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