More on Lake Malawi

fish!

Today was incredible! First went for a run on the beach. Went to the crazy crocodile site which is owned by a German. He drove all the way from Germany to Tanzania! Took four months. The four of us pals returned to our run and then jumped in the lake. Then we had breakfast. After we went on a canoe ride and snorkeled with the fish. Our canoe paddler, Emmanuel, said he could paddle all the way to Malawi in two days! Wow. We came back after a couple hours and ate fish. Yum! Then vegged out on the beach. Our Swedish friends came to visit, Lina and Malin. So fun. Talked about our exact same experience with terrible restaurant waitresses in Tukuyu! So funny. They always make you feel like you are totally inconveniencing them. Strange, we’re giving them business! So after, we played foosball, Joshua and I. Then my sister Christy called me. So good. Then I called Liz and we decided in 2012 to be the third set of volunteers for Pre-Form One at Manow Seminary School. I think it’s a great idea since she’s fluent in Swahili and I know the program…it would be so freakin fun!

Then we had chicken and pineapple for dinner. And chips mayai. (potatoes and eggs) After, we had a fun talk, the four of us about elections. Tomorrow we find out if Kikwete in the CCM party wins or Slaa! We hope Slaa to break the 51 year line of the CCM party. Then I had a great convo with Jacob about my family, school fees in Africa and getting Americans to donate…only $20 a year for a kid’s school fees! Plus Jacob’s plans and future and leaving Manow for grad school and having kids. It was nice. Ok, it’s midnight, goodnight.

Lake Malawi

Today is the best day ever. I’m in Matema! A village on Lake Malawi. We’re at Lakeshore Resort and literally it is on the lake. The four of us, Jacob, JoshuaWe have a two story bungalow and I have the top floor with a balcony facing the water. So exquisite! We had pizza with Marlin and Lina from Sweden. Never thought I’d have cheese! I met the two at the Itete Jubilee. Before that, we, Jacob, Joshua, Marty and I cleaned off by swimming in Lake Malawi. We got awful dirty from our awesome motorcycle ride. I was filthy! There’s a good picture of my face. We had a great talk, the four of us on our porch. Oh so nice, I can’t believe it. It’s right on the beach and I’m listening to the waves crash. I don’t need the white noise maker or a fan. On the porch, Joshua, Jacob, Marty and I had many laughs, played “Where in the World am I?” and riddles. Joshua told me his hopes and dreams. I love my cheesy questions.


on the way to lake malawi! got so dirty


at matema beach with Joshua and Jacob

Pictures

me teaching. look the kids are even participating!!


This was one of my first meals in Africa i made. I'm wearing a dress
I got made for me. pretty sweet, eh?

Safari to Tukuyu

tractor ride home!


Kids at Itete Jubilee Children's Program


Today Marty and I woke up at 3am, yes 3AM to make it to the 4am bus trip. Well ok, it was at 5am, our mistake, (oops! who needs an extra hour of sleep, right?) but anywho we got on for the 2 hour trek to our market! What inspired this trip? We couldn't handle going on a month with no more jam and margarine. Two hours for this? You don't realize how important these things are until you eat them for your meal for breakfast on a daily basis. Granted we got a few other things (cocoa powder, curry powder, apples, cucumbers, black pepper ok many things we can't get in our local Lawangwa market! You have no idea how excited I was to see BLACK PEPPER! oh how I missed you!), we had a fun adventure. Let me tell you how it started:

We arrived and thought, hey it's 7am, let's get breakfast at this restaurant. "Do you have Spanish eggs?" (looking at the menu) "No." "Do you have cocoa?" "No." "Do you have any eggs?" "No." "Do you have any breakfast food?" "No." "What do you have?" "Sambura and coffee." Wow, ok, so that's what we had, well Marty had the latter. Sambura is a fried tortilla with meat inside. It was tasty at least!

Next we went into the market to start our shopping. Yes! We first got notebooks and pencil sharpeners. Then we headed over to the Western Store to get our prized possessions. Sophia, the saint, (ok duka worker) sent a boy to get any other ingredients we needed she didn't have. He went a couple times and I got so excited when he came back with first: yeast then: black pepper! Oh man. It's also interesting how the whole market works together. If a vendor doesn't have the right change for a customer, they ask for the neighboring duka to give them some money. And here, she didn't have yeast and black pepper, so she just gets it from someone else. Hm.

Anyway, after this and buying a bunch of kitanges, we went back to the Konde Dioses, which is the Lutheran Church headquarters for the area. We were able to leave our things and shop for more. I was very happy to them! It made buying food without a heavy box and bag much easier. We then got beautiful big garlic and green peppers, coconut, and...ok I won't bore you to tears. But I was excited to get cooking oil! Only 90cents. It was sold in an old Kilimanjaro water bottle. The US would never pass this in food inspection. :)

Our trip back home was a bit more adventurous. We got on to a full bus, meaning the number of people sitting (all the seats) were also standing. We got to stand, then a gentleman didn't let me stand and switched with me. He actually was headed to Manow as well with Marty and I so he became a nice travelling buddy. He explained the region as we were riding the very BUMPY road. Oh my goodness. The route back took 3 hours and poor Marty stood the whole time minus 20 minutes. We got to Lwangwa, bought the weekly necessities of tomatoes, onions, avocados and eggs with Boaz' (our travel companion) ever present assistance and headed to Manow. Halfway up, we saw a tractor pulling a cart and I eyed Boaz to get us a ride with the man. Farmer style and all we did! How glorious, with all our shopping goods, school supplies and kitanges. We road into Manow and saw a glimpse of the Manow vs. Lwangwa soccer game (whom we beat 3-1!) Boaz bid us farewell and gave us the things he carried for us and we made our way home. Whew! 6pm, 15 hours later and we're home safe!

We finished up with a delicious meal of spaghetti, and topped it off with brownies with the western food I got today. Yipee! Joshua and then Jacob joined us because they can't get enough of brownies! Jacob even said he'd come back for more tomorrow. :) Hopefully I don't finish them off.

Next weekend is the trip to Matema. I'm excited! It's on Lake Malawi and Joshua, Jacob, Marty and I will be riding motorcycles down. I can't wait to swim, possibly snorkel, see my Swedish friends from the Jubilee and have a fun weekend with the funniest and funnest teachers at Manow!

Frohe Feiern!

Last Sunday marked the 50th Anniversary for the Itete Hospital. I am happy to say I joined the festivities, because if it weren't for the hospital, I would not be permitted with my parent's permission into this country! I have severe food allergies and thanks be to heaven I can be treated at this hospital. We celebrated with a good sermon by the Lutheran Church conducted by Pastor Klaus Dinkel, a good friend and fellow german. I helped out with his wife, Dr. Carina Dinkel, in the children's program. Kids liked the butterflies, flowers, and snails but the big hit was what is pictured here: a lion! I got a few to even roar for me! The boys loved it and many came for requests.

moon!

Communication

Wednesday was our Friday. Tomorrow commemorates the death date of President Nyerere. He was the first president of Tanzania when the country was formed in 1961. He did a lot for the country. The country was previously called Tangalia and Zanzibar, but then he merged them to make Tanzania. (It's a mix of the two names)
After class and after a hearty dinner of leftover bean soup, Marty and I went on a walk to catch the sunset. The sun was brilliantly red and incredible! The moon has also been slightly red and it's cool to see it on it's cheshire-cat-smile side. Reminds me I'm on the opposite of the world!

After walking a little ways, we came across an abandoned brick house. We went around the back and had a captivating view of the slanted farming fields. They use every inch of space regardless of how inconvenient it may be to work on! When we walked around, Marty heard voices and got a little timid to trespass. I was curious and opted for an adventure, Marty followed suit. :) We met two men weeding corn on the steep hill. The first man was named Beston and the second Abraham. We got our "Ugunili" introductions and then were stumped on further communication since either of us didn't know each other's language. Abraham picked up a stick and started writing on his arm, then continued on his leg! We got his name that way. Beston wrote on his arm the Diosese Konde, signifying that the farm was owned by the Dioses in Tukuyu, basically the religious community government. It was funny to use sticks, so I wrote on my arm my name and then Marty tried but his skin wouldn't hold the scratch. We all had a laugh on that. Moments like these makes us really want to know more Swahili, but we are so happy to meet people so friendly and patient that want to interact with us.

I love fish but…what a disaster!

Today ended great. Marty and I made a fish concoction and it was HORRIBLE!! We invited Jacob and Joshua and they absolutely loved it. They were adorable, good company and even finished off the gross dish by having seconds and thirds. They loved it. I am glad we tried it, but nie wieder!! The fish are about three inches by one inch and they’re dried because fresh wouldn’t last long enough to travel and sell at our market. The fish wreak and when you cook it even with tons of vegetables, the bitter rancid smell and taste gets in the whole dish and you kind of want to die. The first bite was ok, then the aftertaste was too overwhelming. Then each additional bite got stronger and stronger until I had to quit. I can say I ate three of the fishes but I’d rather see them in the ocean or a fish tank, not my plate. We even gave the extra frozen fish to Jacob. Ooh, in two weeks, we got to Matama with them. That’s a city on Lake Malawi. I’m stoked! We’re taking motorcycles down.

After church, we talked to Zachariah and Robson, both Form 6 students with great English. The pastor today was very animated so I wanted a translation. On the walk home, I just started talking to anyone who would listen that was in school uniform and a bit older. That guarantees Form 6, and that fact guarantees more English skills. It worked! Zachariah gave us the sermon translation. Then he asked us about politics, pensions, and climate in the US. Very sharp kid. We invited them in to show a book on Washington and that just brought more curiosity and questions. It was fun to compare cultures.

I got a dress…for me!!

So yesterday was funny. I was talking to Macapagi and asked him to ask the pastor a question. I had told him a man called Macahabe was still at the church, so the church needed to be locked up. I got a delayed response from him: “Sawa.” I ask Macapagi to tell him my situation. Macapagi translates and then waits until the pastor leaves and says to me, no wonder you got a delayed response, the name is really something else and what you said translates to a prostitute! I told a pastor that I left the church unlocked for a prostitute! Marty, him and I bust out laughing!! Whoops!

Today cracked me up with the kids. We had a role playing game and we had it with a mom and a child over household objects. I got Asifiwe and Alpha to do it. Asifiwe was the mom and he’s a boy. They did a rockin job. I was a little proud, too because the skit finally worked.

Today I asked Ngwatika to make me a dress. It cost 3,000 Tsh. I gave her 4 and she tried to refuse. The dress would have been less than $3! Nuts, huh? Material was 7,00, so I’m paying about 10 bucks for a customized dress. I think I’ll make a few skirts since my clothes are ugly. I need different tops, too. Ironic. I’m so materialistic in a third world country. The people dress here pretty well. But I need to grow up. Ngwatika was getting three bucks for a dress and I’m complaining about my wardrobe. Well I do stick out too much. Oh well. :) I’m already the only tall white girl for miles. What’s an ugly shirt to go with it?

markets and church

This was a nice weekend. Friday we got out early because of the kid’s exam. We saw Joshua, a teacher and invited him for sodas at the duka. It’s a little ritual we have, to get sodas. Joshua is a sweetheart and talked to the pastor and translated for us the history of Manow and the school. I kind of went in and out but it was nice to get interaction. That night Marty and I graded the tests and two got 100%! I was proud.

Saturday was market in Lwangwe with Jacob. We got sweet potatoes, lots of tomatoes, lettuce, bananas and avocados. I love avocados. They are only 20 cents here, so we get our fill!! Marty has started cooking breakfast with fried egg and some avocado. So yummy. Ooh and the best part- we got over four pounds of beef! It’s hard to get protein in our diets. We eat eggs and meat when we can. Later we got a surprise dinner of chips mai ai from Mr. Macame. That’s potatoes (irish, they delineate since sweet ones are more common) sliced into fry shapes and cooked in fried egg. It’s super greasy and super good. I like it with ketchup. Nicole, you’d be proud. We thought we were just invited over for a visit, not a whole meal! When you eat, they always begin with woman pouring a pitcher of water over your hands to clean them. Then, at every meal so far I’ve been to, you have a soda with your meal. The sodas are in a glass that has been used probably a good 20 times because they are worn white. It’s a cool system really, and we Americans should get rid of our plastic “recycling” ways and do this. The food was delicious and we decided we’ll get a kitange for the mother. (Sewing material to make clothes, looks like a Hawaiian sarong but not stretchy and darker in color) That’s etiquette for dinner invitations. Then we got a tour of Macame’s farm which was beautiful because we went up on the high hills and overlooked the country, including our town Manow and neighboring Lwangwe.

Later we had good ol chili with our freshly purchased meat. We invited Jacob over to join us. Thanks to him, we got the meat without any bones or fat. That’s a feat! Sunday my parents called and we tried figuring out places they could find on the internet that is located close to me. I was a bit out of it, so I’ll have to have them call me again. We got to church at 10 am and it was 2 ½ hours. Almost like an LDS church! They had three choirs, blessing for the Form 4 kids because they have testing next week and local news. The choirs were so pretty with their acapella. I got a little emotional because although there are not many who can talk to me with the Swahili language barrier, I could listen to the harmony and beauty of the songs. The last song was one I actually recognized from our hymn book and I was thrilled! I felt at home. The whole service, I didn’t know a lick of what we were doing. All in Swahili. I followed the liturgy and the evangelist Mwandenkuka helped me find scriptures. After there was the weekly auction and they sold a mkeka for elfukuminatano (14,000 shillings…aka 13 bucks for a straw weaved rug), a live chicken, 6 feet long sugar canes, and a tree limb thing with big leaves. Only in Africa right? Later we got invited for lunch at Jacob’s. It was very nice. Actually it was way nice to get comfortable and chat. I feel like I haven’t really opened up or been my bubbly self because this school thing stresses me out. I got up and down. But Jacob gives me motivation to really be positive and pay it forward. He is an AIDS orphan and he volunteered for three months teaching at an orphanage. He is supporting three boys and is really generous. He’s going to be really missed in this community when he sets off to Dar for his masters. But it will be so good for him, plus he’ll be reunited with his wife.

Tonight I ended a good night with banana pancakes with Marty, calling Liz and having a good convo, and saying goodbye on the phone to Nancy. She’s flying out of Dar. Makes me think of flying out and how I think, I will miss it here. I will make connections and friends and I don’t think I’ll ever have the means to come back since it’s so expensive to fly here. Sounds strange. I am so glad for this crazy unique opportunity. Wow I am blessed.

We survived :)

One week of class: completed! We survived! The real scary thing is, Nancy Winters left Manow today and Marty and I are officially on our own teaching. Ah! We will do it. We can do it! We are officially independent, too because we cooked our own home cooked meal. Rice and eggs together really are good with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and a local green called mchicha. Rice makes it seem creamy. I made a salad from Chinese cabbage and it was awful! You’re supposed to cook it and I didn’t realize. Marty was so kind and even had seconds…I thanked him!

One of the students is very helpful. He can’t say much in English, pretty short and looks about 13 but I think he’s 17. He carries our teacher things after class every day. Teacher’s pet? Ya but we’ll take it. :) I just wish I could talk to him more. Hopefully that’ll change when we teach him more English and I a little Kiswahili! Ha ha.

Tomorrow is Saturday! We sleep in an hour, go to Lwangwa market for two kilos of meat, then tomatoes, cabbage, bananas, carrots and whatever else we may be lucky to spot. We don’t get apples. :( In Tukuyu, two hours away, we do and they’re soo good. Cucumbers, apples, carrots, and avocadoes are so good here. Carrots and cucumbers seem sweeter here. Bananas, I must admit, aren’t what I expected. I think I just don’t love bananas.

Then tables from school to church, visit Macame at 3pm, then pick up two loaves of bread at Mwasamwajes at 4:30pm. So glad I have bread. Here are the staples out here: eggs, tea, bread, tomatoes, rice, beans, and mchicha.

Glad Joshua is in Manow. Marty, Joshua and I got sodas at the duka (store) for 1500 shillings for three. So about 40 cents a bottle. Glass bottles are recycled til they’re scratched and worn white. It’s really cool.

School and African-ness

Whew! Almost whole week of teaching, and we’re still alive! Yesterday we found out we have to move 8 tables a half a mile from the school to the church because we’re getting kicked out for two weeks. Form 2 testing, the equivalent to sophomores. What a joke. Jacob, a teacher here in Manow, is helping us a great deal and arranging for help from students on Saturday. He’s also driving 3-4 hours round trip to take Nancy on a motorcycle to return to the states. I’ve never seen such a loved person. The whole town loves her, they call out, “Mama Nancy!” When we walk around. We were in Tukuyu, two hours away from Manow where the school is and a girl says, “Hi Mama Nancy!” and Nancy didn’t even recognize her! But lucky for us we got a ride home because of it, saving 50,000 shillings!

So another Tanzania tidbit. I wake up to roosters every morning at 6:15am. They’re punctual. Sometimes in the afternoons the pigs go nutty and squeal. Those are next to our front lawn. We have chickens and baby chicks running around the perimeter of our house. They’re funny. We have a 500 gallon bucket on a 15 foot platform that keeps our water. Every night you think it’s raining but Nancy and I went on a wild goose hunt chase and found it to be water from the tank…overflowing! Funny how sometimes we have no indoor water and other times we have overflowing. We have buckets fortunately, that keep water in droughts or when our neighbor washes a lot of laundry.

I’m a bit terrified Nancy is leaving. Marty and I will do the program on our own. She knows so many people and quick with names. But it’s nice and relieving that there are people who will help us like Jacob and Joshua. Nancy has done so much for the community, her home really is in Tanzania and America. Ok goodnight, my tea is done. I’m learning to drink lots of tea and chapatti and mandazi! Mandazi is soo good!

The Second Day

Wow 7 ½ hours a day on your feet is tiring! I wasn’t looking forward to teaching my second day to tell you the honest truth but my parents called me and that boosted me and started my day on the right foot. Nancy let me be late and talk. Marty and Nancy went ahead. It was good because I got to wander by myself to the dining hall to class. Didn’t realize I didn’t know how to really get there! Some trial and error and I found it!

The end of the day left me a bit discouraged because the second to last game of “I Spy” flopped. It’s nice to team teach with Marty so we can help each other.

So I was tired and got home to drink some delicious Mango nectar. Oh man! Nancy is the best. We drank it on the porch, taking a good load off our feet. Later that night I realized besides, “I Spy,” I have a lot of fun making a fool of myself and teaching. I told Marty and Nacy that I think I may consider TESOEL testing and teach ESL. I love grammar. Doing games and songs is fun, too.

So let’s talk about some African craziness. I took a sponge bath-ok a pitcher bath in a small tub made for a midget. Ha ha. I was proud. We ran out of water so we use our 5 buckets. I use maybe four gallons. Go me! What’s another thing? Nancy got a great gift of a weaved carpet mat called a mkeka, and the cutest part was a big container of bananas, rice and fresh eggs. Who gets eggs in America as a gift? I love it.

What, me? Teacher??

I taught my first day in Tanzania, Africa! Wow! These kids are cute. I know I wish I learned more Kiswahili but I’m glad I know a little and can make a fool of myself a lot. I just have to set my pride aside. Marty and I have a lot to learn but tonight we did some good prepping. Granted it took 2-3 hours, but we will get faster. I’m glad the kids like the songs. They got really into “The Ants Go Marching.” Lots of hand motions and dancing got them giggly and I love it. Alpha and Asifiwe and Mary contribute a lot. It’s interesting yesterday how worried I was to be in charge of teenagers. They are so vulnerable and shy because o f the language. Most of our curriculum is writing on the board and recitation to improve they’re pronunciation. It’s difficult to do group or partner activities because of the language, but we’re learning. We do try to do examples and animated demonstrations!

Important Info

Na omba ufunguo wachuo ni. I ask for the bathroom key.

If I die…

We traveled to Itete to see Carina and Klaus Dinkel. Klaus is a pastor and Carina a doctor-and my saint- who can help me if I get in a bad nut situation. Cortisol, hydrocortisol is what I’ll take if I need to use my epipen. A nice man gave us a ride there but we traveled by foot back. It’s 10 km. My parents will be happy I cleared the nut thing because first I talked to Klaus and he said all I’ll have is the epipen and there’s no resources at the hospital to treat me. WHAT? That took me for a loop. Then Carina came out of the OR, or what British call the “theatre.” She said they have the treatment I’d need and if she wasn’t at the hospital it would be no problem, I would get help. PHEW.

Liz is now teaching me how to make ugali. It’s corn flour that you add to water, a little salt and heat and add more of the flour until it thickens into a paste. You make balls out of it and dip it in your beans and sauce. I kind of love it.
The tribe that lives in my area is called the Nykusa and they speak the Kinikusa language. Here’s a snippet of what I say everyday when I see anyone.

Ugunili
Ndaga
Trombombo
Tununu
Ene.

I’m practically fluent! Ok no, but I can count and say hello, goodbye, how much is that, I would like… 

Home sweet Home

We’re in Manow! From Dar we went to Tukuyu and stayed the night in Longbosse hotel. I crushed on the hotel worker Joshua. Adorable. We met Jacob the teacher at Manow and he has great English. Tuesday we shopped at the market in Tukuyu. Got cucumbers, carrots and apples we can’t get in Manow or Lwangwa. Took a bumpy two hour ride to Manow and it was beautiful. The mountains and landscape and trees and thatched roofed huts are so picturesque, I feel like I’m a character in the Swiss Family Robinson! We arrived and Henry in our car is a doctor in Itetete at the hospital and has ok English. I’ll meet Klaus and Carina (she’s a German doc) so that will be good. Liz and I went on a good run and I’m learning greetings. “Za jioni” for adults or peers and “Shikamo” for 5 years or older. Reply that with “Mara haba” if they do it to me. Little kids, “Njambo…Sijambo” and peers “Nambowizi” and reply with “Poe.”

Ngwatika-house help, sews and washes linens. Her son will be in my class…Godlove. Yesterday, Wednesday, we painted the inside house. Looks great! Listened to Liz’ fun music like the Beatles and “You’ve got that Lovin Feeling.” We went to Lwangwa and I bought tomatoes four different times to practice. “Nya nya, shillingi ngapi.” Tomatoes, how much?

Wow it’s difficult for me. Liz was assisting me, Nancy for Marty. I just accept that Marty and I will be taken advantage of, we’ll overpay and we’ll budget over each time. :) Here are numbers:

1-moja, 2-mbili, 3-tatu, 4-nne, 5-tano, 6-sita, 7-saba, 8-nane, 9-tisa, 10-kumi. 200-miambili. On our second run, yesterday with Liz I learned more words: ruka-to jump, kukimbia-to run, kukaa-to sit/stay

To conjugate: kukimbia

(I) ni na kimbia (we) tu na kimbia
(you) u na kimbia (ya’ll) m na kimbia
(he/she/it) a na kimbia (they) wan a kimbia

Na-present
li-past
-future

Jacob visited and we got our kids’ applications. We have a bunch of 18 year olds! Ahh but most are 15. Not what I expected. I hoped for 13 year olds. I hope they listen to me. And Jacob says this to say goodnight, “usiku mwema.”

Where’s the house of Kai? = nyumba ya Kai iko wapi?

Mwalimu-teacher mwalimu -> walimu-teachers

Mwanafunzi-student

Mia-100

Elfumoja-1000

Elfukumi-10,000

Lakimoja-100,000

10 kumi

100 mia (moja)

1000 elfu (moja)

10,000 elfu kumi moja?

100,000 laki moja

Arriving to that really far away place

Bam! I’m in Africa! I arrived last night at 10:30 after travelling 23 hours. Whew! The best part is we got all our luggage. Last year, Ginny, a volunteer, never got her suitcase. I just thought, I gotta get my tampons! So I flew from Seatac -> Amsterdam and from Amsterdam -> Kilamenjaro. Marty and I sat next to each other and I had TWO empty seats so I spread out and slept! I was soo happy! There were a lot of people on the flight to climb Mt. Kili. One guy from Israel who lives in Boston paid $1200 to hike it. An Irish girl paid $1700. She was super cute. We were stuck by the bathrooms because the flight attendants were dishing out dinner. I ate like a queen! Two dinners both flights. My favorite was the ciabatta rolls, blondie cookies, (got 3 more from the attendant!), the pizza, and the tart pudding/flan. What else? Oh from Kili -> Dar es Salaam was only an hour but I got to sit by a cute chap from England. He paid $4000 total for his trip and didn’t summit Kili. Poor guy. But he was so cute and blonde and had the kind of British accent like Harry Potter. Nice way to arrive in Africa. :) We arrived and it was muggy! I didn’t feel freaked out when I saw all the black people. I have been a bit intimidated and just more anxious back home when I saw black people cuz I think I was thinking too much about it. But since I’ve been here, I don’t feel like the only white person and starred at. I am the only white person but maybe because I’m in Dar, it’s big, and there are other nationalities like East Indian, so that it’s not a big deal or what I imagined. I will be starred at in Manow I know but the people in the area will also be safer.

Oh so we get out of the airport, Nancy, Marty and I and the best part was: LIZ! She picked us up (we got a taxi) and I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited to see her! The guys standing around the airport to drive taxis smiled a little cuz we were acting a bit crazy. I’m so glad I got to see her and she’s spending the week with us. She’s in PeaceCorps and teaching chemistry in Southeastern Tanzania. Fortunately she had a break, so she was able to see us.

I slept from midnight to 6am. Wow that was incredible! Especially since I slept so much on the plane. We are at an Econolodge and the stay is good. We ate at a small restaurant for breakfast: chapatti (40₡) eggs, this fried bread with meat and onions inside and passion fruit juice amazingness. Chapatti-I’m sold. It’s like a thick tortilla. We’ll be eating that daily for the school with mandazi, a fluffy fried roll.

Altogether for the four of us was 14,000 shillings, about 12 bucks. Wow. It would be easy $30-40 in the states. And actually this meal was expensive. Sadly the shilling is getting weaker for Tanzania. But even if it didn’t it’s nice how inexpensive food will be for this whole three month adventure!

Nambowizi—How’s it going.

Jo-oh—It’s cool

I ate at Bariki Makapeji’s house. I went to an LDS church. I’m soo glad we could. At Umbungo we had to buy bus tickets from there to Tukuyu and what an experience. Men are hounding you left and right. “Where are you going? Hello. Hey sister.” Very entertaining. Tangazwezi—ginger beer equivalent. And we’re on a mission to get that tonight nyam choma.

My bags are packed...

Now my bags are packed. Nancy, the "director" of the program, came over to help look over my belongings. Apparently I still packed too many undies! It's crazy how simple you can live on:
5 shirts
1 skirt
1 jumper (you better believe i'm going to work that jumper, 1st grade teacher style and all)
5 socks
10 down to 7 under-roos
and a partridge in a pear tree!

Well there's more but that's it clothing-wise. I'm proud to say, I'm not even packing my mascara. I thought I would but decided to pitch that to sneak in my contacts. I can't help it, glasses make my head hurt after a while. I must have a fat head or something.

The past two days have been a little hectic with living arrangements when we fly into Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Our previous plans fell through because the hostel got overbooked. As I was making plans for travels to church on Sunday with fellow Tanzanian John Mzengi, he offered to get us a couple rooms...yes! But this morning, Tanzania evening time, Nancy called me up to say we have a Travel Lodge in Dar!! I didn't even know they had Travel Lodges there. I wonder if they will have a McDs and Starbucks as well...hm.

John has been a saint, and offered to take us to church and back to our hotel. Very hospitable, so I asked him if he had any requests: Root beer and...Kool-Aid? I guess that is pretty American. I'll help a Tanzanian get his Kool-Aid fix! Especially since it's so light, yes! Have to give a shout out to Simon, thank you so much for getting me in contact with John. They were mission companions and John was a former Branch president in the Ubungo Branch in Dar es Salaam. I met Simon when I attended the Swahili speaking branch in Salt Lake City a few times. Simon translates Swahili to English in the Salt Lake Swahili branch. He's been a very good friend.

Well that's that. More to come.

Clean clean before I go

September 13
4 days! Bah! And I can say, BAM I'm in Africa! Wowsers. Can't believe it. Have been saying hi/bye to people in Olympia since I just moved from Provo to Olympia, WA. Today I saw Alicia and she's so cute and prego. She looks really good. She's going to name her girl Hannah Lin, cutie. Due November 5th. Told her November 29 is a really good day, hint hint -- but that would be pushing it, or more like Hannah would be pushing it!

Cleaned out more old food out of our house. I revel in that stuff. I love organizing and cleaning stuff out. Not sure why. Cleaning fetish? I got a bit too excited when I thought of tackling the freezer. Good thing I needed to go to FHE. Tee hee.

Took stuff to the dump and donated a bike part. Cool idea on Boulevard and Fones where you donate a bike and get a bike. You don't have to donate. You can imagine there's an array of bike conditions. I might get one when I'm back from TZ and fix one up. I did that back in Provo. Oh I sound like an old geezer, "Back when I was a young chap in Provo..." :)

Living out of a shoebox

The past week, I've been living out of my car. Literally! I have a duffle bag, backpack and my laptop. I truck it around and stay at different friends houses. They are so good to me! I'm so transient it's ridiculous.

Today is Wednesday, and I got to see my good friends Chris, Nick and Dan. I wanted to say goodbye to them before I left Provo. Good to see them! I got to see pictures of India when Chris went for geology research. Awesomeness. The best were the road signs.

Monday I decided I am saying goodbye to Utah. In the meantime, I'm seeing friends before I go. Tomorrow I'll see Chelsea and later Nathan and the next day I want to see Eleanore. She's my longest meals on wheels recipient and I gotta see that lady before I head. She's supported my venture to Africa and even bought chocolates from me when I was raising money selling See's candies.

Today is a good day. I work at the Provo Library, (for a few more days) and was happy I got to talk a bit longer to one of the librarians. She wrote a book that I got to see go from mid project to finished Scholastic published product. I mean to talk to her but hadn't gotten the chance til now.

Ok signing off, it's a bit ridiculously late. I need to snooze!

I'm off to Africa

By August 31st, I will have officially graduated from BYU. Ok maybe not since I won't have the degree yet, but I'm completing the classes on campus by then and moving on to finish two internships. Then I will. I will go to Africa for one, and then return to the Washington State Department of Health for the second.

What's in Africa? Forty 14-15 year olds in Manow, Tanzania. Hey wait, let's back track.

Hi, my name is Emily, I was born and raised in Olympia, WA from a hearty 13# 12 oz. spry baby (yes it's true) to a 6'2" girl. I'm graduating from BYU in Provo with an Environmental Public Health degree with a double major in German Literature. I'm fickle but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love old people, listening to people, sports of all types and standing on my head as of late.

Ironically having a blog, I have to say I hate writing. People have asked me if I would have a blog highlighting my experience to Africa. I hesitate at first. This is a disclaimer, I have no clue what I'm doing in this intergalactic blog world. My best advice is, if you really want to know, go to Africa. Then you'll know what I'm talking about.

Ok that's my first post. More later