Friday, December 10

     Today was a busy first day at the IOP.  After breakfast, I learned all about the different programs here.  It is truly an amazing place.  They are working to become sustainable in a way that just makes sense.  They grow nearly all of their food and sell the extras to buy ywhat they can't grow.  They have cows, goats, dogs, picgs, chickens, and rabbits.  The pig barn is nicer than many Tanzanian homes.  They have a solar cooker, tree nursery, and water catchment system.  Over 1,000 students are sponsored.  Foster families are given beds, school fees, etc, and sometimes even a new house.  The IOP hires many former sponsor students to be carpenters, wood workers, knitters, councilors, cooks, and teachers.  They employ former students to make school uniform sweaters for the students and to sell to others.  They also have 2 shops, a restaurant, guest house, library, internet cafe, high school, and preschool!  Everything just fits together!
     I went to visit Elisha's gardens.  He is a very funny man.  Right when I met him he asked me to take his picture.  He then pretended to take mine and said, "in my mind and in my heart forever."  He was very excited to tell me all about the fruits and vegetables.  They use only the organic fertilizer from the animals.  He picked some things just for me.  The cook is very excited for me to show her how to cook summer squash and zucchini.  Later, I helped wash windows on a ladder and mop the floors.  I also went to visit the shop and the preschool.  It doesn't exactly look like what you would expect a preschool to look like- pretty much just desks in rows.
     I had a good time hanging out in the kitchen this evening and joking around with the girls.  They are all so fun and act like sisters.

Thursday, December 9

SIT is officially over now.  It was strange to say goodbye to everyone as we all parted ways.  Today, I traveled to the Ilula Orphan Program.  I left at 5:00 am (in the dark) to walk to the bus station.  We departed at 5:45, and slowly began to make our way toward Ilula.  There were dozens of police checkpoints to stop at along the way.  At one of the these, the officer boarded the bus and addressed the passengers to tell us that we were speeding, and that we should tell the driver to slow down if it happens again!  At another checkpoint, an officer walked straight to me, asked for my passport, and then left.  Do I stand out that much?  I knew I should be nearing my stop, and I saw the sign for it, so I started to get off the bus.  But then, people tried to help me, got confused, and told me it wasn't my stop.  I waited and got off at the next stop, which someone told me was mine.  I soon realized that it wasn't the right one.  So, I was alone, in the dark, and lost.  Luckily I was able to text the woman from the orphanage and ask them to pick me up there instead.  Some nice people brought me inside their restaurant to wait.  Tulia arrived in a pick up truck with all of the girls from the orphanage crammed into the back to greet me.  I finally arrived at the orphanage after 14.5 hours of traveling!  Everyone was very welcoming and the girls sang and danced for me!

Thursday, November 25

 Happy Thanksgiving!
 We made it back to Arusha!  The rest of our stay in Mto wa Mbu was fairly uneventful.  Except, one day I went for a walk.  The bottom part of the sole of my sandal can unattached and was flapping when I walked.  A man on a bike noticed and stopped to say sorry and hello.  Then, he bent down and took my shoe off my foot to have a closer look.  He said it could be fixed if I had 500 shillings ($0.33).  He said he would take me there to get it fixed.  He wouldn’t let me walk with the condition of my sandal, so he gave me a ride on the back of his bike.  The shoe man rubber cemented and stitched the sole right back on- good as new.  What a kind act from a stranger who wanted nothing in return.  The shoe man, however, was pretty serious about us getting married so I could take him back to the US!
 As our dala dala stopped in Arusha, they opened up the back to let a sheep out.  We had no idea we had been riding with a sheep right under our seat the whole time!!
 Since the theme of this seems to be funny stories, here’s one more.  Last night, I was all ready for bed and just going to brush my teeth.  I turned the faucet, and somehow the whole thing broke off.  It didn’t just pop off; metal actually snapped off!  Scalding hot water was gushing out and made the metal so hot that there was no chance of me trying to fix it.  I quickly got dressed and ran downstairs to hopefully find someone working still.  I was trying to explain the situation in Kiswahili, but he just thought I had no hot water.  I had plenty of hot water.  He tried to fix it, and was just leaving and said it would be fine as long as I don’t touch it.  Just then, it blew off again!  He thought it was pretty funny.  Then, he filled a little bucket with water and balanced it on top of the faucet to hold it down.  “Hamna shida!” (No problem!)
 It was a nice treat to be able to talk on the phone with my family today!  Most of the students have just arrived back in Arusha and we all went out for Chinese food for Thanksgiving!

Saturday, November 20

We are still in Mto wa Mbu working on ISP’s. I finished all 50 of my interviews and now I am working on analyzing my data, writing my report, and making a powerpoint presentation. We don’t have a working power outlet in our room, so we usually spend our afternoons by the pool at the Twiga Campsite. We can swim to cool off and use their power outlets. I have also done some Christmas shopping here. It’s really great to be able to cook here. Lots of delicious grilled tomato or fried egg sandwiches, rice and veggies, and I even made spaghetti and homemade sauce! And of course, plenty of delicious bananas. They grow over 30 varieties in this town! An, if we don’t feel like cooking, there is always wali na maharage (rice and beans) at all of the restaurants.
It’s hard to believe that I’ll be home in less than a month now! I’m trying to decide what I am most excited for:

(other than family and friends, in no particular order)
flush toilets (that actually flush)
turkey wraps
macaroni and cheese (or maybe just cheese in general)
cold enough to sleep with blankets
not living out of a backpack
hot shower with pressure (it’s usually only one or the other here)
internet whenever you want it
consistent electricity
clean feet
washing machine
cookies/brownies/ice cream
cold milk
bagels (blueberry, toasted with cream cheese)
meat that you can actually chew, without shards of bone
apples
not feeling like a celebrity walking down the street
no mosque calls at 5 am
no mosquito nets (or mosquitoes, for that matter)
wearing pants in public
Harry Potter movie
Not having to steripen my water
Not being constantly asked for things- pens, money, candy, watch, backpack, shoes, etc.

Sunday, November 7

 I spent the rest of finals week in Arusha, writing papers.  We had 5 people staying in a triple room, so it was a little crowded!  I survived off of lots of peanut butter, bread, and fresh fruits and veggies from the market.  It is fun to buy a ton of fresh food for so little money!  We had a nice “good luck” dinner Thursday before we all left for ISP.  After getting stuck in traffic in a dala dala that kept breaking down, we finally got to the restaurant an hour late!  We ended up having to get out and walk at the end.  We all go $550 in a huge stack of shillings and a hug, and then we were all on our own!  There is a group of 6 of us doing our projects in Mto wa Mbu.  We are staying in some guest rooms in the home of the headmistress of the secondary school.  We were each supposed to have our own room, but they haven’t finished building the rest of the rooms yet.  For now, we are sharing with 2 in a room.  It’s not bad, and it’s only 4,000 shillings each per night (about $2.50!).  There is also a kitchen we can use.  Last night we cooked out 1st meal of noodle, stir fried veggies, fried potatoes, tomatoes, and pineapple. 
 I have started collecting data about charcoal production for my project.  So far, I have only done 2 interviews.  Hopefully I can find a lot more people soon!  My guide takes me out for a few hours each morning for interviews, but I have a lot of free time here.

Monday, November 1

 After Maasai homestay, we spent 2 more nights camping in Engare Sera.  We had some focal groups with Maasai men and women.  They had some very interesting questions for us.  They were very interested in our marriage customs.  The men asked us how lesbian couples are able to have sex, and a couple of them got up and left when they got their answer!  A couple of Maasai warriors came and slaughtered a goat for us.  It is quite a process.  First, the suffocate it so it doesn’t spoil the blood.  Then they skin it and remove the fall bladder.  The blood all flows into the body cavity, and they drink it directly out of the body!  It coagulates very quickly and they eat it like jello.  The kidneys are also eaten raw.  Then they separate out the rest of the parts and roast them on the fire.  Mmmm (not really).  On Friday, we had a free day.  I chose to go for a hike up the river.  We hiked along the ledges with breathtaking views the whole time.  Over 20 waterfalls!  We ended up at a huge canyon cul de sac with waterfalls all around.  It was a beautiful way to spend the day!
 We returned to Arusha on Saturday.  A woman had visited the camp a few day before, because she was going to have a baby.  Baba Jack gave her a ride to the clinic.  The baby was born prematurely, and was in need of much more medical attention than the clinic could offer.  We made room in one of our cars for them and rushed them to the hospital in Arusha, 5 hours away on a dusty, bumpy, hot road.  They weren’t sure if they would make it in time.  Unfortunately, we found out today that the baby did not survive the surgery.  Baba Jack helped them bury it today.  It felt so great knowing that we could help save a life, but unfortunately, it was not enough.  Theis leads me to question my opposition to the paved road that will cut through the Serengeti.  Maybe if there was a road, the baby could have gotten to the hospital in time.
 The presidential elections were yesterday.  Today, we found out that the opposition party won in Arusha.  This has never happened before.  CCM usually get 80-90% of the vote overall.  People took to the streets and there were huge riots.  Dozens of people would cram into cars, trucks, or dala dalas and honk and wave flags.  I saw one group of several thousand running down the street!  People started burning posters of Kikwete, the president, and the army was called in to keep things under control!  There is very little chance that CCM didn’t win the president spot, but people are celebrating this small victory nonetheless!  We kept close to the hotel today, but it was fun watching everything from the roof!

Thursday, October 28

 Well, these past few days have certainly been interesting!  As soon as I arrived at the boma, my sister Nyini stripped my down and redressed my as a Maasai woman, complete with tons of jewelry.  Nyini led me around and she pretty much never left my side.  The Maasai have no concept of personal space.  We slept together, collected water and firewood, beaded jewelry, ate from the same bowl, bathed together, and went to the bathroom together!  She went to primary school, so she speaks Kiswahili, but no English.  Most people only speak Kimaasai, so I was lucky to be able to speak Kiswahili with someone.  I was so proud to be able to get by without English for 4 days!  I learned how to carry water and firewood on my head, to bead jewelry, to milk a goat and a cow, to spread fresh manure on the house to patch holes, and to sing and dance at the Esoto.  It was really funny to see the looks on the tourists’ faces when they saw an mzungu Maasai!  Each evening a huge dust storm would sweep through and we got caught in two while collecting water.  I couldn’t see, hear or breathe!  The first day it was accompanied by a rain storm.  The rain was blowing horizontally and felt like hail on my face!  When we crossed the river, the water was blowing upriver and it was like walking underwater!  At least there was a beautiful rainbow!
 The families ask that we take picture while we are visiting as compensation instead of other gifts.  Baba Jack’s friend who is a National Geographic photographer was so jealous to hear that we have free reign to photograph Maasai for 4 days!  Everyone wants their picture taken, and many of them have probably never seen themselves in a mirror before.  The kids go crazy whenever they see a camera.  It was really hard to take good pictures, because people would insist on posing, or kids would swarm and push each other away, or someone else would grab my camera away.  No one knows how to take pictures- they don’t understand that you can move to get a better angle or distance.  It was fun for awhile, but it got really frustrating!  I learned so much from this, and I’m sure I’ll write more stories later.  But, for now, it is nice to have some space to myself and some food other than rice, ugali, and beans.

Sunday, October 24

 Yesterday morning we said our goodbyes to the Serengeti and headed for Wasso.  It was raining, and the road were all washed out (but as Olias says, “no problem for Land Rover!”) It was just like trying to drive in a snowstorm- cars sliding off the road and getting stuck in the mud.  The supply car also kept breaking down.  It took us hours, but we made it safe and sound once again!
Quotes from Driver Olias:
      “Jesus!  I am lost!” (In the Serengeti as it is getting dark)
      “Hold on.  We’re going to jump!”
      “Don’t worry, this is easy for Land Rover.”
We spent the nigh in Wasso at a guest house with sporadic water and electricity.  We were in triple rooms, which means there is one queen size bed!  We are all really getting to know each other!  Today we drove the rest of the way to Lake Natron.  It is really hot here, but Baba Jack led us to an amazing waterfall this afternoon.  It was a beautiful hike along the cliffs and through the river.  We paid a couple of Maasai boys to help us out.  The rocks are slippery, and I have a pretty big bruise on my butt now!  The water was the perfect temperature for swimming under the waterfall.
 Tomorrow we are off on our Maasai homestay.  I’m kinda nervous, but I know it will be a great experience in the end…I hope!

Friday, October 22

 The Serengeti is such an amazing place!  I have seen so much wildlife here.  Here’s a few to add to the list:
African Cape Buffalo
Crocodile
Hyena
Topi
Early this morning, a group of hyenas were hanging out in camp making all sorts of noise!  Just now, as we are getting ready for bed, we noticed a huge buffalo just behind the bathroom!  Yikes!  Lions are so cute to watch relaxing, licking each other, and rolling around.  Just like Eeyore!  But, they aren’t so cute when you hear them outside your tent at night!

Wednesday, October 20

 Yikes!  It has been such a long time since I last wrote!  I’ll do my best to try to catch up!  We spent the rest of the week at Mazumbai hiking, doing field studies, and just enjoying the beauty of the forest.  One afternoon, I went with a group to visit the local secondary school.  The buildings were very open and packed with little wooden desks.  Up to 75 students would cram into a single classroom!  The blackboards were covered with perfectly printed English copied from a single textbook.  When students begin secondary school they have their classes in English, which they may or may not understand.  Teachers are in short supply and are often students who did not pass secondary school to move on to higher education.
 After leaving Mazumbai, we retuned to Arusha to begin ISP prep days.  It was really daunting to just be dropped off for the week with our 140,000 shillings!  I spent the first couple of nights at the Meru Inn while I figured out my project.  I visited the charcoal dirtribution center in Arusha to try to fid out where it comes from.  I decided that Mto wa Mbu would work best, so I hopped on a dala dala to meet the other girls already doing projects there.  Mto was Mbu is a really cool town just outside of Lake Manyara National Park.  We stayed in a little guest house and explored the town.  We made friends with the painters we had visited before and started learning how to tinga tinga paint.  They are so generous to share their talent with us and they are a lot of fun!  We also visited an orphanage.  The kids sang some cute songs for us!  I met my guide, Juma, and he led me around looking for charcoal.  I learned all about how it is made and where to find it.  One day, we walked all the way to Lake Manyara- it was so beautiful!  I am excited to spend more time in Mto wa Mbu, and we even found an awesome place to stay.
 I returned to Arusha and spent some time writing my ISP proposal and preparing for safari.  I felt such a difference by the end of the week.  My confidence grew tremendously!
 Now, I am on a 15 day safari.  First, we went to the Ngorongoro Crater, and I even saw a rhino!  There were also lions that walked right in front of the car!  The crater has extremely high densities of wildlife, is a world heritage site, and is called the 8th wonder of the natural world.  We also visited Oldupai Gorge where many prehistoric fossils have been found.  It is called the cradle of mankind.  There are preserved Homo footprints from 3.6 million years ago!
 Currently, we are in Serengeti National Park.  It is just as amazing as it sounds.  Yesterday, we watched a crocodile eating a dead zebra!  Last night I was sure there were animals among the tents as I was going to bed.  It was so scary until I realized it was only Babu Liki snoring!
 This afternoon we saw a leopard in a tree with a gazelle it had caught.  Later, we saw a group of female lions eating a zebra!

Tuesday, October 5

 Yesterday, we made the long drive to Mazumbai Forest.  The scenery was beautiful as we drove up through the mountains on a very twisty road.  We are camping on the lawn of a Swiss Chalet!  It is nice to be able to eat and hang out inside.  This morning, Baba Jack set us loose in the forest to explore nature on our own.  “Don’t worry, other than the snakes, there is nothing in there that could kill you!”  He gave us full liberty to swing naked from vines.  We took off our watches, but were supposed to come back by noon.  I strayed from the path and fought my way through the brush.  I found a really beautiful tree to sit under and think for a long time.  It was really wonderful being alone in the forest.  I also found a tree to climb, and was super impressed with myself when I slung my kanga over a branch and used it as a rope!  When the sun started getting higher in the sky, I started making my way back down the mountain.  I didn’t really end up where I expected, so I had to cross a huge tea field but then there was a huge swath of pricker brush between me and the path I needed to be on.  There was no, choice, so I fought my way through.  When I got to the middle, I started wondering if I was going to be able to get out!  I am kind of scraped up and had to pull out a few prickers, but I made it out!  This was such a different experience from the National Parks where we are confined to the safari cars.
 After lunch, we all went back into the forest together to learn about the ecology of the forest.  It was quite a hike straight up the mountain, and you can definitely feel the elevation here!  The hike back down was also steep and slippery!  We arrived back at camp exhausted and just in time for dinner.
 What an exciting day exploring the forest!

Sunday, October 3

 It was sad to leave my family in Bangata.  They really made me feel comfortable and took very good care of me.  It felt like the close of a major phase of the semester.  Looking at the calendar, it seems like the rest of the semester is just going to fly by.
 We were back at Klub Afriko in Arusha for the weekend.  I got some much-needed rest!  I am really starting to be more comfortable in Arusha.  Yesterday was the first time I made the trip to town by myself, because I had to stop at the SIT office on the way.  I have a pretty bad sense of direction, but I can get to more and more places now!  Lash night, we all went out to a club called Maasai Camp.  Somehow, we ended up with 8 people in our taxi, plus the driver!  There was a really interesting mix of people there, and it was definitely a cultural experience.  At least I can cross “dancing with a drunk Maasai warrior” off the bucket list!

Friday, October 1

    I can’t believe that it is time to leave Bangata already.  Today was our homestay party.  It was really fun to get dressed up and see the dresses that everyone’s families had made for them.  We had a huge, delicious feast with all of the students, families, and teachers.  I enjoyed meeting all of the families that I had heard so much about.  Unfortunately, Baba Jack (our academic director) was unable to come, because he was bitten by a spider and can’t walk!  We presented skit and some songs that we had practiced in Kiswahili and made complete fools of ourselves!  On our way home, Hannah and I were stopped by a crazy old drunk lady who wanted Hannah’s shirt!  You just never know what will happen in Bangata.  Tonight, Bahati painted my nails with blue glittery nail polish!  Saying goodbye is going to be hard tomorrow, but I’m hoping to get back up here to visit again before December.

Thursday, September 30

    Whew!  It has been a busy week!  This was “midterms week,” so we had a lot of work to do.  We are creating a homestay portfolio including maps of Bangata, a flow diagram of resources entering and leaving our home, a paper on gender, a chart of household activities, a paper on globalization, and a paper about where we are personally after over a month in Tanzania.  We also had our Kiswahili exam today.  I am just about finished with all of the work now.  It will be nice to be able to relax this weekend, knowing that my work is done.  The Kiswahili exam wasn’t too hard.  We just had to answer some questions about our family and have a couple of conversations.  I think it is pretty amazing that we can hold conversations after only 3 weeks of classes.
    It has been pretty quiet around home this week.  Noeli went back to school for something and Bahati is housesitting for a relative in Arusha.  Luckily, it has allowed me to get a lot of work done in the evenings after cooking dinner with Mama.  I think Noeli and Bahati are coming home tomorrow to say goodbye.
    I have once again lived up to my reputation as having trouble with doors.  Yesterday, when I arrived home from school, the door was locked.  The keys were in it, so I tried to open it.  It wasn’t working, so I just pulled on the handle to see if that would help.  It didn’t.  The handle just pulled out, and I heard a clunk inside as the other side of the handle fell onto the floor.  Luckily, Mama heard it and came to let me in after she figured out how to reattach the handle!

Monday, September 27

    It was difficult getting back into Kiswahili this morning after being away for a week.  Hopefully it will all come back before the midterm exam on Thursday!
    They finally picked up our mail today.  I think the other students were a little jealous when I received 4 letters!  Thanks everyone for the mail, it’s really exciting to get letters from the other side of the world!
    When I returned home, I found that my dress was finished.  It is absolutely gorgeous, and I will definitely still wear it when I get home.  I am excited to wear it to the homestay party on Friday!  Asante sana, Mama!

Sunday, September 26 (continued…evening)

      We managed to find a dala dala to take us (and all of our stuff) up to Bangata.  We weren’t sure if the dala dala was going to survive all the bumps, but somehow we made it.  When we dropped Jason off at his house, we noticed there was a new goat in the yard.  Then, his Baba (my Baba’s brother) came running out to greet us and introduce us to Oliver.  Oliver was Baba Koko’s first SIT student from 1992.  He has come back with his American family to visit since then.  Baba Koko even named his son Oliver.  Oliver pays for the kids to go to school.  We visited for awhile and found out that he has a home in Peterborough, NH!
    I arrived home and was warmly welcomed with many hugs.  Later, Baba Koko, Oliver, and Jason came by to invite us to the celebration they were having.  They slaughtered the goat and were having a party!  Mama, Bahati, and I went over after dinner.  All the men were outside roasting the meat, drinking, and having a good time.  When we arrived, I thought we would join them, but we greeted them at a distance and then sat inside.  Women were clearly not meant to be a part of the celebration.  They brought in a chunk of goat (I have no idea which part) on a long stick.  Mama Koko cut it up and I did my best to eat a few pieces.  It was mostly skin and fat- I don’t know how they can eat it.  I picked off the meat, and I think the kids ate my scraps.  It kind of smells like fish, but doesn’t taste too bad.  I have scrubbed my hands, but I can’t seem to get the smell out.  They knew I was tired, so we didn’t stay too long.  We walked home by the light of a beautiful orange moon.  It’s good to be home!

Sunday, September 26

I really enjoyed our time in Mto Wa Mbu.  On Friday, I went to Lake Manyara National Park with the bird group.  It was interesting to be in a forest after all of the time we spent on the savanah.  There weren't as many birds as I expected, but there were a lot of blue monkeys and baboons that were really fun to watch.  Lake Manyara is teeming with life.  Thousands of storks, herons, ibis, geese, spoonbills, geese, and cranes were flying and feeding.  I was also really excited to see the hippos!  The scenery is so beautiful with the wall of the Great Rift Valley in the distance.
     In the afternoon, a small group of students wen with Mike (one of our Maasai "teachers") to a Maasai boma to visit a tradtional healer.  This healer is the head of the boma and has 25 wives!  They built a school just for all of his children!  When we arrived, some men were lounging around playing mancala.  It was funny to see them playing a familiar game.  We tried to play with them, but they have some different rules.  Eventually we got to see the healer.  He took out a cow's horn that was filled with small stones.  He poured some out and counted out groups of 10.  Since 2 were remaining, he said that we will have good luck on our trip.  He did it again and found that we were all healthy, wealthy, and well-fed.  When people are ill, he prepares herbs to cure them.  It was a really interesting experience, and you could sense just how power this man is in his community.
     They planned some "socialization" for us in the evening.  We all went to a "disco" to experience the local night life.
     We spent the weekend relaxing in Arusha before heading back up to Bangata for the final week of homestay.  It was nice to have some time to get cleaned up, rested, and reconnected with people.  Today I went into town and visited the used clothing market.  It is huge!!!  I also got to watch the Lion King last night!

Wildlife

Here's a list of the wildlife I have seen so far!

• elephant
• baboon
• vervet monkey
• blue monkey
• zebra
• wildebeest
• giraffe
• cheetah
• leopard
• impala
• gazelle
• eland
• dik-dik (small deer)
• spring hare
• bush baby
• mongoose
• jackal
• water buck
• cape buffalo
• rock hyrax
• lizard
• lion
• black mamba
• house snake
• tick
• warthog
• tsetse fly
• hippo
• birds (just to name a few):
• ground hornbill
• ostrich
• lilac-breasted roller
• pygmy falcon
• hamerkop
• so many more!

Thursday, September 23

Yesterday was my first lion sighting!  There were three females lounging about 10-15 feet from the road.  We were all so excited to seen them that no one could come up with the word "lion!!!"  We watched them for awhile, but another group actually got to see them satlking some warthogs later in the day.  We then went on to count our birds.  Between the two days of woodland and riverine habitat, we identified 61 different species!
     We spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool and enjoying the view at Tarangire Safari Lodge.  It was pretty nice, but I think my tent under the baobab tree is pretty comfy and inviting.
     This morning, we packed up and moved to Mto Wa Mbu ("River of Mosquitoes") which is a village just outside of Lake Manyara National Park.  We are satying at a nice campground here.  We went for a cultural walking tour to learn about the village.  All 120 ethnic groups in Tanzania are represented here, and everyone lives together peacefully.  We saw the rice fields and visited some artisans.  The carvers from Mozambique were amazing!  I bought a small wooden spoon.  We also visited a painting group, where I bought a small painting.  They were all so beautiful, it was hard to choose one!  On the way home, we stopped to taste some of the local banana beer.

Tuesday, September 21

Life on safari is pretty awesome.  Since I am in the bird group, we get up early, as the sun is rising.  We go out collecting data for a few hours and make it back to camp in time for breakfast at 9:00.  This morning, we counted and identified 555 birds from 40 different species!  There are some really spectacular and beautiful birds here.  I spotted a pygmy falcon this morning, which is the smallest falcon in the world.  We present what we found with the rest of the group and hear about what they saw.  After lunch, we go out as tourists to see whatever wildlife we can find.  Sunrises and sunsets are gorgeous every single day.  We have seen so much wildlife!  It is rare to be able to look around and not see any animals.  It is easy to be accustomed and say, "oh there is just another herd of wildebeest."  Then, you realize just how amazing it is!  At night, you can hear all sort of animals around our tents- baboon, hyenas, and even lions!  I haven't seen any lions yet, but I saw 5 cheetah yesterday!  Cheetah are very rare, and it was super exciting to find a group of them.

Continued...
This afternoon, we traveled to Silao Swamp.  This is an area that is moist year-round.  It was lush and green and filled with wildlife.  On the way, we saw a leopard up in a tree!  Tonight was another beautiful night around the campfire with a nearly full moon lighting up the sky.  Now, I am all settled into my tent and ready for another night under our baobab tree.

Sunday, September 19

I am in my tent at Tarangire National Park right now, wondering what animals are lurking outside my tent.  There are no fences here, so our campsite is really only a small cleared area where wildlife can come right through.  We learned to scan for eyes before getting out of our tents: red= herbivores, green= carnivore --> don't get out of your tent!  We went for a game drive this afternoon and saw impala, wildbeest, ostriches, zebra, and some elephants came right up to our car!
    Last night, we had a fun party at Klub Afriko.  We all made crazy outfits out of only kangas (multi-use wrap skirts)!

Friday, September 17

Today was my last day in Bangata for awhile.  Mama is very sad to see me leaving.  She said that she lover her baby and will miss me very much!  Noel gave me a really cool aerial photo of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Now, I need to get packed up so I can leave for Arusha tomorrow.

Friday, September 17

Today was my last day in Bangata for awhile.  Mama is very sad to see me leaving.  She said that she lover her baby and will miss me very much!  Noel gave me a really cool aerial photo of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Now, I need to get packed up so I can leave for Arusha tomorrow.

Thursday, September 16

Yesterday was a nice day spent in Arusha.  We went to a huge open-air food market where they sell fruit, vegetables, beans, rice, fish, and anything else they can find!  We also went to Shoprite, which is the closest thing here to an American grocery store.  We all went to the Hot Bread Shop to go online, but my laptop refused to connect to the wifi.  We had some delicious lunch at Milk and Honey.  I had chipsi (french fries) with chicken and vegetables.  I even found some ice cream for dessert!  It was my first real dessert here.  There are noovens anywhere, so there are no cakes, cookies, or any other baken goods.  I'll have to survive off fruit for dessert!  I was finally able to go online this afternoon. 
     Today was just another morning of Kiswahili.  We had a really interesting discussion with some Bangatans about development and gender issues this afternoon.  This evening, Noel and I visited Jason so they could exchange some American music.  Bahati made rice with meat and vegetables for dinner.  It was very good, besides the chunks and shards of bone you have to watch out for!

Tuesday, September 14

It was very rainy and cold this morning.  It is supposed to be getting warmer here, but it is still pretty chilly now.  This evening, Noel and Mama were joking about how when he gets a job Noel will build his own house.  In his house, he will have a computer laboratory with four computers- one each for himself, his wife, and his two kids.  They were laughing about this as if it was a completely ridiculous fantasy.  Then, it hit me that this is exactly what my family has in America.  Living here in Tanzania, even with a family that is pretty well-off, really puts things into perspective.
     I am looking forward to going into town tomorrow to practice some Kiswahili at the market and connect to the internet!

Monday, September 13

Today was another pretty uneventful day in Bangata.  We are learning a lot of Kiswahili, but it is difficult to actually use it.  It is so easy to just continue using English with my family.  I am trying to use Kiswahili words and phrases whenever I can.  This evening as we were preparing dinner, Mama called Bahati and me outside where two young women were waiting.  Without any explanation, one of the women started measuring me.  Apparently, Bahati and I are getting new dresses!  I am very curious to see how it turns out- hopefully they will choose pretty fabric!

Sunday, September 12

This morning, I went to church with Noel and Bahati.  There was a special fundraising event today.  They were collecting money for a new bell, to build new bathrooms, and to buy a motorcycle for the preacher!  People would go up one by one and announce how much they were donating.  After around the 6th or 7th chicken had been auctioned off, Bahati and I decided that we had had enough, so we snuck out.  After the 20 minute walk, we arrived home at 2:20.  Noel finally made it home at 5:00!  We had left at 9:40, so that was a full day of church for Noel!  I was under the impression that this was a sufficient amount of church for one day, until the preacher and his assistant showed up at the house to pray with the family.  This was a special occasion, because Bahati has completed her university education.  This was another hour of praying, singing, and kneeling on a very hard floor.
     I had planned to go swimming at the waterfall with friends this afternoon, but the sun never really came out, and I was pretty busy with church activities!

Saturday, September 11

Today was a nice day spent with my family.  Mama and Bahati taught me how to wash my clothes.  It was harder than I expected!  Later, we went to the farm and picked some peas and potatoes.  I also helped Mama shell the peas.  Noel came home today.  It's nice to have more people around the house now.  Bahati and I watched Miss Tanzania on TV tonight!

Friday, September 10

Today is the final day of Ramadan when Muslims break their fast.  Our families were all very confused as to why we would be going to school on a holy day.  Yesterday we had our first focus group discussion with Bangatans.  They had some interesting questions about America.  They asked about short-term marriage contracts where people decide to only be married for a certain period of time.  Another man asked if there was a special university for porn stars!  Today was just another day of Kiswahili and a discussion of foreign aid in Africa this afternoon.  This evening, Bahati and I talked more as we cooked dinner.  I look forward to getting to know her better tomorrow when she teaches me how to wash my clothes!
     I guess I never wrote about my trip to town on Wednesday.  I was able to get some stamps and mail some letters.  We found a wazungu restaurant and ate delicious American food for lunch.  The food here isn't bad, but that cheeseburger sure tasted good!  We also visited the Maasai market I will return there in December to buy some cool souvineers and gifts, but for now I don't want to carry around anything extra!  When it was time to go home, we (all 20 students) hopped on a dala dala (mini bus) to ride to the botton of the road that goes up to Bangata.  This was my first dala dala experience.  When they say "there's always room for one more in a dala dala," they are not kidding!  There are 16 seats, but that doesn't seem to matter at all.  I think we had 30 at one point!  When the driver found out that we were all heading up to Bangata, he offered to take us all the ay up for only 1000 shillings each (66 cents).  It was questionable for awhile when we met a truck coming down the mountain and we almost tipped into the ditch, but we all arrived safely back at our homes before dark!

Tuesday, September 7

My homestay experience has been wonderful so far.  Bangata is a very friendly place and I feel very safe here.  Kiswahili lessons in the morning fly by and then we have the afternoons to ourselves.  Today we hung out at the center and relaxed for a while before heading home.  We found a route to school that goes along a road.  It is a little bit longer, but it is a lot easier than trying to climb the path through the ravine and across the river!  Mama takes very good care of me (her "baby") at home.  Her children are all away at school, so all of her motherliness gets taken out on me!  Today, mama taught me to make chipati. Mmmmm!  With the exception of some questionable meat, the food here is amazing!  She said it was "chicken" but it definitely wasn't the parts of a chicken I am used to eating!
As we walk down the streets of Bangata we hear shouts of "wazungu" from all around.  It is interesting to see how people respond to this.  Some parents have advised students to reply with "mafrica!" Others just wave and continue walking.  The term is not meant in a derogatory sense (usually) but it just shows how rarely these people see foreigners.
Tomorrow we are going into Arusha for a practical Kiswahili lesson at the post office and a restaurant.  I am looking forward to mailing some letters and going online.  We re pretty much cut off from the world up here a mile up Mt. Meru!  We are on our own to get back to Bangata before dark, so hopefully I can catch a dala dala and not have to hike all the way up!

Sunday, September 5

This morning I got up and was given a bucket to take a shower.  It worked better than I expected! Noel and I went to church with our cousins.  On the way there, two little girls stopped to give me flowers!  The service was very long, but I sat with with little cousins and they were really cute.  It was super crowded, so the kids were on our laps, and the littlest one fell asleep.  Afterwards, there was another auction outside complete with vegetable, old clothes, a whole banana tree, and a live chicken.  Noel left to return to school this afternoon.  First, he helped me hang my mosquito net.  Mama taught me how to pull maize kernels off the cob, to wash dishes, to peel very small potatoes with a very large, dull knife, and to make fried green bananas.  With a little salt and ketchup, they are just like french fries!  Noel made sure I knew how to use the tv so I won't get too bored here.  Bahati comes home on Tuesday!  Now, I must get some rest before my Kiswahili class in the morning!

Saturday, September 4

Today was my first day in Bangata.  It was an adventure from the start when we had to walk home from Mama Nunu's center.  I never expected we would have to hike up and down steep ravines and cross a river!  Baba Jack said that hiking boots would not be necessary!  The family is welcoming, but there were a lot of awkward silences.  I'm not really sure what people do aroud here. They speak more English than I expected, which is comforting now, but I'm not really forced to use my Kiswahili.  Noel (my brother) showed me around town.  I am excited for my sisters Bahati and Belinda to arrive.  I have been trying a lot of new things, like tea, avacados, and beans.  I don't really like any of them,  but I'm doing my best.  I think I even figured out the squat toilet!  The family has someone who is paid to take care of the gardens and the cows.  It is interesting how gender roles play out here.  I never saw Baba leave the couch all evening.  As soon as he finished eating, I was asked to clear his plate.  Noel and I eat at the table while Baba is waited on at the couch and Mama waits to eat last.  Tomorrow, we will go to church.  I am hoping to see some other SIT wanafunzi (students) there!

Friday, September 3

Arusha has been a lot of fun.  Klub Afriko is awesome! It is very comfortable and I love the little bungallows.  It was very nice to have a shower, even though it was cold!  My first afternoon in Arusha was a little overwhelming!  There is just no way to walk through town unnoticed as a msungu (foreigner/white person).  Everyone wants to be your "besti friendi" and sell you something.  People will try to lead you around town in hopes of a tip.  It was really frustrating to bot be able to just walk and figure out the city without being constantly harassed.  With cultural differences, it it difficult to tell who is honestly trying to help you and who is just trying to take advantage of tourists.  I did manage to find an internet cafe and to buy some minutes for the phone, though.
We have really dived right into our Kiswahili lessons now.  I am starting to fell a little more confident now that I can construct simple sentences.
Today, I ventured onto Nairobi road where I was able to buy some kangas, locks, and toilet paper for my homestay.  I also found a little internet cafe.  Tomorrow, we meet our families.  I was a little disppointed at first that there are no young children in my family, but now I think it will be interesting to be placed with people my age.  I am a little nervous about communicating with my very limited Kiswahili, but teenagers will probably speak at least basic English, as well.  I am excited to see what these next 2 weeks will bring!  I am sure there will be plenty of stories!
I just realized that I never go the chance to write about visiting the Maasai boma on Tuesday.  It was quite an experience.  It was so difficult to believe that we were gaining a glimpse into the lives of real people living today.  The women all laid out their beaded jewelery for us to purchase.  The head of the family castrated a goat.  Children running around everywhere; flies swarming their faces.  We entered an actual house.  What was most striking was the complete darkness.  I didn't even realize another woman was in the back "bedroom"  There is a section of the home for young cows to sleep and a baby goat was also tied up inside.  Anna came to talk to us, because she had started secondary school and knew some English.  She had stopped school, however, because she was sold for 10 cows and was married.  She said she was only 12 years old.  The Maasai family structure of polygamy brought up lots of interesting questions.   Their culture is clearly not fair or equal, but is it wrong?

Tuesday, August 31

Yesterday and today have been spent exploring the area by foot.  Yesterday I saw my first elephants up close.  We watched from the treehouse as they came in for water.  The are such fascinating animals to watch.  They really have a good time splashing around in the water.  I also learned about identifying some birds and how to ID animals by their scat.  It is absolutely amazing how you can walk for 5 minutes an in one scan you can see such diversity of wildlife.  Today I saw zebras, antelope, wart hogs, water buck, wildebeest, and elands all grazing together!  We also learned about some plants here.  Elephants chw stalks of aloe vera when they cannot find water.  Another plants' roots are ground up and mixed with oils to make Maasai perfume.  We also visited an elephant carcass from 2008.  The huge bones were scattered about and a parge piece of its hide also remained.  It was so tough that you could stand on it.  Our askari (guard) stood on it and said "pole tembo" (sorry, elephant!)
This is such a sureal experience.  I really have to stop and take a step back to realize how absolutely amazing this is.  As I sit here now, I am watching two previously orphaned elephants walk by!  Ndarakwai has been amazing, but I am really looking forward to going into Arusha tomorrow.  I want to see other areas outside of this isolated camp.  It is so dusty and windy here and everything is filthy!  My tent actually blew over this morning, so my sleeping bad, pad, pillow, and clothes all got rolled in the dust.  Note to self: Dad was right.  It is important to fully stake out your tent!  Luckily, it didn't blow away!  A shower and some clean laundry would also be nice.  There is just nowhere to get out of the dust here.  I am really starting to feel cut off from the world and I can't wait to have internet access and to be able to mail some postcards!

Monday, August 20

I am finally getting the chance to type some of my blog!  Sorry for the delay, but here goes...

So much has happened during these first 4 days in Tanzania.  It was a surprize to end up at Ndarakwai immediately after arriving in the middle of the night!  We had some dinner and set up our tents in the dark.  It has been a wonderful way to get to know the group and to get our feet on the groud.  I have seen elephants, giraffes, baboons, monkeys, zebras, water buck, and birds.  Monkeys regularly run through camp and even take our food sometimes!  Beginning to learn Kiswahili has been exciting and I look forward to becoming more comfortable with the language.  Yesterday was a really fun day.  It was so nice to finally get out of camp for a little while.  We attended a church service in a small village nearby.  The congregation was extemely welcoming.  The little girl sitting next to me was absolutely adorable!  We had so much fun making faces at each other and holding hands.  There was some really unexpected music from an electric keyboard to liven things up!  The sermon included a very interesting discussion on marriage and gender roles.  The preacher didn't always like the answers he got when he asked our opinions!  After the two and a half hour service, everyone moved outside to auction off the food items brought by the people who had no money for the offering.  After church, we went straight to a local bar to relax for the afternoon.  The evening was completed by a lovely fire back at camp. 
     I am really getting excited for what the future of this trip will hold.  The program seems like there will just be one amazing surprise after another!

Things not to tell my mother:

• This is black mamba territory
• Black mambas are the most aggressive and poisonous snakes in the world
• We found a black mamba (baby) in camp yesterday
• We bring an armed guard with us whenever we go into the bush
• Our academic director carries a gun
• There are ticks EVERYWHERE
• We all WILL have at least one thorn removed
• Dogs here are not friendly