Dar es Salaam/Morrogoro

Okay, Still behind in the blog, but this is about my first week in Tanzania. We got here on what appeared to be June 12th, but it was sort of unclear after all that flying. We went from DC to Frankfurt to Zurich to Kenya to Dar. Our lay overs we very short so we had to run through every airport and getting 50 people through security in every airport was a challenge. Finally we landed in Dar at 8.00 PM. At the gate Ashleigh, Justin and I discovered that all of our luggage was still somewhere in route and so we had nothing for 2 days. Luckily the PC staff was there to greet us and got right on looking for which airport our belongings stayed at. Exhausted we boarded the bus to take us to the center that would be our home for the next three days. The bus ride was amazing, with everyone trying to catch glimpses of our new country. I saw people dancing in the street, women carrying items on their heads, music of all kinds. It is weird to get off an airplane and be in an entirely different reality. We got to the center and I roomed with Margaret, a laid back girl from Minnesota with an accent to match. We craweled under our mosquito net and wondered what adventures were in store for us. The next three days were spent entirely at the center, they wanted us to be safe so we were not allowed to leave the grounds. We met Peace Corps staff, had shots, talked about cultural differences, etc. The 2nd day in Dar I came down with a fever. It was bad around 101F. I sweated or shivered through every night. They made me see Edith our Tanzanian Med Officer, she told me it couldn't be Malaria yet and it was probably just a virus. I was better in after we got to Morrogoro. We took a beautiful bus ride there. Through wooded hills on rough dirt roads. Morrogoro is a smaller town where we again stayed at a center and began our intensive Kiswahili lessons. I took pictures of the mountains that I will try to post when I have a better connection. The first week in was nice to lay low an start to get into the swing of things.

Host Family

My MamaRasheedy, My Host Bro, Age 10

June16- Went to Kilosa where I will live for 10 weeks with a host family. Kilosa is a dusty small town about 6 hours outside of Dar. It is a farming community with one main road. Here is some info about my family-
So I have a Mama and a Baba. My family is Muslim and very very poor, a little worse off than I expected. Baba is about 40 maybe, he works as a night security guard, not sure where. He laughs a lot and is always forcing more food down my throat. (Force feeding, I am told is the way Tanzanians show hospitality) Mama is younger, she is very charismatic and has the best smile I have ever seen, and she has a contagious laugh and is very charming. No one is my family speaks a word of english. Baba's second wife is Mama Simba, she also lives with us, she has a two year old son named Simba. Mama Simba is younger and the second wife. My Mama has four children. Mwanne who is 15, and beautiful, she waits on me hand and foot, which is sort of uncomfortable. She treats me like I am her baby. She shows me how to lock the door to our pit choo in the back yard (Yes we now do our buisiness in the squatting position), she heats the water for my bucket baths and insists I bathe twice a day. She is so sweet, it is hard not to show her my appreciation with many words. Next there is Rasheedy, he is 10, he is adorable and works so so hard. He carries about 10 buckets of water in the morning from the well and then more in the evening.

Mwanne, My Host Sis, Age 15 and Mama Simba

He is taller than my brothers, David and Jeremy, but just as thin. Today I helped him, which he thought was hilarious. It is hard because I don't know how to help, but he is always lugging water so that was a start. Next there is Bahthi, she is 8, and cute as a button. She and Mwanne walk me to and from school everyday. This is my favorite part of the day. They hold my hands and we greet everyone we pass (To not greet is rude in Tanzanian culture.) They think it is so funny when I try to greet people. I probably am not supossed to have favorites, but I love Bahthi and Rasheedy. They remind me a bit of my brothers- kids are kids. They are both always touching my hair and toenail polish, and skin, I wish I could talk to either of them. But hopefully that day comes. Bahthi spends her time caring for my youngest kaka, Iddy, he is only 3. She carries him on her back while she does her chores. I have not gotten close to Iddy yet. Last night was the first time he would be in the same room with me. Mama explained that he has never seen a white person. He cried every time he saw me before that and would run out of the room, maybe eventually he will like me. Like I said we are dirt poor, I have my own nice room (although I saw the biggest roach I have ever seen last night in it). Life is hard here, harder than I thought. My sibilings each have one pair of clothes and Bahthi is wearing broken shoes. Staying away from meat has not been a problem as thy were relieved to hear I didn't eat it and my teacher explained that it is too expensive for most Tanzanians. We eat rice and beans with every meal and drink Tanzanian Chai at 10 am. Six days a week I go to Kiswahili class for 8 hours. My teacher is a PeaceCorps employee named Petti, she is Tanzanian. My class is 5 other volunteers. The language is hard. It is hard to not be able to talk to my family. I am exhausted at night and overwelmed. For the most part, I like it here. At night though, when I can hear my family talking and laughing in the living room when I am in my room studying, I feel sad and alone and miss my own family to laugh with. I hope life here gets easier. For now it is such hard work.
Huseni, Age 7 (Mama Simba's Oldest), Iddy, Host Bro, Age 2, and Rasheedy

Leaving Oregon\DC Staging Etc.

Okay, So I am a little behind in my posting, as Mariel has so kindly pointed out to me. But I wanted to start near the beginning. I left for Washington DC on the morning of the 7^th. Leaving my wonderful family is one of the hardest things I have ever done. There to see me off was my wonderful parents, Gary and Marie, both my sisters, Shannon and Raeme, and their boyfriends, my two little brothers, David and Jeremy, my Bami, and my super supportive boyfriend, Reed. I miss them all today so much. It seems like forever already since I have seen them. I have never lived anywhere besides Oregon, and despite the beauty of Tanzania, which I will get to later, nowhere is as beautiful as my home. Going home will be a happy time for me.

On my flight from Chicago to DC I was sitting next to an energetic young man named Randy, who would be my first friend in my group, as weirdly enough he was also headed to Tanzania with me. Randy and I talked through out the flight and it was great to be re-inspired to continue this trek. At the airport, my father’s cousin, Janet was there to pick me up. I love Janet. She was so loving to me in DC where I still felt nervous and alone. Janet took both Randy and I to the hotel, saving us the cab fair! At the hotel we met my room mate , Amber, she is from Colorado and is really cool, unfortunately, I can say at this point that she has already headed back to Colorado. She was the third person to leave from our group. That night Amber, Randy Janet and I went for some food and drink. It was great to be meeting new people and have my family there as well.

The next two days were fairly unexciting, so I won’t bore anyone with the details, but basically we did a two day Peace Corps overview intermixed with safety and security briefings and get to know you exercises. The nights were fun though, it was great to be surrounded by so many fun people. Our group is 46 with about 12 boys, I am serious. It is pretty awesome actually, the girls are great fun and we are able to talk and talk and the boys just have to deal with it. Some of the most awesome people so far:

Linnea- From Washington State- boyfriend at home-27 years old-father blows glass- she is always looking to make trouble.

Ashleigh- Also from Washington State, the three of us make up the PAC NW crew, I am the only Oregon representative. Ash also has a boyfriend at home-she is a twin and one of the best listeners I have ever met.

Alee- From Upstate NY-knows how to Beekeep has worked on an organic farm most of her life. Totally cool hippy girl with tattoos of bees up and down her arms.

Meesh- One of the most fun people I have ever met. From DC- great at writing hilarious music has many Tanzania Songs.

Oh, there are so many—too many friends, as corny as it is we share the same fears, hopes, and jokes most of them surrounding struggles in the choo. When I miss my family, it is weird to have these total strangers know what I mean. All 46 of us are already best friends out of necessity.