Hello!! So let's see what I can write in about 10 minutes that i have left on this internet cafe computer...Just want you all to know that I am having such an amazing time! I miss everyone to death but other than a little home/friend missing everything is going so well!
Let's see...After the first week in Dar of getting to know everyone in the group we drove up the coast to Muheza district. I am living in a village called Kilulu with an amazing family! There is a mama, a baba, two dadas (sisters- 12, 17), and two kakas (brothers-2 and 10). They have had 2 other volunteers before me and are wonderful. Don't worry...I am definitely not starving here! They think its really funny that they are trying to get me fattened up and get a woawoawoa which is a huge ass hahaha So tons of food that isnt bad just a little boring at times and I am always always full! Last week at school we also had the mama make us amazing guacamole so got a little mexi food back :)
School is 6 days a week and I live with Chuck, Julie, Kat, and two teachers that are in my village. At least once a week the whole group of 41 Volunteers meet up for training and we always have a lot of fun catching up on each other's experiences. I really do love everyone in out training group and have an amazing group in my village which is the most beautiful green tropical place ever! Although there are tons of bugs and its super humid and hot, I have adapted fairly well. They choo (bathroom) is just a hole in the ground and surprisingly it has not been as bad as I was anticipating. I got sick once from a food dish but that lasted less than 24 hours and other than that I have been very happy and healthy...minus my bathroom buddy that happens to be a fairly large trantula that i have staring contests with when showering! Oh ya showers...I acutally shower twice a day since its soooo hot and all the mamas make all the volunteers shower 2x a day so Im actually showering more than i ever have...granted the water is a little darker and its with a bucket and my hands. The girls in my group started running which is great to see the morning sunrise and get out some emotions and what not. My baba is really amazing and takes us out at night to where all the big village guys hang out and drink coffee and eat cashew cookies :) My Swahili is getting better but coming along slowly...luckily Tanzanians are extremely patient, nice, and forgiving of any cultural mess ups or language slips. So far we learned how to make permagardens and tomorrow are supposed to make them at the primary schools in our village.
Thank you for the Holloween wishes! That was a funny attempt in broken Swahili to explain that in America kids dress up and go door to door dressed up as ghosts cats bats pumpkins and monsters and ask for candy. Haha at least the kids liked my drawings and my family liked the skittles I brought from home. We all got together for our training (41 people) and had a costume contest- I dressed as a Tanzanian woman with a woawoawoa and put a pillow under my khanga (large pience of fabric with crazy prints that is worn as a skirt). It was fun to see what people came up with with no craft store and only a couple days to prep. We got candy from the trainers too which was amazing to have chocolate even though as you know i never really like chocolate but anything american is fun to have right now!
Today my village group (CBT group) came to Tanga to get amazing food and check out a bigger town. We had pizza!!! And beer!! And ice cream!! After a couple weeks of white rice, ugali, and fried dough we were extremely excited to have something else! Next weekend the whole training group is going to a hotel on the beach for a weekend vacation :) I am so excited to have more good food, swim in the pool and ocean, and be around english speaking americans/ have a break from sounding and acting like an idiot haha
Although I might seem to be missing a lot of things from back home, I really do love it here. I dont think I could have been placed anywhere better. Everyday I look out at a beautiful view of mountains, green everywhere, coconut palm trees, amazing sunrises and sunsets, and the most beautiful sky of stars at night! Life without electricity is really no issue at all. I havent even opened my bad of electronic type stuff for entertainment. The kids here provide enough entertainment even on days where I am a little sad or frustrated, their smiling faces will always put me in a great mood! My family here is extremely supportive and amazing and my new friends/other volunteers are so great to have and I feel like weve all known each other forever.
Anyways, I got some emails from you guys and will be sending off some letters soon I promise!! Sorry this was oddly written and probably doesnt make sense but I want yo all to know I think about you all the time and miss you so much but I am doing very well mentally/emotionally and physically!! Send me letters as much as possible and pictures are always fun too!! Hope everyone is doing well!!! xoxoxo
