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!