Tomorrow I am going to Moshi in Northern Tanzania via Dar Es Salam. It is the region known for its coffee growing, specifically Arabica. Mom I will get you the best coffee!!!
It is also has a big Masai population and famous natural sites like the Ngorongoro crater (8th wonder of the world), Tarangire Park and further away the Serengeti. Moshi sits at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro so I am very excited to go there. I will be traveling with another volunteer called Heather.
I will update the blog when I come back. Hint Hint... small packages and letters are welcome ;) if you want to keep in touch the old way, or even slip some chocolate.... The address is Amani centre PO Box 579 Morogoro Tanzania
I hope you are well!!! Lots of love
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Monday April 20th 2008: My first stomach bug since arrival
Well I guess it was bound to happen as it does to most travelers in third world countries. This morning I got since from some water I drank. It was supposed to have been heated but I am not sure it was now. Anyway, have spent most of the day with an upset stomach and feeling exhausted. Cipro to the rescue! Hopefully tomorrow will be better. It’s a bummer though as I really wanted to get out today as I am alone. I wanted to see this spot called the rock garden but will try to go during the week.
In the evening Dr Ken and Dr Anne came for their final visit to Mama Bakhita. They specifically told us to take care of 2 disabled boys they have decided to sponsor and move from a horrible
facility where they are staying. They were moved to tears. So we should be moving them next week to Mvomero.
In the evening Dr Ken and Dr Anne came for their final visit to Mama Bakhita. They specifically told us to take care of 2 disabled boys they have decided to sponsor and move from a horrible
facility where they are staying. They were moved to tears. So we should be moving them next week to Mvomero.
Saturday April 19th 2008: Buying food at the market for the Amani center
I go to the market with Gladness, one of the girls living at the center. She is 20 years old and has been living there for 4 years. She is very dedicated and an incredible singer.
The market is very busy with people of all faiths and colors. I even see a Chinese lady with a very little baby, some Koreans and Japanese and some Muzungus (white people). We go there to buy in large quantities. We walk around and I am thoroughly enjoying all the food stands as I try not to walk deep into the mud like I did last time when I was at the same intersection. It rained heavily today and I am wearing only flip-flops, as almost everyone here does. We get sugar, cooking oil and wheat flour from the first shop. They are very friendly and offer me a seat “ Karibu kiti”. Then we walk deeper into the market and stop at a stand held by a Muslim black man and his small daughter. Gladness tries to negociate the price down for 25 kilos of rice (2 big bags) as the prices have gone up. We end up going to another stand and get the price we want. Then 2 boys who have been standing by us help us carry the bags. When we arrive at our final destination, they won’t leave the bags unless we pay for carrying them. We argue for maybe 20 minutes and end up giving in as they just won’t leave us alone and I can vaguely understand that they have been insulting me as hear “Muzungu” and can tell from the expression on their faces. Oh well! Next time I will just give them a bit straight away so we can just get rid of them. Still learning how different it is here.
We go back and I take a well needed shower after all the sweating at the market! I also do some reading as I plan on going traveling up north next week for the first time. I have never trekked alone before so I am a little nervous but very intent on doing it. There is a school break so it’s the perfect time for me to go.
At 4pm Dr Ken and Dr Anne arrive at the Amani center for a meeting with Mama Bakhita and I attend as the note taker. After that I have a quick dinner as they are still here but I don’t want to not get food as it is first come first serve here.
At night, I end up spending too much time on the internet fixing mail and bill problems that come up last minute and I go to bed frustrated that I spent so much time on the computer instead of going to evening assembly. The nice thing was though that I got to chat on skype messenger for a while with Ken. I love Skype!!
The market is very busy with people of all faiths and colors. I even see a Chinese lady with a very little baby, some Koreans and Japanese and some Muzungus (white people). We go there to buy in large quantities. We walk around and I am thoroughly enjoying all the food stands as I try not to walk deep into the mud like I did last time when I was at the same intersection. It rained heavily today and I am wearing only flip-flops, as almost everyone here does. We get sugar, cooking oil and wheat flour from the first shop. They are very friendly and offer me a seat “ Karibu kiti”. Then we walk deeper into the market and stop at a stand held by a Muslim black man and his small daughter. Gladness tries to negociate the price down for 25 kilos of rice (2 big bags) as the prices have gone up. We end up going to another stand and get the price we want. Then 2 boys who have been standing by us help us carry the bags. When we arrive at our final destination, they won’t leave the bags unless we pay for carrying them. We argue for maybe 20 minutes and end up giving in as they just won’t leave us alone and I can vaguely understand that they have been insulting me as hear “Muzungu” and can tell from the expression on their faces. Oh well! Next time I will just give them a bit straight away so we can just get rid of them. Still learning how different it is here.
We go back and I take a well needed shower after all the sweating at the market! I also do some reading as I plan on going traveling up north next week for the first time. I have never trekked alone before so I am a little nervous but very intent on doing it. There is a school break so it’s the perfect time for me to go.
At 4pm Dr Ken and Dr Anne arrive at the Amani center for a meeting with Mama Bakhita and I attend as the note taker. After that I have a quick dinner as they are still here but I don’t want to not get food as it is first come first serve here.
At night, I end up spending too much time on the internet fixing mail and bill problems that come up last minute and I go to bed frustrated that I spent so much time on the computer instead of going to evening assembly. The nice thing was though that I got to chat on skype messenger for a while with Ken. I love Skype!!
Thursday 17th and Friday April 18th 2008: The girls at the center and the kitchen
I am settling into my life here although I have felt lonely at times, particularly missing Ken. But other than that, I am really enjoying hanging out with the youth that lives at the center.
There are about 20 girls ages 15 to 21 who are living and working here in exchange for secondary school tuition. They were quite shy at first but are opening up. Mainly they were afraid of using their limited English. Mama Bakhita has insisted I speak English with them instead of Swahili so I am afraid I am not making very much progress with my Swahili but they need my English more than I need Swahili so I will be patient. Just by sitting around them and listening I am picking words up, and also feeling more involved with the daily life at the center.
Whenever I don’t have anything to do, I find the girls and ask them if they need help or just hang out with them. They are teens so there is much giggling, singing and occasionally dancing. They are usually working so on Friday night, I join them in the kitchen, which is in the back of the building and help them cook. I am quite excited as I hope to be able to duplicate their delicious dishes when I get back. One of them is made of peas, tomato and coconut juice. I didn’t realize it had coconut. They actually cut it fresh and very fine, then pour water over it to humidify it. They then proceed to squeeze the juice out of it by hand.
The kitchen is basically a stone hut and it’s hot in there. It’s the hub of the building as a kitchen always is the center of activity wherever you go… As I step into the back of the building, most of the kids are hanging around there, as well as the dog and her 1 week old puppies who have found the warmest place. They use wood and coal to cook everything and sit by the dishes. They grind the grain themselves. I watch, help stir the food in the pot, and bring the dishes over once they are cooked. They keep saying I am the chief cook which is not at all true as I am more their student right now. We talk about different things like our phones, our hair and such… I realize how much time and effort is put into cooking our meals and it makes me even more appreciative of what I have been eating, especially knowing there is a food shortage.
On Friday night, the other volunteers and I decide to go to a show in town called: Mr and Ms Talent 2008. We think it’s a talent show but realize it’s a beauty pageant. We get there early so we watch them rehearse while we have drinks and giggles of our own. When the show starts, every category is quite long as there are 15 contestants. At first they do a choreography which is quite bad and makes me wish the Amani girls entered this show… Then they talk about their goal in life. A lot of them talk about eradicating aids, one talks about women’s rights, the other about orphans. They all bring up serious topics and openly speak about the state of their country in front of the crowd. The night goes and people are getting more and more fired up. Especially when there is a raffle. Some are dancing. We eventually leave around 1 am. Everything goes at a very mellow pace here and the show will keep going on until 2 or 3 and we all have a very early day tomorrow. On our way back, the cab takes the back bumpy roads that a 4 weel drive should take so it is quite an experience as the car slides here and there close to trees. But the girls are singing in the car and don’t seem to notice. I sit in the front with Heather and we just laugh.
The rest of the volunteers are going to Dar Es Salaam tomorrow morning early but I am staying at the center and am going to the market.
There are about 20 girls ages 15 to 21 who are living and working here in exchange for secondary school tuition. They were quite shy at first but are opening up. Mainly they were afraid of using their limited English. Mama Bakhita has insisted I speak English with them instead of Swahili so I am afraid I am not making very much progress with my Swahili but they need my English more than I need Swahili so I will be patient. Just by sitting around them and listening I am picking words up, and also feeling more involved with the daily life at the center.
Whenever I don’t have anything to do, I find the girls and ask them if they need help or just hang out with them. They are teens so there is much giggling, singing and occasionally dancing. They are usually working so on Friday night, I join them in the kitchen, which is in the back of the building and help them cook. I am quite excited as I hope to be able to duplicate their delicious dishes when I get back. One of them is made of peas, tomato and coconut juice. I didn’t realize it had coconut. They actually cut it fresh and very fine, then pour water over it to humidify it. They then proceed to squeeze the juice out of it by hand.
The kitchen is basically a stone hut and it’s hot in there. It’s the hub of the building as a kitchen always is the center of activity wherever you go… As I step into the back of the building, most of the kids are hanging around there, as well as the dog and her 1 week old puppies who have found the warmest place. They use wood and coal to cook everything and sit by the dishes. They grind the grain themselves. I watch, help stir the food in the pot, and bring the dishes over once they are cooked. They keep saying I am the chief cook which is not at all true as I am more their student right now. We talk about different things like our phones, our hair and such… I realize how much time and effort is put into cooking our meals and it makes me even more appreciative of what I have been eating, especially knowing there is a food shortage.
On Friday night, the other volunteers and I decide to go to a show in town called: Mr and Ms Talent 2008. We think it’s a talent show but realize it’s a beauty pageant. We get there early so we watch them rehearse while we have drinks and giggles of our own. When the show starts, every category is quite long as there are 15 contestants. At first they do a choreography which is quite bad and makes me wish the Amani girls entered this show… Then they talk about their goal in life. A lot of them talk about eradicating aids, one talks about women’s rights, the other about orphans. They all bring up serious topics and openly speak about the state of their country in front of the crowd. The night goes and people are getting more and more fired up. Especially when there is a raffle. Some are dancing. We eventually leave around 1 am. Everything goes at a very mellow pace here and the show will keep going on until 2 or 3 and we all have a very early day tomorrow. On our way back, the cab takes the back bumpy roads that a 4 weel drive should take so it is quite an experience as the car slides here and there close to trees. But the girls are singing in the car and don’t seem to notice. I sit in the front with Heather and we just laugh.
The rest of the volunteers are going to Dar Es Salaam tomorrow morning early but I am staying at the center and am going to the market.
Wednesday April 16th, 2008: Busy day
Today, after day care, I spend most of the day working with Mama Bakhita on emails and reading a directory of charitable organizations in the US that we should be contacted. In the afternoon, I have my last Swahili lesson and hope to practice everything when I go to the market this weekend. The center is seriously running out of food and in need of help for the next month so I am using the money Ken’s parents and Julie have donated to purchase flour, wheat, coal, etc… that should last for the month. Thank you again!
It’s sad that the Amani centre is struggling. Their main donor pulled out several months ago and ever since it has been a struggle and a constant effort to find new partners.
I have also been working on correspondence with a school of students from Glasgow who are coming to visit in June to work on renovating the building here and also do activities with the children. They’d like to sell baby clothes made out of local fabric back in the UK so I will start working on something simple. Tobias and Ernesta are available on weekends so I need to think of what to do with them before hand.
Mama Bakhita had a computer donated to her so I also installed the software on that.
And last but not least, I also managed to post my diary in the evening and it was nice to see comments and get emails. Please give your feedback!! It’s great to hear from friends as I am thinking of you all!
I am also very happy to hear some of you would like to donate. The Amani center and the local youth definitely could use help. To give you an idea, it costs $250/ year to pay for secondary school here but most families can’t afford that as Tanzania is the 5th poorest country in the world. This is a big topic so I will write more in detail about this later.
Had trouble falling asleep but at least the dogs weren’t fighting as much as the night before I wished I had a bb gun with me. Sorry dog lovers, it was just a temporary lapse of sanity.
It’s sad that the Amani centre is struggling. Their main donor pulled out several months ago and ever since it has been a struggle and a constant effort to find new partners.
I have also been working on correspondence with a school of students from Glasgow who are coming to visit in June to work on renovating the building here and also do activities with the children. They’d like to sell baby clothes made out of local fabric back in the UK so I will start working on something simple. Tobias and Ernesta are available on weekends so I need to think of what to do with them before hand.
Mama Bakhita had a computer donated to her so I also installed the software on that.
And last but not least, I also managed to post my diary in the evening and it was nice to see comments and get emails. Please give your feedback!! It’s great to hear from friends as I am thinking of you all!
I am also very happy to hear some of you would like to donate. The Amani center and the local youth definitely could use help. To give you an idea, it costs $250/ year to pay for secondary school here but most families can’t afford that as Tanzania is the 5th poorest country in the world. This is a big topic so I will write more in detail about this later.
Had trouble falling asleep but at least the dogs weren’t fighting as much as the night before I wished I had a bb gun with me. Sorry dog lovers, it was just a temporary lapse of sanity.
Sunday April 13th 2008 part 2: Alice’s goodbye ceremony
In the evening, the Amani center holds a celebration for Alice. She has been at the center for 7 months and is going back to England on Tuesday. She has made a great contribution as she is a trained physiotherapist and has been very active with the mobile clinics, going to villages, as well as being very generous. She has also helped a lot with fundraising and getting equipment to the local disabled youth like wheelchairs and tricycles. So this evening is in her honor. The whole 7 months she lived at the center so all the secondary school girls who live/ work there in exchange for education, as well as the disabled children, have grown very attached to her.
Tonight there is a lot of singing and crying. The songs have been customized for Alice. One of them says ” this is the time to say goodbye”. I have only been here for a few days but I feel very moved.
One of the most exciting things about the evening is we get to see the girls perform traditional dances. The music and their rhythm is just amazing. The Amani center has also brought in a comedy/dance group to entertain and make everyone laugh.
Then we have one huge delicious dinner made of the local ingredients: beans, meat cooked in a ragout, rice, potatoes, cooked bananas. Our stomachs are in heaven and also quite full….
After the official ceremony, we all break out in dance and get to have beer which I have missed!! The girls gather drums and dance around. I learn a few steps which I am sure I will forget but hope to use again while I am here.
It’s truly been an amazing evening and I took some videos for posterity.
Tonight there is a lot of singing and crying. The songs have been customized for Alice. One of them says ” this is the time to say goodbye”. I have only been here for a few days but I feel very moved.
One of the most exciting things about the evening is we get to see the girls perform traditional dances. The music and their rhythm is just amazing. The Amani center has also brought in a comedy/dance group to entertain and make everyone laugh.
Then we have one huge delicious dinner made of the local ingredients: beans, meat cooked in a ragout, rice, potatoes, cooked bananas. Our stomachs are in heaven and also quite full….
After the official ceremony, we all break out in dance and get to have beer which I have missed!! The girls gather drums and dance around. I learn a few steps which I am sure I will forget but hope to use again while I am here.
It’s truly been an amazing evening and I took some videos for posterity.
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