The final Countdown

So its thursday afternoon and I only have 2 more days in Moshi :(. At the beginning of my trip I would have never predicted that I would be so not ready to leave. There is so much I still want to do here such as go to Zanzibar, the hot springs, Serengeti, work more with KIWODEA, and even climb Killi. Luckily, because I havent done these things, I now have a reason to come back and can enjoy my last few days here knowing that.

Anyway my last week has really gone great. Work at KIWODEA has been successful and the women are really benefiting from the computer classes. The women already are using programs such as excel and have mastered others such as microsoft word. Its been really satisfying. I also got to teach some today and the children were all really bright and were really eager to learn. I spent most of that time teaching them English conversational phrases which they seemed to really enjoy.

I also just found out yesterday that I have been given an internship to work with KIWODEA the rest of the summer while at home. I am going to be helping with fund-raising and other promotional activities for the organization, which I will be able to do all from Evanston. Upon learning that I will be able to continue my work with KIWODEA I became really happy because I was sad that i had had such a short time to work there and I will also be able to keep my connection with them as well.

This week I have spent finishing all of my shopping for everyone and also trying to see as much of the town of Moshi as possible. Last night we went to a restaurant called Amans in town because one of our friends was leaving today. There were about 20 of us at this restaurant and we had called ahead to order. Therefore when we got there, we were welcomed by heaps and heaps of African cuisine all served family style. We had ugali, potatoes, rice, sauce, chicken, roasted bananas, sauteed spinach, pork, chipati, and more. Basically every local food we could have wanted. The other component to this restaurant was that we had to eat with our hands like the locals do. It was definitely interesting to eat rice with sauce with my hands but everyone at the table claims it tastes better that way so I just went with it. In the end our bill was about 3 dollars each which is so cheap and in the end we were all so stuffed we couldnt move. I think we are planning on going back tomorrow as our own goodbye dinner and a last chance to have really good traditional African food.

Another thing weve done this week was we finally got to watch the Lion King. We have been wanting to see that movie since our safari and one of our friends here happened to find it. So our friends who are locals picked us up last night after dinner and drove us to one of their friends houses to watch the movie. However, when we got to the gates of the house we realized that this friend lives in one of the biggest house in Moshi , which was in fact a mansion. So we ended up watching the movie on a huge projection screen and in a room with leather couches, which was a nicer set-up than most people have in America. The whole time I wondered how much a house like this in Tanzania would cost but obviously couldnt. But basically we spent our evening in a huge mansion in Tanzania watching the Lion King with our African friends which was an experience.

And then for the rest of my time I have a few things I still want to do on my list such as volunteer at an orphanage, which i am doing this afternoon, and also go visit a friends village. Other than that I just hope to get to hang around Moshi as much as possible as well as spend time with my friends that Ive made here. As my last day at work tomorrow, we are having a small celebration and then afterwards I am going to have lunch at the directors home. She grows mushrooms on her property so she is making mushroom pilaf for lunch which sounds delicious.

These last few days are definitely going to be emotional but I hope also great...