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