Hello lovely blog readers. It's your old pal, Mkunde. I know I have been absent (AGAIN) for way too long, but please forgive me. This month, November, I have been trying to stay in my village, to kind of make up for, and preemptively make up for my absence in December. Staying in the village has been a worthy mission, and I'm going to let you in why:
I FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE JUST GETTING GOING IN MY VILLAGE. and I have been here ALMOST 11 MONTHS NOW.
While in PC, its best not to compare yourself/your service to other volunteers, but its also ridiculously hard not to. And so, for the last 6 months or so, hearing about all these fabulous projects/actual work being done by my friends, and feeling rather inadequate/slow has been a little bit of a challenge. But after being gone, and then staying around, perhaps it was my presence by now getting better Kiswahili, or pure dumb luck, but things seem to be rolling. Our youth group (Zinduka is the name, google it! Its with Grassroots Soccer out of South Africa), is about for finish our first group/graduate them! We are also going to take a few of them to perform at at World Aids Day Event! Woo hoo! My LifeSkills kids listen better and seem to pay more attention (could be because we talk about sex and things now). The teaching at the clinic is rolling along great, people are askign more questions than ever! There is even a grant I'm hopefully going to getting started with the clinic to help them build a new, bigger laboratory hopefully! The village health group started by the previous volunteer has beeen showing up to meetings and I held a workshop to make a natural mosquito repellant (learned from PC, its really cool!), and now they want to teach the sub-villages how to make it, and also to sell it for their own group's income! Woo hoo! So that has been a major motivation for me, as I move into my second year of service.
Since its now SUMMER IN TANZANIA, i am once again coated in a perpetually coated in a thick coat of sweat. It adds lustrous volume to my already poufy hair, and causes lovely pimples to sprout on my face. Lets not even talk about the aromas. Thus begins the laying on the concrete floor-wearing next to nothing-while cursing the volunteers with electricity phase. Also means I'm giving in to the temptation to buy cold water/sodas more often. whoops. BUT it also means ORANGE SEASON! Yum. and the Beach is still jsut an hour away. And It makes me look forward to JUNE. :) But the BIGGEST THING i'm looking forward to will happen in just less than a month. MY FAMILY IS COMING!! We shall do the touristy things I have not yet done due to money/work, but they are also going to experience my village. for christmas. talk about a humble Christmas All 4 of us in 2 rooms in 90 degree heat....I feel like a reality show would love this! While talking to them once a week has been amazing, there is nothing like a mama hug (sure, I have gotten mama hugs, but not from original mama (though she may be extra crispy after being in the african sun! ba dum dum chssssssh)). So the prep of getting ready for their trip has been extra work too, but DEF worth it.
Selhie, Sheddie, and the gang are all still well. Peeing, whining, cracking up when i make weird white girl face at them. My dear friend in the village lost her sister this week, and while I didn't really know the sister, I definitely felt the loss as they grieved. Its so different to experience deaths in the village when you are finally understanding what's happening and know people. Also though, I do feel my connections in the village are getting much deeeper. Could be because we can get past "How is your house? How is your wife? How is your farm?" Already I'm worried about saying goodbye. And thats a year away. woof.
Well I always have witty (well not actually witty, but witty in chelsea's head) blog ideas, but lack of internet/energy drained from heat/life has prevented them. I will TRY to be better, especially now since I've found a semi sweet spot in my door frame where I can get basic internet to load once in a while. But know I"m sending profound thoughts/love/and snuggles from across the pound.
Remaining your ever-sweaty-hot-mess,
Chels
