Nzuri sana

. . . the title means very well, very fine, very good, very nice . .. etc.
So all is going well here, except for a few minor communication frustrations with home. I can only e-mail here, once every so many days by hiking into town, if and when a computer is free and working I can send e-mail or post blog entries. My parents are trying to sell my car and don't have my original power of attorney form, which I swore I gave to them . . . and so I have to figure out a way to get a hold of them. cell phones are available here, but I don't have a way just yet of purchasing one. I will hopefully have one by my 8th week here, but in the interim I can buy phone cards and possibly use someone else's phone (i.e. host mother.)
I like the feeling of not having a phone with me at all times, but it would be nice to make emergency calls or quick text messages, so I will look into getting one sooner than my 8th week.

so, onto more interesting matters . . . the language is still not coming to me easily. I am learning . . . albeit slowly . .. but I guess that goes for everyone here. It's intimidating that we only have about 7 weeks left before going to site, and should be somewhat proficient by then.

my favorite things here are the random happenings that make me laugh, smile, or shake my head because there is nothing else to say about it . .. for example, my group gathers for language training in an un-finished addition to one of our host family's houses. Their chickens are constantly coming in and out of the room, and sometimes we have to chase them out.
A few volunteers and I hiked into town for a beer . . . and realized that they always ask you if you would like it hot or cold . . . I am wondering if anyone actually prefers it hot? I have been served a warm beer here unfortunately . . . because I was too novice to realize that you have to specify "bia baridi" . . . NOT MOTO!

Another charming moment was when a friend and i went to use what we thought were the bathrooms behind the bar and almost walked into a room with a goat tethered to the wall . . . what it was doing there, I haven't a clue . . .

so, some of you may wonder what exactly the bathrooms are like here . . .. let's just say that they don't have "western-style" seats . . .. they are more like the "hole in the ground' type . .. and the fancy ones are the "porcelain hole in the ground" types . . .amazingly, you get used to using these . .. and you ALWAYS remember to byotp and hand sanitizer . . .

do I have electricity? yes, I am spoiled and have electricity and a t.v. but no stove at my host mother's house . .. some volunteers don't have it, and use lanterns at night . . .

do I have running water? no. but, we have a pump in our courtyard.

how do I bathe? tanzanians take two baths a day, so now I do the same. one in the morning, and one at night. this consists of a "bucket bath" which is what it sounds like. A big bucket of heated water and my soap and shampoo, and a pitcher to dump it over my head. It's really not bad at all . . .

I hand washed clothes today and that took forever . . . but people here tend to think that americans have no concept of hand-washing clothes because we have washing machines. my dada laughed at me as I hand scrubbed my clothes . .. and I thought I did a fine job.

well, I better go as the line for the "interneti' is getting longer, and I have to get some lunch. oh, did I mention we're going to Mikumi National Park in a few weeks? I am really, really excited about that . . . I miss ya'll back home.

love,
cris

I'm here, I'm here!

Hamjambo marafiki!
That is, hello my friends, in Kiswahili :)
I am starting this blog a little late, my objective was to have an entry before I left for the Peace Corps to chronicle my pre-departure feelings, but I think you all know how I felt. Excited, nervous, hesitant, anxious, just about everything . . ..
so now I am here. I am in the Kilosa district, living with a host family, painfully learning kiswahili, eating the food, learning the customs and culture, and I still don't know how I feel. At times I am incredibly excited and at others I am discouraged and homesick. Mostly, I was only homesick when I was literally sick with the flu- a four day fiasco of a temperature of 38.5 degrees centigrade- about 101 fahrenheit, i believe. luckily, i am much better now and enjoying things much, much more! the food here is really good, and yes, i do eat. a lot. there is a strong Indian influene in parts of Tanzania, and it comes through in some of their clothing, music, and food. my favorite dish, so far, is the jageri (sp?) or peas cooked in Indian spices and eaten with rice . . . mmmm. Another one of my favorites is banana stew- yes, banana stew. and no, they don't say banana here, they call them "ndizi" The bananas are cooked to almost a potato-like texture and made with a sauce of tomato, onions, spices, and chicken or beef.
It may not sound appetizing, but I assure you, it is.
So, I am adjusting to being called a "mzungu" by many of the neighborhood children and many adults as well. Sometimes they yell it at you from across the road, when you think they can't see you, but, when you're white, people around here can spot you from a mile away- and word travels fast in small villages. The word "mzungu" is the kiswahili word for white person, or foreignor, or literally "one who travels in circles." I find the latter to be rather appropriate, and funny. It's hard to be singled out and called out, but people here don't yell it in a mean or patronizing way, it's just that they want your attention and want to meet you because some may never have seen a white person before, especially the children. Some children are afraid of us. We have had children run away screaming and crying, either because they think we're doctors, or they are afraid and don't know what's wrong with us, why we look this way. It's a humbling thing, really.
okay, more to come soon, and hopefully pictures too! it's beautiful here, really. palm trees and mountains, very "kumpendeza" or, pretty :)
Kwa heri!!!