So, as of the last posting, I was in the hospital with infection on my face, (the picture is just as lovely as the visual and outside of the doctor and me, you'll have to have a huge bribe to see it), but healing and headed to my site, only a few short days after the rest of my training class. Well, that didn't happen, but I did manage to have some adventures in the meantime, and have yet another cool story to look back on. (In case I was worried about acquiring those in the next two year--haha).
The title of this blog is a reference to my newly acquired flexibility after being delayed going to site. It will be almost two weeks after the rest of my class headed to their new homes that I will finally get to go. TOMMOROW!! For the past few weeks, I left the hospital, moved in with an amazing American family who lives here in Dar, left their house for Christmas so they could celebrate, moved in to another house of a nice PC family, visited the PC doctor at least two times to hear that my head is healing (I knew), did some shopping on Christmas Eve and bought a celebratory Diet Pepsi and Ice Cream Cone, watched countless unknown Christmas Specials, had running water, electricity and internet, had a family Christmas dinner complete with turkey!!, attended an awesome party of Expats from all over, delighted/disgusted many locals with my broken Swahili, and spent wayy to much money. Not exactly the first few weeks at site that I had in mind, and it was almost too much for me at times, as I had been preparing myself for living alone. In the village. In the dark. Some call this a vacation, but for the other Staph victim (or as we have christened ourselves, "Staph Sisters") who also stayed with me the whole time-luck for us actually- it was difficult to hear from our friends about their new homes, . Round one of flexibility.
Being away from home for the first Christmas in my life was another challenge, but one I knew was coming. I did think that I would be with my region mates, celebrating with a glass of TZ wine and probs rice and beans, but instead I cooked a Christmas Eve Spaghetti with my SS, got to Skype my family on their Christmas Eve, and enjoy a family Christmas with the Ex-Pats on Christmas Day! Flexibility goes both ways. :) Hearing from family and friends back home as well as new friends here made it easy to get the "warm fuzzies" of Christmas that I love so much. Presents and snow don't make Christmas. :)
A final test to my already stretched patience was learning that my house, well its not the house they told me i'd have. So, of course, being the worrier of the world, this just added to my stress/anxiety level. PC is taking care of it, and I'm sure my new house will be just as fabulous, if not more so than the original (minus all the leftover furniture I was to inherit...yikes). I got all worked up and then I realized, hey you can't change this and maybe this was supposed to happen. After Staph, being stuck in Dar, and switched houses, my karma for site has to be awesome right? :)
So after two weeks of living in pseudo-America (the ritzy, ex-Pat part of Dar--AC, real grocery stores, and wifi), I'm headed back to Tanzania, the village. I get to move in, find a "mama" ( you know I love my mamas--all of them!), figure out my vil and where I fit it, and oh yeah, how to feed myself/survive. I forsee some "hodi"-ing going on (which means I'll convientely 'stop by' neighbor's houses around dinner time..muhaha). The biggest thrill for me is going to be NOT living out of my duffle bags for the first time since October. I don't have electricity, so charging up the ol laptop and even cell phone will be a challenge, so don't look for blogs too regularly, pals, but i will try for when I head to "town." I have been receiving some AMAZING letters and packages (got yours today Jess--THANK YOU!), and PINKY SWEAR i'll get a po box soon after I get to my site so I can pass it along to those inquiring minds.
So yesterday, as I'm taking a walk with a bunch of Americans/Brits/South Africans along the rocky, super steep coast off the Indian Ocean with the salty spray in my face, I was once again humbled and amazed at this remarkable journey I am so lucky to be on. A little scar, a shaved/bald spot, and being two weeks behind everyone else isn't even close to the worst things that could have been, and a new lesson in flexibility never hurt anyone. So, the next time you hear from me, I will have actually LIVED a my site, cooked on MY jiko, used my CHOO, and hopefully made some new friends in the village who can understand my elementary Swahili. It will also be a new year, and one full of more challenges, adventures, and more tests in flexibility. I can't wait.
Much love to you and happy 2012 (is it really 2012? crazy!). Tutonana baadaye! (See you later!) Love from TZ (and my new site!!)
p.s. I'll try to figure out adding pictures at some point, but just look to facebook for them in the future (could be months)!
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