July in TZ

July 4, 2010
I am really sad that I am not at the cottage today. I think this is only the second time that I have not been at the cottage on the 4th. The 4th is my favorite holiday, especially when we have theme weeks. I miss laying out in the sun and floating in the water. I am pretty sure that the cottage is my heaven on earth. But I think I am in the right spot at the moment even though it is hard to be here at times. I think that this experience is going to be amazing and I am hoping that I am at least a somewhat descent writer so you can get an idea of what Tanzania is like.

July 7, 2010
I am not really sure where to start so much has happened within the last few weeks. We left Dar es Salaam about 3 weeks ago and since then I have been living with my homestay family. I am in Bagamoyo, Muheza, Tanzania at the moment and go to school 6 days a week learning Kiswahili. It has been a really hard transition in that I am so unfamiliar with the language it is hard to articulate what I am trying to say. I now remember what it was like to be a 2 year old. There are 5 of us girls that learn together (Alli, Lauren, Kenzi, Tala, and me). We have become pretty close bonding on homestay and school.
My Tanzanian family includes my Baba, Mama, 2 dadas (sisters), and 5 kakas (brothers). They are all very helpful, sometimes a little too helpful in helping me understand. We live in a 4 room house. I seem to be one of the lucky ones that has a separate choo (bathroom) and shower area. We have lots of chickens and ducks that run ramp it everywhere and multiple roosters that love to be my alarm clock. My Baba is farmer. The cows hangout outside my front door. I have my own room which probably has the biggest bed I have ever slept in caged in by a mosquito net so I don’t get malaria. It also is a good shield against the 5 inch cockroaches and countless spiders. So far I have been one of the lucky ones not to have a pet popo (bat) in my room. We have no electricity or running water so I use a lantern at night and help fetch the water. I do carry it on my head but I still need at least one hand on it. My dada also gives me a top for my bucket. I hope to master head water bucket walking by the end of my stay. I have to say I am very thankful that I brought my head lamp it has been one of the things that I use most.
So far the best way to describe my living conditions is camping in the desert where you have to carry in all of your water and food and have no way to save any of it. A typical day for me consists of me waking up at 6:30 am and sweeping the yard. The yard consists of dirt with trash thrown everywhere. They don’t put their trash in the garbage, they throw it in the lawn. So every day I sweep the entire yard up and throw the dirt behind the house under the banana tree. So far this has been the one thing that irritates me most. Why aren’t there any trash cans, I just don’t understand. After that I help wash dishes and then I head off to my bucket bath. After that I have breakfast and my friend Kenzi picks me up for school. At school, we learn all about culture and grammar. I think this the hardest part of my day. I probably am on the verge of tears at least 3 times because I don’t understand or I think of home. I didn’t think it would be this hard to be away. The living doesn’t bother me as much as the lack of communication, that and my poor Kiswahili. I think I have the best teacher because he is very patient, especially when I get really mad and don’t understand. They construct their sentences so differently and think in such a different way. We have a chai break at 10 and lunch at 12:30. My favorite chai break is when we have chai made with milk and chapati ( a flat bread that reminds me of olgas bread but not as sweet). Lunch consists of rice, cabbage, beans, meat, and oranges as it is orange season at the moment. We usually take a walk before we return home and grab a soda. No beer at the moment because women drinking beer implies prostitution, something very useful to remember, that and smoking. At home I usually help cook a little and study. I then eat dinner and take another bucket bath and am in bed by 9. I really enjoy going to bed early it feels amazing. I think I have taken more showers in the last few weeks then I did in the month I was home.
I think that I am learning a lot and every day is getting better it is just so hard to adjust to this new way of life. There is a lot of sitting around and spending all day making the meals. We mainly eat rice, beans, and cabbage. My mama makes chapatti and andazi (donuts) which are amazing. I think the homemade donuts and milk chai are my favorite, especially since the milk in straight out of the cow. Probably the best meal ever. Aunt Tricia you are going to love the andazi and chapati recipies and the homemade chai. A lot of Tanzanians also eat ugali which is a stiff porridge. It is made with corn flour and water, it isn’t the worst thing I have ever had but it is pretty close, I might put the Hawaiian poi in front.
Last Sunday I helped make lunch and for a minute thought I was in Poland with Janek. I helped pull the heads of a gazillion sardines and the whole time I was just praying we were going to eat the tails and not the heads. Luckily it was the tails and I was able to eat it like a champ. This was one of the times that I thank god I don’t have a weak stomach. I also wash my clothes by hand. From my first time I have gathered that I am going to have great arm muscles by the end of my stay and my clothes are never going to be clean. I LOVE washing machines. Also American clothes just are not going to cut it with all this washing they were not built for the hand washing shenanigans.

July 8, 2010
I am not sure if I feel like I am in Africa yet let alone a developing country, it still feels like I am just camping. The village I live in, women are always covered up. They all wear skirts or dresses that cover their knees and arms. It amazes me that they don’t die from heat stroke. At the moment it is 77*F at 9 at night so you can imagine how hot it gets during the day, not to mention that it is the middle of winter. I cannot wait to see what summer is like.
My Tanzanian family is very interested to hear about America and where I am from. It is so hard to explain considering we have nowhere near the same climate. So I drew a picture with the months, temperatures, and some pictures of trees. I also found out not only is it hard to talk about the weather but it is even harder to explain the difference between a coniferous and deciduous tree. This was a conversation in itself, which then led to how trees get harvested and travel to the mill. My baba wondered if they still traveled by waterways. He learned this in school in 1964.
We went to Muheza the bigger city by us to learn about the market and found out that surprise because I am white, I am going to get ripted of. Slowly we are learning to bargain. To get there were had to take a dolla dolla (small bus), it is probably the equivalent of being 25 deep in the van, very crammed. The first time we rode it, the driver tried to make us pay 1500 shillings 3 times the normal price. Luckily we knew how much it would cost.

July 9, 2010
I talked to my mom and dad for the first time today which was really great. I was able to explain to them where I was and my dad googled it and was able to see the village that I am staying in. It was great to hear their voices and catch up a little. I was also able to talk to my Grandma and Aunt Tricia which was also really nice, especially talking to my grandma because I usually talk to her every Wednesday but at the moment that is not possible. While talking to them it made me realize I have not really explained what I am doing at the moment. At present there are 40 PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees), we do not become volunteers until we make it through training and have been sworn in, that are split up into different villages. Every village has 3-5 PCT that they go to school with everyday. On some days we all get together and learn. These days are called MATi days and are a much needed rest from the real world. We still have to learn but we also get to hang out.
Today was really great because at MATI, each village did separate skits on adapting to the new language and culture. Everyone’s skit were great and really funny. So many people brought up incidents or funny stories that happened to them within the first few weeks. It was really fun and entertaining. It was also nice to see that everyone is kind of in the same boat with adapting to the new environment.

July 11, 2010
Yesterday morning each village had to make a permagarden in their village. It went really well especially after talking to other groups. We planted a 1 m x 1m garden with swales and berms. On the berms we planted cassava and in the middle we planted cowpeas, African spinach, and corn. I am a little skeptical if our garden will actually grow due to the ramp it chickens (who have no fear) and our lack of remembering to water it. But I hope for the best. After gardening we met all the other PCT for volleyball, soccer, and tug-of-war. To start off the festivities, we saw some African dancers perform acrobatics. It was insane. They balanced off of old chairs and blocks that looked like if you were going to touch them they would break. I am pretty sure if one of them would have fallen, they would have died instantly. We also got apples for a snack yesterday and I think it might have been the best apple I have ever tasted. It came from the Mount Kilimijaro region.
Today I went to muskitini aka the Islamic mosque. I was suppose to go at 9 am but didn’t even leave until 11:30 due to other things. I am very happy for that considering we were still there for 3 hours. I cannot even imagine staying for the whole thing and I am pretty sure it started before 9. It was very interesting. I have never been to a Islamic mass before so it was really cool. The men and women sit separate from each other. The women have to have their legs and heads covered needless to say I also had my head covered and felt like I fit in well in Tanzania. I like to think it took some people a little bit longer to realize that I was in fact a white person. At the end of the service, everyone was given food to eat. It was fun to see but it also reinstalled I am so happy to be Catholic.
I also ate rice for the first time with my hands. I don’t think that it is something I prefer but now know I am capable and can do it with minimal clean up. And I think that sardines might be growing on me a little I had like 10 dry, salted ones and they seemed alright.

July 13, 2010
Last night at about 3 am I heard a loud noise and then my pen fell off my desk. To me this could only mean one thing, something or someone had fallen into my room from the ceiling. I then preceded to hear the scratching of metal on and off for the next few hours. This whole time I was curled up in a ball with my head lamp on trying to get the courage to see what it was. I finally fell back asleep and jumped out of bed this morning. I kept the door open so whatever fell in could get out. (Hannah this was almost as scary as the time the raccoons were scratching our tent at the lake and then we ran inside). I survived only to be greeted by a gecko falling from the ceiling at school and a frog meeting me in the shower. Oh wildlife.
I find it weird how fast my mood can change. I literally wanted to kill me teacher today and then later we went out for a soda together. It is so hard to learn and retain this language, especially when I don’t think like my teacher. He is a very good teacher and is very patient though, just not always straight forward.

July 15, 2010
Today we talked about where we could potentially be living. This made me really excited and scared because on one hand this means that I will get to actually live on my own and have my own space but then again this means that I will be on my own, ALONE. I know I will be happy where ever I get placed but at the moment I am really hoping for mountains or the southern highlands.

July 17, 2010
Scratch that we just arrived at the beach and I am pretty sure that I am never leaving. We have completely taken over the resort. The house that I am staying in is huge and all open. We have running water, electricity, and toilets. It is paradise. I awoke this morning to the sound of waves crashing on the shore and was able to see the sunset. I walked along the beach and say a ton of tiny crabs running all over as well as a bunch of sand dollars. I picked one up to give to my homestay family, it is so beautiful here. There is a really nice breeze and you can hear all of the waves crashing on the beach, if any of you have ever slept in Stephanie’s bed with Marge on, this is what it feels and sounds like. For breakfast we had fresh fruit, granola, cookies, granola, and cinnamon rolls with juice and coffee. I really think I might not leave.
Also I am working on taking a lot of pictures and when I have good internet I am going to upload them so you can see them, but at the moment the internet sucks so when this will happen I am not sure. I am trying to take a lot of pictures so you can see what my living conditions and Tanzania in general looks like.
I have started my wildlife count= 3 monkeys. I hope to add to this soon but I don’t see it happening for a while.
July 22, 2010
So the bat that I thought I was good with turned into a mouse. A mouse that I woke up to at 2 am to him walking on my net on to my head. His little feet were touching my hair. I am not ok with this. It has been a few nights and I am starting to get used to him but it has taken some getting used to and me realizing that something the size of my fist cannot hurt me.
This morning at school while we were all waiting to get picked up to go to MATI (school) my friend’s brother came running into the house and slammed the doors shut. We stood outside as men came up to the house with clubs in their hands, yelling that they needed to talked to Alli (Tala’s brother). Her mamma and grandma came out and starting yelling at the men and then they eventually left. It was really scary because we didn’t know what was going on or what Alli did. Our teacher walked up and explained to us that they were the guards of the village and they wanted Alli to go to a 2 month training to be a guard, but his mom said he was sick. The men then left. I am not sure if our teacher told us the truth or not but I would like to believe him. Also I have a hard time telling when Tanzanians are actually mad and angry as opposed to regular conversation sometimes. But everything was fine and I am glad that I experienced this and was with people when I did.
I learned to graft a tree today. I grafted together a mature mango with a young mango. This was done in order to have the tree produce faster. It was really cool. If I ever live in the south I am going to graft an orange, lime, and lemon tree all in one. We also had a seminar on TZ health and I found out that although I don’t know a lot about health, some people know even less. This scares me a lot.
I also had a test right before I left for vacation to see how I was doing so far with Kiswahili. I got a 81.5% on the written and an intermediate mid on the oral mid-term. I am really excited and this gives me hope that I will one day be able to have an actual conversation with people in Kiswahili.


July 29, 2010
I learned how to bake a cake without a cake mix and an oven. I have to say it turned out surprisingly well considering I am in the middle of Africa with nothing but a charcoal grill and some pans. It was a joint effort between me, Tala, and Kenzi.
If anybody is still wondering about my mouse, I have named him Henry and he greeted me yesterday as I was walking into my room. It is amazing how easily I was able to tell my family in Kiswahili that I just saw my mouse friend again. I now Hodi! Hodi! my room before I enter. I make as much noise as I possibly can.
Sunday I also had the fortune to get henna done. When I was younger I thought it always looked so cool and always wanted it. Be careful what you wish for. Instead of getting henna on the top of my hand, I now have it all over my toenails and one hand. My homestay family was really happy about it but I now look like I am dead. My nails look like they are dead. I will be painting them a lot with the pink nail polish that I bought because every time I look down I am a little more freaked out.
Also if you are looking for something new to cook. Sauté an onion in oil and then add some cut up cabbage and tomato. It is my new favorite dish.