Friday, August 7, 2009
so i have now been back for a couple of weeks. Tanzania was the coolest experience I have ever had. Luckily I get to go back next summer, and this time fo free yay! I got accepted to go back with the same NGO, Support for International Change, as a volunteer coordinator. here are a few pics of what I did..Above the city of Arusha
posters and teaching partners
The class of secondary school girls we had the first week.
Babati and its only paved road. This is my favorite picture
Mama Angel, the sweetest woman alive, with baby Angel on her back. She gave me that blue kanga before I left--it says something about having a safe journey on it in Swahili.
here are two links to my favorite pictures of this summer:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017993&id=1017060098&l=baf5b7038a
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2017895&id=1017060098&l=a3b72f6425
love, Emmanuelle
Monday, July 13, 2009
maji maji wa uke!!
and thus ends my lovely stay in rural Babati, TZ. times have been great, and i have had some epic moments that i will not forget. we had three community days thsi last week, where we tested about 300 people a day (hiv tests)-one man i coaxed into getting tested by getting tested with him ended up being positive.
the other day Rachel's homestay dada had an infected cut on her foot--a tiny cut, but she couldnt even walk because of it. they ended up cleaning it with an antibiotic wipe and neosporin, and the next day she was able to walk again. it is crazy how such simple treatment is so necessary yet unavaible to most people here. last week i visited dada lulu (our hiv positive friend from town) in the hospital with Haji. she had malaria and was in the public hospital for 12 days. its just a long room with beds lined up on both sides. no privacy, no space, and no type of machinery you usually find.
a realization i had that came a little too late: the low literacy rate of our town. we printed out about 70 fliers for our testing day behind my house, when really the most effective thing we could have done was just to walk around and megaphone---
things i will miss about Babati:
--the selflessness and generosity. people have nothing yet will bend over backwards to give you everything and treat you like a queen.
--drinking chi with my baba after a long day of walking my ass off teaching and such
--being outside from morning till dusk
--having to avoid random wandering cows and goats while walking around--hhaa
things i wont miss:
--bucket showering! yes, it is environmentally friendly when taking into account the little amount of water used, but its also nice to be able to get all the dust and dirt off your body every day.
--cow stomach in my potato and beef stew. its fuzzy and weird looking and i was just not a fan.
--filthy feet. currently mine are cracked, blistered, cut, and dirty--you only wish you could see these babies.
onward to zanzibar!!
the other day Rachel's homestay dada had an infected cut on her foot--a tiny cut, but she couldnt even walk because of it. they ended up cleaning it with an antibiotic wipe and neosporin, and the next day she was able to walk again. it is crazy how such simple treatment is so necessary yet unavaible to most people here. last week i visited dada lulu (our hiv positive friend from town) in the hospital with Haji. she had malaria and was in the public hospital for 12 days. its just a long room with beds lined up on both sides. no privacy, no space, and no type of machinery you usually find.
a realization i had that came a little too late: the low literacy rate of our town. we printed out about 70 fliers for our testing day behind my house, when really the most effective thing we could have done was just to walk around and megaphone---
things i will miss about Babati:
--the selflessness and generosity. people have nothing yet will bend over backwards to give you everything and treat you like a queen.
--drinking chi with my baba after a long day of walking my ass off teaching and such
--being outside from morning till dusk
--having to avoid random wandering cows and goats while walking around--hhaa
things i wont miss:
--bucket showering! yes, it is environmentally friendly when taking into account the little amount of water used, but its also nice to be able to get all the dust and dirt off your body every day.
--cow stomach in my potato and beef stew. its fuzzy and weird looking and i was just not a fan.
--filthy feet. currently mine are cracked, blistered, cut, and dirty--you only wish you could see these babies.
onward to zanzibar!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
we have been teaching like crazy these past few days it has been great. tomorrow is our testing day--SIC will set up two tents in the soccer field behind my house and then free hiv testing will going on all day. yesterday ivvette, tuma, mary and i walked around our part of town wthi a couple megaphones announcing for tomorrow. doing this works wonderfully--noone gets annoyed with the flyers and annoucing because they're nto used to it! we had mamas following us down the road, adn groups of people shouting they would be coming. it should be a busy day i am stoked.
i am going to miss the sense of communal living when i leave--people sitting on a curb outside eating roasted mihindi enjoying the last hours of sunlight..simple living has a lot of perks; im a fan.
only a week left aaaaah!
i am going to miss the sense of communal living when i leave--people sitting on a curb outside eating roasted mihindi enjoying the last hours of sunlight..simple living has a lot of perks; im a fan.
only a week left aaaaah!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
I spent the afternoon having impromptu info sessions around town with Tuma. What started out as an hiv informational discussion with this baba in a soccer field soon turned into a group of 60 men and women. people are always interested and curious, and everyone is ridiculously nice.
things i love in the morning:
perfect smiling faces shouting "good morrrnnnnnning emma!!!!!!"
milk tea
today there were two dead chickens sitting on my porch. I almost stepped on them. meh
the more people have, the more they seem to complain.
Little Samuel--my homestay baby-- crys and screams non stop. this child is very spoiled; every object taken from his hands results in a scream. Meanwhile, little Ramadan from Frank's homestay is playing in the dirt outside. Ramadan never seems to be upset, and Ramadan has nothing but the ground to play with.
common misconceptions about h.i.v in rural Babati, TZ:
--its unsafe to buy things from an infected person-- some random surveys we did around town reported that people would not buy from an hiv + fruit vendor.
--hiv is put in condoms when theyre manufactured--thats what you see when you put one outside in the sun. no, its lubricant.
---hiv is a punishment from God.
love love
things i love in the morning:
perfect smiling faces shouting "good morrrnnnnnning emma!!!!!!"
milk tea
today there were two dead chickens sitting on my porch. I almost stepped on them. meh
the more people have, the more they seem to complain.
Little Samuel--my homestay baby-- crys and screams non stop. this child is very spoiled; every object taken from his hands results in a scream. Meanwhile, little Ramadan from Frank's homestay is playing in the dirt outside. Ramadan never seems to be upset, and Ramadan has nothing but the ground to play with.
common misconceptions about h.i.v in rural Babati, TZ:
--its unsafe to buy things from an infected person-- some random surveys we did around town reported that people would not buy from an hiv + fruit vendor.
--hiv is put in condoms when theyre manufactured--thats what you see when you put one outside in the sun. no, its lubricant.
---hiv is a punishment from God.
love love
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Moshi
Took a bus with Mary today to Moshi, a litte town at the base of Kili! Waiting for the clouds to part so we can actually see it. im about to go search for some "Zanzibar pizza" from the street vendors--every pizza i have had in this country is delicious, and once again this is not just because I am in Africa and sometimes crave american food--it really is amazing.
sight of the day:
a burqua clad woman walking through teh gas station wtih a whicker basket balanced on her head.
yesterday's:
the Massai man, dressed head to foot in traditional clothing and beadwork, pulling the camel I got to ride across the dirt whilst jabbering on his cell phone. globalization not at its finest
be free my friends
sight of the day:
a burqua clad woman walking through teh gas station wtih a whicker basket balanced on her head.
yesterday's:
the Massai man, dressed head to foot in traditional clothing and beadwork, pulling the camel I got to ride across the dirt whilst jabbering on his cell phone. globalization not at its finest
be free my friends
Thursday, June 25, 2009
back from Uganda!!!! and had an epic time.
we left at three and drove through Nairobi-- a pretty ugly and sketch city , but then again what developing city isnt idk. the highlight of that legof the ride was hitting paved road--godamn potholes made the bus jump like crazy. from nairobi we finally got to Jinja in Uganda at 10 am the next day wamp wamp. oh well part of hte adventure. the rafting place was b-e-autiful --a huge deck overlooking hte nile and--wait for it--hot showers! the first real shower i have had in a month, it was glorious. ate breakfast on the deck the next morning, and then bungee jumped waaah! i tandum jumped with hannah- it was the most petrifying thing i have ever done, but definitely definitely worht it--(desolee maman ne sois pas en colere i couldnt pass it up!). too bad we couldnt go for free :] we rafted the next day all day, stopped for lunch on an island ---the most delicious pineapple i have ever tasted-- and then rafted till almost sundown. rafted again today and then hoppped back on the bus . the ride back home was slightly more miserable just because i wasnt able to pass out as much, but oh well. now i am back in Arusha--tomorrow Im going to sit in on a trial case at the UN Rwanda tribunal that is stationed in Arusha, and then hopefully take a bus to Moshi, a town at the base of Kilimanjaro. We head bakc to babati on sunday for two more weeks of teaching, than were done. time you are crazy. cant wait! love lvoe
emmanuelle
we left at three and drove through Nairobi-- a pretty ugly and sketch city , but then again what developing city isnt idk. the highlight of that legof the ride was hitting paved road--godamn potholes made the bus jump like crazy. from nairobi we finally got to Jinja in Uganda at 10 am the next day wamp wamp. oh well part of hte adventure. the rafting place was b-e-autiful --a huge deck overlooking hte nile and--wait for it--hot showers! the first real shower i have had in a month, it was glorious. ate breakfast on the deck the next morning, and then bungee jumped waaah! i tandum jumped with hannah- it was the most petrifying thing i have ever done, but definitely definitely worht it--(desolee maman ne sois pas en colere i couldnt pass it up!). too bad we couldnt go for free :] we rafted the next day all day, stopped for lunch on an island ---the most delicious pineapple i have ever tasted-- and then rafted till almost sundown. rafted again today and then hoppped back on the bus . the ride back home was slightly more miserable just because i wasnt able to pass out as much, but oh well. now i am back in Arusha--tomorrow Im going to sit in on a trial case at the UN Rwanda tribunal that is stationed in Arusha, and then hopefully take a bus to Moshi, a town at the base of Kilimanjaro. We head bakc to babati on sunday for two more weeks of teaching, than were done. time you are crazy. cant wait! love lvoe
emmanuelle
Friday, June 19, 2009
T.I.A.
for people here having no hair there are a shit-ton of hair salons, and they all have murals of diddy or some other chain wearing thug on the side of the door. salons and guesthouses aka hotels that also serve as prostitution rooms are also a plently here- needless to say i slept on top of the sheets whilst staying at Cypress Hill. today Haji and I are settting up appointments to teach at some various ones by home--the mamas in charge want the girls working at the guesthouses to be taught, which is pretty awesome.
Arusha here i come!! we leave tomorrow morn, and I begin my excursion to the Nile monday afternoon to raft- a glorious 24 hr busride through Uganda to get there. waaaaah!
this is africa
love emmanuelle
Arusha here i come!! we leave tomorrow morn, and I begin my excursion to the Nile monday afternoon to raft- a glorious 24 hr busride through Uganda to get there. waaaaah!
this is africa
love emmanuelle
Monday, June 15, 2009
be free
i love starting the day. after breakfast i stick my money in my bra strap, my keys on one hip and my phone on the other and head out. good morning baaabati.
today we had a teaching in the mornign at a church- 40 little kids and about 20 bigger kids-- it is quite a sight to see a bunch of four yr olds elbowing eachother to be the one to hold your hand in a circle game.
my younger brother charles has all of his homework in englihs. did i already blog abotu that? oh well it is very impressive and thus deserves recognition-every single subject they learn in school is in english , and he is just attending a normal secondary school.
highlight of last week: an impromtu sing off after class with the babati day sekondari school girls. they knew more rhianna lyrics than i did.
tanzanians love dancing! this makes me very happy, as i also have a love for dancing--no language barrier there :]
as i type here in the internet cafe there are a few people reading over my shoulder. it is quite a funny feeling to always be watched uggh. last night at dinenr my baba had a few guests--they all watch me like a hawk and it can be kind of akward. when they reffered to me as mzungu (european/white person) my baba was quick to say that my name is emmanuelle, not mzungu--very cool. after they found otu Tumaini isnt from the same tribe as they are (Tuma is Massai from Kenya) they spoke in their native tongue throughout the rest of dinner-rude!
another highlight--eating cassava outside frank nad jarrod's home with neighbors at dusk. so neat!
today we had a teaching in the mornign at a church- 40 little kids and about 20 bigger kids-- it is quite a sight to see a bunch of four yr olds elbowing eachother to be the one to hold your hand in a circle game.
my younger brother charles has all of his homework in englihs. did i already blog abotu that? oh well it is very impressive and thus deserves recognition-every single subject they learn in school is in english , and he is just attending a normal secondary school.
highlight of last week: an impromtu sing off after class with the babati day sekondari school girls. they knew more rhianna lyrics than i did.
tanzanians love dancing! this makes me very happy, as i also have a love for dancing--no language barrier there :]
as i type here in the internet cafe there are a few people reading over my shoulder. it is quite a funny feeling to always be watched uggh. last night at dinenr my baba had a few guests--they all watch me like a hawk and it can be kind of akward. when they reffered to me as mzungu (european/white person) my baba was quick to say that my name is emmanuelle, not mzungu--very cool. after they found otu Tumaini isnt from the same tribe as they are (Tuma is Massai from Kenya) they spoke in their native tongue throughout the rest of dinner-rude!
another highlight--eating cassava outside frank nad jarrod's home with neighbors at dusk. so neat!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
hey homies
here are logistics for those of you who were wondering--ok mama this is for you.
a typical day in b-a-bati
i wake up around 7:30 or 8 to the sound of blaring african music --its usually a woman singing about God with a group of background dancers on the beach- this music comes from the tv, which is constantly on. at home this would greatly annoy me, but for some reason i love it here--i love mornings in tanzania- the air is fresh, the vibes are so good and the weather is always beautiufl. after i wake up i stick my head out my window and say good morning to my mama who is allllwways in the backyard washing clothes or cooking. then my mama eats breakfast and chi with me , which usually consists of two pieces of immensely buttered toast, a chapati, doughnuts and a banana-and then when im done she gives me more. after chi i usually walk into town which takes 10 minutes-oh lets talk about the celebrity walk--hordes of small children shrieking and jumping at the sight of my white ass--everyone greets me in english , and i greet them back in swahili. when i get back my group --ivette, mary, tumaini who's my roomie and haji- meet at my house and make our lesson for that day. this week we have been teaching at two at an all girl's boarding school--today we brought with us dada lulu, an hiv + woman with the biggest heart--she is so charismatic and lively it is really great. she talked to the class about her experience living with it, and the stigma she recieves from the community. after teachign we head back down--oh did i mention this school is on top of a hill uggh my calves are getting so strong aha-- and head back into town. today i walked around with haji to set up more community teachings. in the eve i have been visiting other volunteers' homestays--tonight i visited Rachel's and her mama gave me a kanga and we took pictures because she was wearing the same one- that woman is hilllarrrious and so kind. sometimes i visit Mariam --my sister--at work- she takes care of one of my baba's shops. sometimes i walk by my baba's hardware store to say hey. rachel and i are shopping for tumaini's boys--the orphaned boys she takes care of by the garbage dumps. jeans are about $2 and shirts $1. around 8 i head home , where all the kids are usually watching tv--my baba gets home around 9 and then we eat. i look forward to dinner so much- my mama always serves it in these tupperware bins with lids, and everytime she opens them its liek a new surprise---whats for dinner tonight?! after i finish eating my mama puts more food on my plate. dinner is always different-someitmes its chicken adn home made fries, sometimes its brown rice with this meat soup, sometimes its fish and ugali and spinach. after dinner they mostly go back to the tv, where a terrible soap opera is playing. deliciously bad as my daddy would say. sometimes i sit and watch and laugh, and other times i go straight to bed and pass out. and then i wake up to another beauuutiful day in babati.
yesterday we made guacamole and tonight we bought bananas and peanutbutter--an event definitely worth blogging. never tasted so good
love emmanuelle
here are logistics for those of you who were wondering--ok mama this is for you.
a typical day in b-a-bati
i wake up around 7:30 or 8 to the sound of blaring african music --its usually a woman singing about God with a group of background dancers on the beach- this music comes from the tv, which is constantly on. at home this would greatly annoy me, but for some reason i love it here--i love mornings in tanzania- the air is fresh, the vibes are so good and the weather is always beautiufl. after i wake up i stick my head out my window and say good morning to my mama who is allllwways in the backyard washing clothes or cooking. then my mama eats breakfast and chi with me , which usually consists of two pieces of immensely buttered toast, a chapati, doughnuts and a banana-and then when im done she gives me more. after chi i usually walk into town which takes 10 minutes-oh lets talk about the celebrity walk--hordes of small children shrieking and jumping at the sight of my white ass--everyone greets me in english , and i greet them back in swahili. when i get back my group --ivette, mary, tumaini who's my roomie and haji- meet at my house and make our lesson for that day. this week we have been teaching at two at an all girl's boarding school--today we brought with us dada lulu, an hiv + woman with the biggest heart--she is so charismatic and lively it is really great. she talked to the class about her experience living with it, and the stigma she recieves from the community. after teachign we head back down--oh did i mention this school is on top of a hill uggh my calves are getting so strong aha-- and head back into town. today i walked around with haji to set up more community teachings. in the eve i have been visiting other volunteers' homestays--tonight i visited Rachel's and her mama gave me a kanga and we took pictures because she was wearing the same one- that woman is hilllarrrious and so kind. sometimes i visit Mariam --my sister--at work- she takes care of one of my baba's shops. sometimes i walk by my baba's hardware store to say hey. rachel and i are shopping for tumaini's boys--the orphaned boys she takes care of by the garbage dumps. jeans are about $2 and shirts $1. around 8 i head home , where all the kids are usually watching tv--my baba gets home around 9 and then we eat. i look forward to dinner so much- my mama always serves it in these tupperware bins with lids, and everytime she opens them its liek a new surprise---whats for dinner tonight?! after i finish eating my mama puts more food on my plate. dinner is always different-someitmes its chicken adn home made fries, sometimes its brown rice with this meat soup, sometimes its fish and ugali and spinach. after dinner they mostly go back to the tv, where a terrible soap opera is playing. deliciously bad as my daddy would say. sometimes i sit and watch and laugh, and other times i go straight to bed and pass out. and then i wake up to another beauuutiful day in babati.
yesterday we made guacamole and tonight we bought bananas and peanutbutter--an event definitely worth blogging. never tasted so good
love emmanuelle
Sunday, June 7, 2009
highlights of this week
--teaching a classroom of 70 girls at a boarding school-we only needed translation for half the time it was neat. these girls are smart. it was the first time they were hearing hiv/sex ed info in a classroom
--going to church with my family. for three hours. sounds painful but it was actually really cool --drums and songs adn old bent-backed mamas dancing in the aisles. i had to stand the introduce myself and give a little speech aha :/. i almost had to lead a church song in english --thank god tumaini was there to save me
--telling an hiv + mama that her child wasnt . she was told hiv tests didnt work for kids
--finding out passion fruit is an actual fruit
--finding my mama in the kitchen shoving pop rocks in her mouth after giving them to liliani for her bday. haha
things that are still bunk
--doing laundry in a bucket? african mamas have the strongest backs
--kids sleeping on glass-they ALL have sphyillis
--ugali- a corn mush-really bland- eaten with whatever.
my african friend Hajii was pissed we had to go teach when ryan ceacrest's top 40 was on. that idiot is heard here to0?!
--teaching a classroom of 70 girls at a boarding school-we only needed translation for half the time it was neat. these girls are smart. it was the first time they were hearing hiv/sex ed info in a classroom
--going to church with my family. for three hours. sounds painful but it was actually really cool --drums and songs adn old bent-backed mamas dancing in the aisles. i had to stand the introduce myself and give a little speech aha :/. i almost had to lead a church song in english --thank god tumaini was there to save me
--telling an hiv + mama that her child wasnt . she was told hiv tests didnt work for kids
--finding out passion fruit is an actual fruit
--finding my mama in the kitchen shoving pop rocks in her mouth after giving them to liliani for her bday. haha
things that are still bunk
--doing laundry in a bucket? african mamas have the strongest backs
--kids sleeping on glass-they ALL have sphyillis
--ugali- a corn mush-really bland- eaten with whatever.
my african friend Hajii was pissed we had to go teach when ryan ceacrest's top 40 was on. that idiot is heard here to0?!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
hey you guys
i moved into my homestay yesterady and let me tell you it was exactly opposite of what i was imagining/hoping for, but nonetheless i love it. our house has an iron gate in front and the sides have stone/cement looking walls. we have a huge front area and two patios that are tiled. the hosue inside is beautifully tiled , and we have a porcelain pit toilet adn an actual shower head. i think i live in the nicest homestay which is kind of funny considering i put down that i was very willing to "rough it". its bigger and made out of better quality than my house back home. the living room has 4 sofas with a tv constantly blaring a tanzanian soap opra/bbc special on exotic animals/tanzanian love songs. we have about 4 or 5 bedrooms-theres one part of htehouse i havent even seen yet. oh but the kitchen is still outside and consists of a fire pit supported by cement blocks and fueled by coals and firewood--the most modern house with the most primitive cooking style idk. my family is awesome--we have 11month baby samuel, who had a fit hte first time he saw my mzungu face hahaha he was so scared- but now i already sense a mutual attachment. i have two 14 yr old brothers, charles and gasper who speak good english its impressive. my mama is so sweet--she cant be older than 23- my baba is very young too. oh and there is sister easter and mariam--i really dont know how all these people are related, but we all live together . i love taht about african culture--i call strangers my age sister/brother and anyone that looks like a father/mother baba and mama. my mama cooks me delicious food and my tights under my conga are already cutting off my circulation ahahah. babati town is very diverse--we live in a freaking palace, and right down the street are groups of thatched mud homes.
this morning we talked a bunch of community leaders-we start teaching on friday at babati girls' secondary school! so. stoked.
saturday we are speaking to a group of mamas, and on sunday a community leader is setting up a youth grouping for a teaching. things are already happening its great. next week were teaching every day at the school.
amy k, the first thing sister mariam said to me when i told her i was from america was "mariah carey??"
the word for bread is mkate.
love emmanuelle
i moved into my homestay yesterady and let me tell you it was exactly opposite of what i was imagining/hoping for, but nonetheless i love it. our house has an iron gate in front and the sides have stone/cement looking walls. we have a huge front area and two patios that are tiled. the hosue inside is beautifully tiled , and we have a porcelain pit toilet adn an actual shower head. i think i live in the nicest homestay which is kind of funny considering i put down that i was very willing to "rough it". its bigger and made out of better quality than my house back home. the living room has 4 sofas with a tv constantly blaring a tanzanian soap opra/bbc special on exotic animals/tanzanian love songs. we have about 4 or 5 bedrooms-theres one part of htehouse i havent even seen yet. oh but the kitchen is still outside and consists of a fire pit supported by cement blocks and fueled by coals and firewood--the most modern house with the most primitive cooking style idk. my family is awesome--we have 11month baby samuel, who had a fit hte first time he saw my mzungu face hahaha he was so scared- but now i already sense a mutual attachment. i have two 14 yr old brothers, charles and gasper who speak good english its impressive. my mama is so sweet--she cant be older than 23- my baba is very young too. oh and there is sister easter and mariam--i really dont know how all these people are related, but we all live together . i love taht about african culture--i call strangers my age sister/brother and anyone that looks like a father/mother baba and mama. my mama cooks me delicious food and my tights under my conga are already cutting off my circulation ahahah. babati town is very diverse--we live in a freaking palace, and right down the street are groups of thatched mud homes.
this morning we talked a bunch of community leaders-we start teaching on friday at babati girls' secondary school! so. stoked.
saturday we are speaking to a group of mamas, and on sunday a community leader is setting up a youth grouping for a teaching. things are already happening its great. next week were teaching every day at the school.
amy k, the first thing sister mariam said to me when i told her i was from america was "mariah carey??"
the word for bread is mkate.
love emmanuelle
Saturday, May 30, 2009
attention all phsyio majors!! do you think the preservative pumped power bars and trail mix i brought will only counteract what my body is trying to get used to eating all this new bacteria? does that even make sense?
only two more days of orientation yipeee then we finally get to move into our homestays on tuesday. tonight mama sia/sisi - i dont think we will ever get it right-had fish for us wahoo and rice with vegetable sauce nommmm. oh i have witnessed an actual lord of the flies scene--about 16 orphaned kids live at the town's garbage dump, and sleep on broken glass in the bushes at night. we brought some food soem clothes and some good vibes.
a malaria clinic visit costs about $3 and i buy my dinner for $1.50 most nights. malaria mosquitos only come out at night apparently
oh today i dropped my toothbrush down the toilet, head down . no worries i invested in a new one --i figured 200 shiliinge or about 10 cents for a new one is a good trade
grace almost tripped over the hippo that is STILL chilling by the road last night
oh! getting away with wrapping a piece of colorful fabric aroudn my waist and calling it a skirt?? awesome!!! i heart kongas
Habiba is my little friend i met who goes to school where we have orientation--she drew henna on my hand yesterday its so neat
random cows goats chickens and roosters are EVERYWHERE its great
only two more days of orientation yipeee then we finally get to move into our homestays on tuesday. tonight mama sia/sisi - i dont think we will ever get it right-had fish for us wahoo and rice with vegetable sauce nommmm. oh i have witnessed an actual lord of the flies scene--about 16 orphaned kids live at the town's garbage dump, and sleep on broken glass in the bushes at night. we brought some food soem clothes and some good vibes.
a malaria clinic visit costs about $3 and i buy my dinner for $1.50 most nights. malaria mosquitos only come out at night apparently
oh today i dropped my toothbrush down the toilet, head down . no worries i invested in a new one --i figured 200 shiliinge or about 10 cents for a new one is a good trade
grace almost tripped over the hippo that is STILL chilling by the road last night
oh! getting away with wrapping a piece of colorful fabric aroudn my waist and calling it a skirt?? awesome!!! i heart kongas
Habiba is my little friend i met who goes to school where we have orientation--she drew henna on my hand yesterday its so neat
random cows goats chickens and roosters are EVERYWHERE its great
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
hey homies
ok it only took about 15 minutes to upload this page. yesterday there was a hippo on the side of the road aaaaahh very neat. we have six more days of orientation , adn then were moving into our homestays. we get to choose whether or not we want to stay in town or stay in a more rural homestay on the outskirts of town. at first i was kinda bummed that our homestays werent going to be mud thatched roofed huts like those of last year, but i guess the most important thing to remember is efficiency--being in town means were going to be talking to a lot more people, which is awesome. im so stoked. its a funny feeling having every pair of eyes on you when youre walking down the street--people are friendly tho so i guess its not an unwelcome stare. my teaching skirt has a gazelle and a giraffe on it yesss!!! the weather has been awesome, and im very happy.
ok it only took about 15 minutes to upload this page. yesterday there was a hippo on the side of the road aaaaahh very neat. we have six more days of orientation , adn then were moving into our homestays. we get to choose whether or not we want to stay in town or stay in a more rural homestay on the outskirts of town. at first i was kinda bummed that our homestays werent going to be mud thatched roofed huts like those of last year, but i guess the most important thing to remember is efficiency--being in town means were going to be talking to a lot more people, which is awesome. im so stoked. its a funny feeling having every pair of eyes on you when youre walking down the street--people are friendly tho so i guess its not an unwelcome stare. my teaching skirt has a gazelle and a giraffe on it yesss!!! the weather has been awesome, and im very happy.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
my epic waterfall hike
two days ago i spent the entire day hiking through the tanzanian jungle forest!!!! it was definitely one of hte most epic things i have ever done and i loved evvvvery minute of it- we started at hte base adn hiked up, passing multiple villages with thatched huts, pocketed away from the rest of the world in really green slopes. we walked right through a school wtih swarms of little kids in purple school uniforms. we got up to a clearing and then went down the muddiest hill i have ever seen and then walked upstream through knee deep water until we reache d the waterfall it was so sick!!
and now were in babati -its a small rural town three hours away from arusha. babati is b-e-auutiful there is so much green. we walk to orientaiton every morning on the only paved road of hte town and pass the infamous hippo lake--too far away to actually see any wandering kiboko but close enough to still be impressed. i heart african food nom nom. i can buy oranges and bananers for 10 cents across the street. were staying at cypris hill--a hostel just across from the lake and me and beatrice, a tanzanian teaching partner and my roomie scored because our room has an actual toilet. !
yesterday when kessy, our swahili teacher, asked us to sing the national anthem, i realized i have little pride for my country. tanzanians have lots of pride for thier country. thats why they are a peaceful people. i wish i had more
ok time to eat !! love emmanuelle
and now were in babati -its a small rural town three hours away from arusha. babati is b-e-auutiful there is so much green. we walk to orientaiton every morning on the only paved road of hte town and pass the infamous hippo lake--too far away to actually see any wandering kiboko but close enough to still be impressed. i heart african food nom nom. i can buy oranges and bananers for 10 cents across the street. were staying at cypris hill--a hostel just across from the lake and me and beatrice, a tanzanian teaching partner and my roomie scored because our room has an actual toilet. !
yesterday when kessy, our swahili teacher, asked us to sing the national anthem, i realized i have little pride for my country. tanzanians have lots of pride for thier country. thats why they are a peaceful people. i wish i had more
ok time to eat !! love emmanuelle
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
karibu
soooo today is day two in arusha, tanzania. this are great thus far. my hostel is awesome adn the kids i room with are chill! mama i am waking up at seven every morning with a happy face tu est fiere ou quoi?!..ok maybe its still the jet lag but hopefully it will last. i learned today that were we will be teaching in babati is a rural town, not so much a village setting--no hut type dwellings apparently, but we will see. the groups we will be teaching are going to be huge too since its a town aaah its going to be great. everyone hear asks about obama--you can even buy a conga skirt wtih obama's face on it. today i invested in a giraffe print bottle opener dun dun.
things i really like about tanzania thus far:
-the welcoming--people are so friendly--karibu sana (welcome) is the most commonly used phrase i am hearing, and not just from people trying to sell me stuff
-the chakula-fooood! yesterday i ate a whole fish-meg and rachel also each got a talapia that covered their entire plate it was soo funny. also i heart vegetables, of which there are an abundant here. OH! i ate a huge avacado yesterday--deelicious!
-the weather-b-e-auuutiful!
-the fact that i can wear the same pants for four days without feeling judged---alrrright---ha thomas!
-the kids-so friendly
and other things i wrote down but cant remember any more. tomorrow were going on a big ass hike--je penserai a toi maman! there will be waterfalls.
i dont think uploading pics is going to be a possibility, at least not for a while. no worries tho i am taking lots--excluding in town--we already stick out enough
no worries everyone ive got my poker face on and am keeping safe--tutaonana---see you later :]
things i really like about tanzania thus far:
-the welcoming--people are so friendly--karibu sana (welcome) is the most commonly used phrase i am hearing, and not just from people trying to sell me stuff
-the chakula-fooood! yesterday i ate a whole fish-meg and rachel also each got a talapia that covered their entire plate it was soo funny. also i heart vegetables, of which there are an abundant here. OH! i ate a huge avacado yesterday--deelicious!
-the weather-b-e-auuutiful!
-the fact that i can wear the same pants for four days without feeling judged---alrrright---ha thomas!
-the kids-so friendly
and other things i wrote down but cant remember any more. tomorrow were going on a big ass hike--je penserai a toi maman! there will be waterfalls.
i dont think uploading pics is going to be a possibility, at least not for a while. no worries tho i am taking lots--excluding in town--we already stick out enough
no worries everyone ive got my poker face on and am keeping safe--tutaonana---see you later :]
Saturday, May 16, 2009
aw my little shucks. how i will miss you so. -file au piquet!!!-
im a pretty lucky gal to be able to go on this trip. the pharmacy mishap was also very lucky..someone along the line made a mistake, and i ended up not having to pay that extra money alriight.
tonight is my last night at my lovely home. we spent most of the day imitating my mom's frog swim in the pool--she's a mountain chamois, not a dolphin!
my plane leaves in 7 hours. i plan to knock myself out for the duration of the flight with a sleeping pill since im not sleeping tonight. ok the next time i check this , ill be in arusha, tz!! peace az!!!!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
pre-voyage
hey homies,
i leave on saturday for my big adventure. i cannot believe i am actually going!!!!! that sounds pretty mundane, but i cant really describe how i feel any other way. walgreens has my malaria meds in stock---thanks to my neglectful ass i almost didnt get them in time! baah. $200 later and all is well...
yay!
i leave on saturday for my big adventure. i cannot believe i am actually going!!!!! that sounds pretty mundane, but i cant really describe how i feel any other way. walgreens has my malaria meds in stock---thanks to my neglectful ass i almost didnt get them in time! baah. $200 later and all is well...
yay!
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