy who looked like he was 15 years old took my hand and said "Hi. Are you married?" I laughed and spoke with him for a moment. He said he was 19, and was looking for a wife, as his tribe traditionally marries at 18. I told him I was sorry I couldn't help. And the best part, when I asked his name and was expecting something I couldn't understand, he answered "Jimmy Carter".

We came back to the base and went over rules and regulations, followed by lunch. Spaghetti, vegetable balls, ugali, and the most amazing salad of fresh avacado, onions, tomato, and vinegar. It was all better than I had expected. That ended at 2, and we have free time until dinner at 6:30. A large group of the volunteers decided they wanted to go back into town, and I was ready to join until they said they were walking there. 3 miles on dirt roads? No thanks, guys, have fun. So I may go take a nap or read a book.

The weather is absolutely beautiful. It is warm, but not boiling hot like NJ in the summer. The breeze is cool, and it feels great. There are mosquitos EVERYWHERE, but I applied bug spray this morning when I got dressed, and haven't gotten one bite all day! I am so impressed- I usually get a ton!

Well, I've been able to take in more than I can write now, but hopefully over the next few weeks you will get an idea of what life is like here. It is certainly different, but I think I like it.

13 hours and counting!

Well, talk about the countdown! I leave in 13 hours, and I'm having such a hard time trying to figure out how I feel that I'm utterly exhausted. I'm so excited and anxious to be there and dive in, but I'm so nervous about being alone and tomorrow's travel going smoothly. Those two polar opposites sort of cancel each other out, so I think the best word to describe my mood is numb.

I think I am fully packed and ready. My entire rolling carry-on bag is FULL of junk food that I have packaged in invividual ziplock bags, and some brownies from Mom-Mom. I am prepared to pay the $50 that they are going to charge me for my luggage being overweight. Better my luggage than me, I always say!

Mom-Mom busted her butt to make an awesome 'last meal' for me tonight. She also insisted that Kyle and I watch Out of Africa tonight, which I bought to see before the trip but hadn't watched yet. Kyle thought it would be a good idea too, so I could focus on something other than trying to figure out what I have forgotten to pack. Well, Mom-Mom was right- it was a great movie. What she failed to mention was that it was a very sad (although beautiful) story, and it was 3 hours long. Those two factors, plus the two glasses of wine that I had during the movie, made for quite an emotional viewing party over here. I'm sure Kyle thinks I've lost it, and I can't really blame him. There's a lot going on, what can I say!

So, my next post will come from Moshi, I believe. I arrive there at 8:35 PM their time on Saturday (12:35 PM New York time). I know that Sunday and Monday are orientation days. (Little do they know, all 21 days are going to be my orientation days!) I start at the orphanage on Tuesday morning. I don't know when I will go to the internet cafe for the first time, so I apologize for not having a clue when I will make my next post. Soon, hopefully!

That said, kwaheri, loved ones! See you in 3 weeks!

Oh, and my back is feeling much better! But just in case, I bought a donut pillow for the plane. There's no better way to make an embarassing first impression on an airplane like blowing up a vinyl children's pool float and backing onto it. Now let's just hope that inflation nozzle doesn't open and turn it into a whoopie cushion. Thanks for all the prayers, guys! Keep them coming.

Pain in the @$$

Well, I had a busy day planned, and it was the last day I would spend with my mom before my trip. Lots of errands to run. Paperwork to get together. Tons to pack.

Unfortunately, fate had a different plan for me when I walked out the front door, slipped on our icy top step, and went flying in the air, only to land on my tailbone, bounce to the next step and land on it again. I have either badly bruised or broken my coccyx, 4 days before the biggest trip of my life. I have decided against getting an x-ray, since there is nothing to do for the injury either way but to manage the pain and sit on a donut.

I am extremely bummed out! I am able to walk slowly and with a bit of a wiggle, sitting takes some time and it hurts to put pressure on the bone, but bending over is by far the worst. Also, I learned the hard way that it is quite difficult to get up from sitting on the floor. I am trying to use my legs as much as I can, but it's hard. I've been relatively careful all my life and have never really had an injury that restricted me.

I was able to pack a bit this afternoon, so I feel better about the day not being a total waste, but I really hope this doesn't impact my trip! I want to be fully functional while I'm there, but I won't push myself, so don't worry about me making it any worse.

Just thought I should share my unfortunate news incase I reference it later. Now I'm going to take more medicine and try to sleep! Goodnight!

You're doing WHAT?

Well hello again! Last night, I told you about where I'm going, but didn't elaborate much about what I'm doing while I'll be there. I will be volunteering Monday through Friday at the Faraja Orphan Center in Moshi. I found a video that a couple filmed during their honeymoon, while they volunteered at Faraja, and if you would like to see where I'll be, you can watch the 5 minute video at www.farajafoundation.org.

What I know so far is that the orphan center was created by a couple in Moshi, who decided that they wanted to create a place where children could go each day if they couldn't afford school fees (which I understand to be about $50 per child per year). So, they opened their backyard to the children in their neighborhood. Many of these children have only one parent, so they have no one to look after them while their mother or father search for employment. Other children have lost both their parents, and live with extended families and grandparents. There are currently about 40 children at the orphan center each day, ages 3-7 years old, with two teachers.

There appears to be very little structure at this particular orphanage, meaning that I will be expected to take initiative in starting activities, lessons, and games. Due to restrictions from my organization (CCS), I am not permitted to bring anything from home to the center with me. At the home base in Karanga, there is an area where I will find basic school supplies that I can bring to Faraja for the children. They recommend that I learn lots of songs like Ring Around the Rosie and the Itsy Bitsy Spider, because the children like songs with movements and such.

Other than that, I have very little idea of what to expect on a day to day basis at Faraja. I have read that the center now has a roof and walls, made possible by donations from past volunteers. I'm sure it will be oppresively hot, and I will be chasing little children all over the place, so I am anticipating that I may really sweat for the first time. All in all, I know that what most of these children need is love and attention. Many volunteers I have spoken to have told me that the children will want to be picked up, they want you to hold their hands, they want constant contact, and those are all things I know how to do, so I am confident that I will be fine!

I am volunteering there from 7:30 AM until 12:30 PM, when the van comes to pick me up and return me to the home base for lunch. In the afternoons, the volunteers will attend cultural learning activities at the home base. They are only 1-2 hours in duration, and range from Swahili lessons to guest speakers from the community, to arts and crafts. The rest of my time is mine to do whatever I like. I can go into town for shopping and the internet cafe, I can read a book in the garden, I can walk around the village and chat with the neighbors, or I can just nap if I'm wiped out. I'm sure that I will be napping for a while until I get onto a regular schedule. This will be my first time really dealing with jet lag and a major time difference!

The weekends are free time, so I will most liekly be going on a safari, which is awesome! I hope to get to the Serengeti (which is a 5 hour drive from where I'm staying) and see the animals! Depending on the number of volunteers I'm traveling with and the deals we can find, we will either be staying in a lodge or tents during the safari weekend, and we will return 'home' on Sunday night. Going to Zanzibar is also an option, which is slightly more expensive due to the flights there and back. Zanzibar is not on my "must see" list, but I have not ruled it out either. Unfortunately I only have 2 weekends, 3 at most, so I need to be selective about where I spend my time.

I will be arriving in Tanzania on Saturday, Jan 17 at 9:30 PM, and have orientation activities on Sunday and Monday. My first day at Faraja will be Tuesday, and I look forward to seeing it and letting you all know what it's like!

I also want to mention that if anyone who is reading has any questions or wants to make comments, please feel free to do so, and I'll do my best to respond!

You're going WHERE?

::My disclaimer- For those of you following my travels who don't know me very well, please realize that I try to have a sense of humor about things, and I'm sure that will come through on here. I won't be completely objective about what I see, because I am not going to research a culture. I am going to be moved and affected, and I hope I will be able to translate what I am feeling and experiencing for those back home::

Now, let's get to the good stuff! I asked for a Christmas gift this year far from my average Louis Vuitton bag request. I asked for a trip to see the world, and help where I thought I could. Before going out of business, I enjoyed working at Linens N Things, but my job was far from rewarding. Fun, yes, but not rewarding. And when I thought about what I could do to see what true reward feels like, this trip was the first thing that came to mind.

I found an organization called Cross Cultural Solutions (http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org/), and threw a trip together just 5 weeks before the departure date, a few months shy of the suggested 6 months in advance. I had the option of going to about 15 countries where they have volunteer programs, and for some reason, Tanzania called to me more than any other place. I am intrigued by a minimalist, tribal culture that is so far opposite of my own. I will be staying in the Karanga village, just a few miles outside of Moshi, a city near Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is the highest peak on the continent.

The house I am staying in is the family house of a woman who works for CCS in Tanzania. She is our house mama, and we will have 2 other house mamas as well, who will care for us while we are there. There are 19 volunteers arriving on the 17th with me, and 1 volunteer already there who is completing a 3-month stay in February. So, 20 of us will stay in this home, which looks pretty comfortable. The home is comprised of two buildings. The first is home to the mamas, our security personel, and our drives, and houses the common areas like the kitchen and living room. The second is the volunteers' home, which can accomonate about 35 volunteers. The bedrooms hold 2-4 people in bunk beds, and each bedroom has a bathroom. The house is quite modern looking, very clean, and beautiful. I hear there are gorgeous gardens on the property as well. All in all, it looks much more comfortable than what I had envisioned I would be seeing every day. (Dale family- I am expecting to see a parallel between the home and our group cabin at high point!)

Meals will be provided at the home base. I am not quite sure what I expect the food to be like, but thankfully I am not a picky eater. In general, the rule is to only eat hot, cooked food, or fruit that you peel yourself. Anything else is off limits. I can bring snacks from home, too, so I'll be loading up on granola and CHOCOLATE! The home base also provides unlimited clean drinking water, as the tap water is unsafe for drinking. (Note to self: Keep mouth closed in the shower) There will be hot water, but not all the time, which might be a blessing in disguise- the average day is 90 degrees, so a cold shower may be a treat. The house does have screens on the windows, but we will still sleep in mosquito nets. The house has electricity, and one computer, but electricity in the area is intermittent. It goes out about 1/5 of the time, from what I'm told, so I am bringing a flashlight. Hopefully I will be able to get into town frequently to use the internet cafe ("Internet cafes in Africa?"yeah, thats what I was thinking too.) I would like to be able to post every 2 or 3 days. The cafes have computers with fast internet, and they cost $1-3 per hour to use. I think I can swing that.

As many people have asked me, be assured that I have gotten my immunizations, and will be taking a daily anti-malarial medication. I am bound to get a few mosquito bites, despite the fact that I will be bathing in hunters-grade bug spray a couple times a day. I have been on a wild goose chase to track down some products that CCS recommends, which is bascially every beauty/cleaning product with no fragrance to not attract mosquitos. So far, I have found everything except fragrance-free shampoo. I never imagined that would be the most difficult thing I have to find.

Tourists to the area usually wear shorts and tank tops, but because we are more integrated into the community, we are asked to cover our shoulders and knees to reflect local customs. Women traditionally wear only skirts, but I will be able to wear capri pants because my volunteer placement involves working with children, and I'm going to get dirty. Once we arrive in Tanzania, we have the option to have local women take our measurements and make us clothes, and that is one of the things I am most excited about. We can pick our own fabric, and have our clothes made to fit for very reasonable prices. (The fashionista in me can't wait to play dress up!!) I will be able to wear shorts and tank tops at the home base, so hopefully I can take advantage of being 10 degrees from the equator and get some sun in the garden! (Yes, I'm bringing sunscreen)

This is only my first post and it's way longer than I planned, but like I said I have a ton of information, and I want to share it all! I don't think I will have this much time to write when I am there, so just hang in there with me until I leave! Only 6 days!