Friday, November 11, 2011
Living the Life!
Greetings from the gorgeous African beach! We just had our mid-training language exam yesterday and then we all headed to Pangani, a beach resort with WESTERN TOILETS!! I forgot to mention in my last post that I am using a pit latrine, a Choo, in a little hut behind my homestay house. So forgive me the excitement of a western toilet. Anyway, we feel like we are in the lap of luxury here, and are enjoying our little weekend away. The first thirty minutes here I was of course in the ocean, but sadly, feel and scraped my self to shreds on the coral. Also, I broke my toe. My spirits are still up and I'm not going to let it ruin my awesome weekend away. Its also raining right now, but hey I'm sure by afternnoon it will be sunny. Just wanted to rub the beach thing in the faces of all my family and friends freezing at home right now. Just kidding. :) I have very limited time, but I just wanted to let you all know they did give us a break from language and training, and I'm going to relax til Sunday! I'm not sure when I'll get internet aagain, so in the next couple weeks I will be doing shadowing (staying with an actual PCV and seeing what they do), having oral exams, and gettting my site announcement! My spirits are still high, but all the prayers and love and support really helps! I'll try to keep you all posted on the adventues of lion king land, when I get some internet access! Much love from Pangani!
Living in a Screensaver
The last few weeks: October 18-November 10
Hellllllllooooooo, Good People! I finally was able to get to some internet! I should probably break up the last three weeks into something more than one long blog, but I’m not sure how long/reliable this connection will be and just want to get it all out!
So first things first: I’m supposed to tell you how Africa is clichéd and that it’s not what you think it is, but that is FALSE. I’m basically living in a screensaver. I look out the backdoor of my homestay family and see the bluest skies and palm trees and GREEN. Its humid, I don’t think the temperature has dipped below 79 degrees even at night, and I am perpetually sweaty. Pretty sweet visual, right? I always said I preferred heat to cold, and now I have to put my money where my mouth is. Anyway, its gorgeous and hilly and every day I say to myself or actually whichever of the other volunteers is by me at the time, “Wow, I’m actually living in Africa right now.”
My last blog left off right before we were leaving for Muheza, Tanga District (our training area). I was SO freakin’ nervous! The bus of us 41 volunteers first stopped at MATI (the place we all meet a few times a week for seminars/training), and then they split us up into our homestay villages. I’m in a tiny little village called Kibanda, and I was the first to be dropped off at a homestay home. Unfortunately, it was the WRONG HOUSE. The family looked surprised, and while they were sweet, I think we were all relieved when my LCF (language /culture teacher for my village) came back to tell me I was at the wrong house. I finally got it figured out, and I have the sweetest, best family I could have picked. My Baba (dad), is a farmer –oranges, millet, and corn, and speaks English (brokenly, but still awesome). We talk and try to decipher what I’m trying to say in Swahili. My Mama is equally sweet, and doesn’t speak a bit of English. She takes such good care of me. For example, I take a bucket bath everyday (basically I pour water from a cup in a bucket over my head ), and she gets the water (generally from carrying on her head from a watering hole), warms it over the fire, and then puts it into the bucket so I don’t have to take a cold shower! Speaking of water, guys I ACTUALLY CARRIED WATER ON MY HEAD! I went with my mama, and we were walking back to the house and I had another of those “I live in Africa right now moments.” Anyway, back to the homestay. I’m so lucky, my family has electricity and I have a light bulb in my room (and an outlet! But no adapter, lol). We also have a TV which we watch during dinner, which is always HABARI (news). The power goes out very frequently, but its still nice and it’s spoiling me because I’m sure my site won’t have power! The worst thing is the rats. As I’m bucket bathing (in the choo---I’ll explain later), I hear/see them run across the roof or across the concrete wall. I generally give a little girl scream and my mama will come and bang on the top of the roof to scare them all away. See how sweet she is?
I’m very very lucky. At least a quarter of all the PCT (peace corps trainees) in my class have been really sick/been to the hospital. Other than an upset tummy a lot and some sunburns, I haven’t had any real health issues. There has already been Malaria, parasites, and lots of diarrhea! Basically, bowel movements and general health is all we talk about. We all meet a few times a week for MATI days and its nice to see everyone! There are three other volunteers in my village who I’m training with, and we have language classes together. There is me, Raychel, Johnathon, and Andrew in my villiage, and we laugh at each other, get frustrated with each other, and generally support one another as we attempt to figure out this new world. Well enough with the philosophical stuff. Lets get to the daily routine that you all want to hear about:
6:00 (or before)- wake up to the sounds of the house – no roof on the rooms, just over the whole thing,-which are: mama sweeping, baba listening to Indian music on his hand held radio, and the kids waking up and helping with the cooking and cleaning.
6:15 – Bucket Bath (shave my legs and clean the three thousand bug bites on my body)
7:00- Get ready, brush my teeth outside with a water bottle, attempt to tame my frizz ball hair
7:30 – Breakfast: Chai (black tea with sugar, the occasional ant), and usually Andaze (like a doughnut without sugar).
7:45- leave for “school”
8:00-10:30- Kiswahili lessons/me attempting to understand
10:30-11:00- Chai break! (more tea and doughnut things or chapatti)
11:00-12:30 More lessons
LUNCH – rice, beans, etc.
After lunch: more lessons, walking around the village and then playing cards with the other volunteers while drinking a Coke at our local duka (shop). Then early evening, like five ish, I head home to help mama cook dinner and study. It takes literally HOURS to make dinner and we never eat before 7:30 at the earliest. The times and activities change on MATI days, but you get the general gist of it.
Speaking of food, for all of you taking bets on me losing all this weight, ALL BETS ARE OFF peeps! Like with most developing countries, the diet consists of starch, carbs, and other cheap fillers. Basically, a carbo loaders dream. I eat rice generally everyday, sometimes beans, sometimes potatoes, sometimes mchicha (like spinach), and luckily, always oranges! Sometimes spaghetti with sugar gets thrown into the mix, but I’m not a huge fan. I don’t think I’ve lost an ounce, and my family always wants me to eat more! When I have to cook for myself at site, I’ll probably lose weight then.
Well this was even more of a jumble of facts, figures, mental pictures, and grammatical errors than before! I’m typing this up before I even get to put it on the internet, and know how crazy it seems but everything is “hurry up and wait.” I haven’t had too bad bouts with homesickness yet (but I know it’ll more than likely happen when I get to my own site). I think just knowing all the love and support I have from all of you at home is helping me, and I HAVE A PHONE NOW!!! Its not that expensive in USD for me to call/text you, but I don’t have access to the minute vouchers and am not making very much money, so generally its better for you to call/text me! I’d rather not put the number on the internet, but contact my mom if you want the number! I’m nine hours ahead of you all, so keep that in mind. I love you all and miss you, but am eagerly awaiting letters from my pen pals! Jessy Lou and Grandma, I got letters from you this week!
Hopefully I’ll be able to post again soon, but the internet is really far away and I have trouble getting to it. Boo. Hope all is well back in IL, and you are all staying warm (haha). I will miss you all TONS on thanksgiving and more importantly, Black Friday! Eat some pumpkin pie for me please!
Lots of Love from Tanzania!
Hellllllllooooooo, Good People! I finally was able to get to some internet! I should probably break up the last three weeks into something more than one long blog, but I’m not sure how long/reliable this connection will be and just want to get it all out!
So first things first: I’m supposed to tell you how Africa is clichéd and that it’s not what you think it is, but that is FALSE. I’m basically living in a screensaver. I look out the backdoor of my homestay family and see the bluest skies and palm trees and GREEN. Its humid, I don’t think the temperature has dipped below 79 degrees even at night, and I am perpetually sweaty. Pretty sweet visual, right? I always said I preferred heat to cold, and now I have to put my money where my mouth is. Anyway, its gorgeous and hilly and every day I say to myself or actually whichever of the other volunteers is by me at the time, “Wow, I’m actually living in Africa right now.”
My last blog left off right before we were leaving for Muheza, Tanga District (our training area). I was SO freakin’ nervous! The bus of us 41 volunteers first stopped at MATI (the place we all meet a few times a week for seminars/training), and then they split us up into our homestay villages. I’m in a tiny little village called Kibanda, and I was the first to be dropped off at a homestay home. Unfortunately, it was the WRONG HOUSE. The family looked surprised, and while they were sweet, I think we were all relieved when my LCF (language /culture teacher for my village) came back to tell me I was at the wrong house. I finally got it figured out, and I have the sweetest, best family I could have picked. My Baba (dad), is a farmer –oranges, millet, and corn, and speaks English (brokenly, but still awesome). We talk and try to decipher what I’m trying to say in Swahili. My Mama is equally sweet, and doesn’t speak a bit of English. She takes such good care of me. For example, I take a bucket bath everyday (basically I pour water from a cup in a bucket over my head ), and she gets the water (generally from carrying on her head from a watering hole), warms it over the fire, and then puts it into the bucket so I don’t have to take a cold shower! Speaking of water, guys I ACTUALLY CARRIED WATER ON MY HEAD! I went with my mama, and we were walking back to the house and I had another of those “I live in Africa right now moments.” Anyway, back to the homestay. I’m so lucky, my family has electricity and I have a light bulb in my room (and an outlet! But no adapter, lol). We also have a TV which we watch during dinner, which is always HABARI (news). The power goes out very frequently, but its still nice and it’s spoiling me because I’m sure my site won’t have power! The worst thing is the rats. As I’m bucket bathing (in the choo---I’ll explain later), I hear/see them run across the roof or across the concrete wall. I generally give a little girl scream and my mama will come and bang on the top of the roof to scare them all away. See how sweet she is?
I’m very very lucky. At least a quarter of all the PCT (peace corps trainees) in my class have been really sick/been to the hospital. Other than an upset tummy a lot and some sunburns, I haven’t had any real health issues. There has already been Malaria, parasites, and lots of diarrhea! Basically, bowel movements and general health is all we talk about. We all meet a few times a week for MATI days and its nice to see everyone! There are three other volunteers in my village who I’m training with, and we have language classes together. There is me, Raychel, Johnathon, and Andrew in my villiage, and we laugh at each other, get frustrated with each other, and generally support one another as we attempt to figure out this new world. Well enough with the philosophical stuff. Lets get to the daily routine that you all want to hear about:
6:00 (or before)- wake up to the sounds of the house – no roof on the rooms, just over the whole thing,-which are: mama sweeping, baba listening to Indian music on his hand held radio, and the kids waking up and helping with the cooking and cleaning.
6:15 – Bucket Bath (shave my legs and clean the three thousand bug bites on my body)
7:00- Get ready, brush my teeth outside with a water bottle, attempt to tame my frizz ball hair
7:30 – Breakfast: Chai (black tea with sugar, the occasional ant), and usually Andaze (like a doughnut without sugar).
7:45- leave for “school”
8:00-10:30- Kiswahili lessons/me attempting to understand
10:30-11:00- Chai break! (more tea and doughnut things or chapatti)
11:00-12:30 More lessons
LUNCH – rice, beans, etc.
After lunch: more lessons, walking around the village and then playing cards with the other volunteers while drinking a Coke at our local duka (shop). Then early evening, like five ish, I head home to help mama cook dinner and study. It takes literally HOURS to make dinner and we never eat before 7:30 at the earliest. The times and activities change on MATI days, but you get the general gist of it.
Speaking of food, for all of you taking bets on me losing all this weight, ALL BETS ARE OFF peeps! Like with most developing countries, the diet consists of starch, carbs, and other cheap fillers. Basically, a carbo loaders dream. I eat rice generally everyday, sometimes beans, sometimes potatoes, sometimes mchicha (like spinach), and luckily, always oranges! Sometimes spaghetti with sugar gets thrown into the mix, but I’m not a huge fan. I don’t think I’ve lost an ounce, and my family always wants me to eat more! When I have to cook for myself at site, I’ll probably lose weight then.
Well this was even more of a jumble of facts, figures, mental pictures, and grammatical errors than before! I’m typing this up before I even get to put it on the internet, and know how crazy it seems but everything is “hurry up and wait.” I haven’t had too bad bouts with homesickness yet (but I know it’ll more than likely happen when I get to my own site). I think just knowing all the love and support I have from all of you at home is helping me, and I HAVE A PHONE NOW!!! Its not that expensive in USD for me to call/text you, but I don’t have access to the minute vouchers and am not making very much money, so generally its better for you to call/text me! I’d rather not put the number on the internet, but contact my mom if you want the number! I’m nine hours ahead of you all, so keep that in mind. I love you all and miss you, but am eagerly awaiting letters from my pen pals! Jessy Lou and Grandma, I got letters from you this week!
Hopefully I’ll be able to post again soon, but the internet is really far away and I have trouble getting to it. Boo. Hope all is well back in IL, and you are all staying warm (haha). I will miss you all TONS on thanksgiving and more importantly, Black Friday! Eat some pumpkin pie for me please!
Lots of Love from Tanzania!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
First Week Shenanigans and Fun
Hamjambo, everyone!
So, technically I've only been here at the Mismbazi Center for now four whole days, it feels like month! What a couple days without a cell phone, the- black-hole -that- is -facebook, and pants can feel like. But it's been a really great week. Meeting my fellow volunteers has been a great expierence and we've already had some bonding moments. Staging in Philly was a bit overwhelming, or so I thought, but when I landed, I saw a sign. I am a big believer in signs from God, signs about your path, just signs in general. So, when I grabbed all 80+ pounds of luggage and started to waddle down the airport to find the other volunteers, I saw a poster advertisement that said exactly, "Never have to say, I should have" ---Peace Corps.!!! Some of the many fears began to melt and I knew I was where I'm supposed to be. Meeting a few of the other volunteers was great, and we headed to downtown Philly for our staging. After all the meeting/activities/skits/everything else they had us to, we were able to grab a bite to eat (I got my cheesesteak--yummmm), and watch the Cards KILL the Brewers (lots of Wisconsin/Michigan volunteers). It was nice.
The flights to Amsterdam/Tanzania....not so nice. I have the swollen cankles to prove it. The first flight I was so excited and actually enjoyed, but the hour layover in Amsterdam (which btw, doesn't get light out til 8:30 am there, which freaked me out), and then the like 11 hour flight to TZ with a stop in Mt. Kilimanjaro then another hour to Dar Es Salaam, I was in a middle seat , and boy was I ready to get off the plane. But since we've arrived, I was much more at ease, and very excited about this whole process.
Now to the stuff you've all been waiting for:
I have: sucessfully used the pit latrine...(didn't say it was fun, just that I was successful), eaten DELICIOUS Tanzanian food, learned some Swahili, received 2 shots (and got out of 2), worn long skirts and frizzy curly hair everyday, and played approx 10 games of Bananagrams, and as of an hour ago, washed my clothes in a bucket and tried to hang them around my room, and most importantly, tried my first Tanzanian beer-Mt. Kilamajaro, which was HUGE and around 1 USD!!, and started my malaira prophylactics. The list I'm sure could go on, but that's the fun stuff.
The other volunteers are really nice, and we all seem to get along pretty well for just meeting each other not too long ago. So, instead to of keep rambling, i'll give you an overview of my day:
6:00 am (which is 10:00 pm home time...makes for lots of jet lag)- wake up
7:00 Breakfast- Delish! Coffee, Chai, bananas, hard boiled eggs, breads
8:00 Start classes/lectures/medical briefings (how not to get malaria)
10:30- Chai break (and more food--- I have yet to be hungry in Africa)
11:00- More lessons/shots/speakers
12:30- Lunch (yummmm)
1:30- 3:30/4:30- More sessions. Today was our first language lesson! Hujambo? Sijambo!
7:00 - Dinner (also wayyy dark out)
9/10- Bed
It has flew by, and taken forever in the same breath. I, *knock on wood* haven't had too much homesickness yet, but I think all the love and support and pictures and MAIL (oh yeah, I got Danielle's letter and the guy said ,"wow you set a reccord" )haha, and the supportive staff and being around the other volunteers has really made it not so difficult, but Tuesday we head to our host families, and it will be a new transition. It willl really hit home then. Tomorrow we get to know who is in our CBT (community based training, a small group we learn with everyday), and that is really exciting. Ooo before I forget, I did have a disappointment today. Apparently, Hakuna Matata is more commonly used in Kenya and Hamna Shida means the same thing and that is what is used here. Guess that means I'll have to head to Kenya to tell Simba (really means lion though!) Hakuna Matata! Alright, my brain is still sleepy/jet-lagged and drained, so please excuse the random thoughts/sentences. I wish I could email everyone, but I have only paid for a set amount of time, so hopefully this will suffice for now. I'm on a mission for stamps tommorow to begin the Pen Pal Process!
Hope everyone is doing well back in Merikani (America), and be jealous of my 85 degree heat with humidity! Love you! <3
P.s. at the compound where we are staying, there have been at least one wedding reception everynight, and boy are they nice! Fancy, shmance. I love seeing the fancy tanzanaian dresses, can't wait to get some made.
So, technically I've only been here at the Mismbazi Center for now four whole days, it feels like month! What a couple days without a cell phone, the- black-hole -that- is -facebook, and pants can feel like. But it's been a really great week. Meeting my fellow volunteers has been a great expierence and we've already had some bonding moments. Staging in Philly was a bit overwhelming, or so I thought, but when I landed, I saw a sign. I am a big believer in signs from God, signs about your path, just signs in general. So, when I grabbed all 80+ pounds of luggage and started to waddle down the airport to find the other volunteers, I saw a poster advertisement that said exactly, "Never have to say, I should have" ---Peace Corps.!!! Some of the many fears began to melt and I knew I was where I'm supposed to be. Meeting a few of the other volunteers was great, and we headed to downtown Philly for our staging. After all the meeting/activities/skits/everything else they had us to, we were able to grab a bite to eat (I got my cheesesteak--yummmm), and watch the Cards KILL the Brewers (lots of Wisconsin/Michigan volunteers). It was nice.
The flights to Amsterdam/Tanzania....not so nice. I have the swollen cankles to prove it. The first flight I was so excited and actually enjoyed, but the hour layover in Amsterdam (which btw, doesn't get light out til 8:30 am there, which freaked me out), and then the like 11 hour flight to TZ with a stop in Mt. Kilimanjaro then another hour to Dar Es Salaam, I was in a middle seat , and boy was I ready to get off the plane. But since we've arrived, I was much more at ease, and very excited about this whole process.
Now to the stuff you've all been waiting for:
I have: sucessfully used the pit latrine...(didn't say it was fun, just that I was successful), eaten DELICIOUS Tanzanian food, learned some Swahili, received 2 shots (and got out of 2), worn long skirts and frizzy curly hair everyday, and played approx 10 games of Bananagrams, and as of an hour ago, washed my clothes in a bucket and tried to hang them around my room, and most importantly, tried my first Tanzanian beer-Mt. Kilamajaro, which was HUGE and around 1 USD!!, and started my malaira prophylactics. The list I'm sure could go on, but that's the fun stuff.
The other volunteers are really nice, and we all seem to get along pretty well for just meeting each other not too long ago. So, instead to of keep rambling, i'll give you an overview of my day:
6:00 am (which is 10:00 pm home time...makes for lots of jet lag)- wake up
7:00 Breakfast- Delish! Coffee, Chai, bananas, hard boiled eggs, breads
8:00 Start classes/lectures/medical briefings (how not to get malaria)
10:30- Chai break (and more food--- I have yet to be hungry in Africa)
11:00- More lessons/shots/speakers
12:30- Lunch (yummmm)
1:30- 3:30/4:30- More sessions. Today was our first language lesson! Hujambo? Sijambo!
7:00 - Dinner (also wayyy dark out)
9/10- Bed
It has flew by, and taken forever in the same breath. I, *knock on wood* haven't had too much homesickness yet, but I think all the love and support and pictures and MAIL (oh yeah, I got Danielle's letter and the guy said ,"wow you set a reccord" )haha, and the supportive staff and being around the other volunteers has really made it not so difficult, but Tuesday we head to our host families, and it will be a new transition. It willl really hit home then. Tomorrow we get to know who is in our CBT (community based training, a small group we learn with everyday), and that is really exciting. Ooo before I forget, I did have a disappointment today. Apparently, Hakuna Matata is more commonly used in Kenya and Hamna Shida means the same thing and that is what is used here. Guess that means I'll have to head to Kenya to tell Simba (really means lion though!) Hakuna Matata! Alright, my brain is still sleepy/jet-lagged and drained, so please excuse the random thoughts/sentences. I wish I could email everyone, but I have only paid for a set amount of time, so hopefully this will suffice for now. I'm on a mission for stamps tommorow to begin the Pen Pal Process!
Hope everyone is doing well back in Merikani (America), and be jealous of my 85 degree heat with humidity! Love you! <3
P.s. at the compound where we are staying, there have been at least one wedding reception everynight, and boy are they nice! Fancy, shmance. I love seeing the fancy tanzanaian dresses, can't wait to get some made.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
It starts: TOMMOROW
Oye, this is really happening! So begins my new adventure/life change/job/quest/mission tomorrow morning. I'm about to embark on my Peace Corps adventure to Tanzania tomorrow morning as I leave St. Louis for staging in Philly. (First cheese steak while I'm there? I think so). I've been waiting and packing and worrying and shopping for this time since I got that glorious phone call at the end of June and accepted my invitation that first week of July. Well, here I am, still enjoying the comforting amenities of the good 'ol USA on my last night before I begin the process of becoming a PCV, (that's Peace Corps Volunteer for all my friends who don't know the lingo yet), soaking up some AC, sippin' some wine, and digesting some nachos with my family. For my friends/family/random people who find my blog, please excuse the random/goofy thoughts and inevitable spelling and grammatical errors. My brain works in mysterious ways, and I intend to post pretty much exactly as I am seeing things.
And the way I'm seeing things now is blurred through a bundle of nerves. Will my luggage (which by the way thanks to Danielle is zipped) weigh the required limit? Will I find the other volunteers in the labyrinth they call Philadelphia airport? Will I be able to handle this whole thing? I'm just going to chalk this up to jitters. The support/love/overwhelming belief in me from my friends, family, and the tiny town I'm from has been unbelievable and a comfort to me.
I could keep rambling, emotional post going on forever, but I'll wrap this up for now. My motto [what's a motto? I dunno, what's a motto with you?! haha - 1st Lion King reference, oh just wait for more] has always been "Everything happens for a reason." I'm taking this phrase with me as I embark upon the greatest adventure of my life this far. I can't wait to share it all with you.
And the way I'm seeing things now is blurred through a bundle of nerves. Will my luggage (which by the way thanks to Danielle is zipped) weigh the required limit? Will I find the other volunteers in the labyrinth they call Philadelphia airport? Will I be able to handle this whole thing? I'm just going to chalk this up to jitters. The support/love/overwhelming belief in me from my friends, family, and the tiny town I'm from has been unbelievable and a comfort to me.
I could keep rambling, emotional post going on forever, but I'll wrap this up for now. My motto [what's a motto? I dunno, what's a motto with you?! haha - 1st Lion King reference, oh just wait for more] has always been "Everything happens for a reason." I'm taking this phrase with me as I embark upon the greatest adventure of my life this far. I can't wait to share it all with you.
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