So the day has finally come where I have to say goodbye to Tanzania. It is currently 2 here and my flight leaves at 9:30 tonight. I then fly to Amsterdam, Minneapolis, and finally land in Chicago at around 3 on Sunday afternoon. I will be traveling for a good 24 hours and not looking forward to that but luckily one of my friends Sam is with me until Minneapolis so that will be nice to have company.
My last few days here have been spectacular. We had a goodbye dinner on Thursday night with about 15 girls whom I had become close to during my time here. Then Friday I had my last day at work which was also a great day. I helped the women learn how to write an email and do basic searches on google and wikipedia. They all seemed really appreciative when the session was over and it was a very satisfying feeling. I also got to spend a lot of time with the children during which time I read to them in the library area. Then after work that day, Sam and I, along with our supervisor volunteer Caitlin went to our director Mama Nancys house for lunch. She served us some of the most delicious food I have had since I have been here which consisted of mushroom pilaf, potatoes, avocado salad, sauteed spinach, beans, papaya, and chipati bread. Everything was wonderful and all through out our meal we sat around a table and discussed future ideas for KIWODEA and how Mama Nancy can improve the organization. I hadnt had a chance to speak with her about my ideas since the first time we talked so I was really happy she was so eager to hear our thoughts. After lunch we got a tour of her home and land, on which she keeps bees for honey, a mushroom house, a chicken coop, and land for growing crops. Everything was very well taken care of and I could tell she was very proud of her home.
After lunch and our sad goodbyes, Sam and I went back to the homebase and started to pack before watching the US world cup game with our other friends. Then we had dinner and got ready to go out to a local bar to watch the UK game. Sadly, a lot of our local friends were taking people on a safari so only a few of us were around but the few of us there had a good last night watching the game and enjoying each others company.
Then finally this morning I woke up to the dogs and roosters at 8 (which I may miss suprisingly enough), even though I was supposed to sleep in and went outside to find they were serving my favorite breakfast of funfetti cake pieces. I am still confused why they consider that a breakfast food but I dont complain. Then after packing some more, Sam, me, and our other two roommates Kasey and Amy went to visit Caitlins home in Rau, which is about a 20 minute drive from our house. We wanted to see a different part of Moshi and one that was more rural so Caitlin had invited us to her house for a tour of the neighborhood. It was really interesting and beneficial being able to see somewhere different than our area of Moshi and what peoples lives were like in these areas
Then afterwards we went and had fried chicken and rice with sauce at one of our favorite local restaurants Crisp Burger before coming to the internet cafe. I might do a little last minute shopping after this but for the most part I got to do everything I wanted while here in my last portion of the trip and can leave feeling content. Mostly the rest of the afternoon will be spent packing and taking pictures of my neighborhood before having our favorite dinner of veggie burgers and leaving at 6:30 for the airport.
Sadly Sam and I are the only ones leaving today so we are having to leave behind many good friends that we met here, especially Amy and Kasey. The four of us are planning many future excursions together so I hope they all become realities. Kasey and Amy are both staying another week and then travelling to Zanzibar so I am so jealous that their trips are not over yet and wish more than anything I could stay with them. Today while packing we all traded articles of clothing to keep something of each others which made me think that our friendships are real enough to survive once we leave here as well. I keep hoping today that for some reason I will have to stay longer because of the weather or plane failure or something. Wishful hoping I know, but cant help it.
Overall, as dramatic as it may sound, my experience in Tanzania has been life-changing. I have never felt so fully immersed in a culture, nor have I felt like I was actually giving back a the community like this before. I have learned that people here are so welcoming and friendly and really do appreciate the work of volunteers. I really believe that I will keep my ties with not only the people I have met in my CCS group but also the local friends I have made. This trip has definitely confirmed for me that my passions lie within finding out about new cultures and having experiences such as these. I also really believe that I will be back to Moshi very soon and maybe even next summer. I am also so happy that is has given me the connection with KIWODEA and that I can continue giving back to Moshi by working as their intern at home. All in all this trip has taught me so much and has been unforgettable.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
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...
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...
Monday, June 14, 2010
Successful Last Weekend
So my last weekend turned out to be so much fun and i am so glad we decided to sign out and stay in a hotel. So much less stress than having to make it home for curfew. Friday night we started out the weekend with checking into our hotel and then walking over to our favorite hangout, Koolbar. We met a lot of our friends there and just spent the night having a good time there. We went back to the hotel, which turned out to be only about 10 dollars a night for a room so we each only had to pay about 3 dollars. It was also fairly clean so we were happy about that and all got a good nights rest there.
On Saturday morning we woke up early and had omelets and toast at the hotel. Then around 10 oclock we were picked up by our tour guides who have also become all of our friends and the rest of our group and drove to a small town in the mountains about an hour away. It had rained the night before and so our van got stuck at one point so we all had to get out and push. It was really cute because about 15 young children ran out of their houses and helped us push as well. Unfortunately the car started swirving down the hill but luckily we had all gotten out and it was able to stop so just the back tires were off the road. Either way we had to walk the rest of the way and the driver worked on getting the van back on the road with the help of the children and a few of our guides.
After that excitement we walked up to a house which belonged to a family who own a coffee business. We were met there by a young man named Oscar who was one of the sons of the family who lived there and also our guide for the day. For the next few hours he took us over the process of how his family makes their coffee and also let us make our own from start to finish. He was really funny and made the whole process really enjoyable. We picked the coffee beans, peeled and washed them, grinded them, roasted them, and then grinded again. In the end, our result was some of the best coffee i have ever tasten. It was so smooth and while at home I drench my coffee with milk, all I needed for my cup here was a small half spoonful of sugar.
After enjoying our coffee and the lunch that was served we began our hike to a waterfall. It was a much easier hike than the Kilimanjaro one and along the way Oscar stopped and total us interesting stories and facts about the plants and villages that we were passing through. Finally, after about an hour we arrived at this amazing looking waterfall. Then, although the water was freezing, about half of us dove in and began swimming towards the downpouring water. I was holding my friends hand the whole time but also struggling to breathe. I had never felt such a sensation close to drowning before. I was about to turn around when our guides yelled to us to swim backwards which we did until we made it to the other side of the waterfall. Once across we entered this little cave where we could stand and look out through the water. My heart was beating so fast and it was such a rush. I have swam through waterfalls in costa rica and Hawaii before but nothing has compared to this one. I wanted to stay longer but the cold was getting to me so after a few minutes my friend and i swam back, once again holding hands and struggling to breathe. Once I reached the shore area and had pulled myself back up, I was so thrilled and excited that I had decided not to turn back. I felt bad for the half of my group who decided to not go in.
After the waterfall we changed and hiked back all the way to where our van was. It was already almost 6 at that time and we were all tired from the exciting day. Once we got home, we showered and changed and then about 6 of us went out to dinner at a local chinese restaurant called Panda. I was skeptical about how chinese food in Africa would be, but it turned out to be fairly satisying asian cuisine. However, it was a lot more expensive than we had hoped so we probably wont be going back there.
After dinner, we rushed to the hotel to change for the night and drove to a club called La Liga. The evening event that day was Miss Kilimanjaro and we had all boughten tickets to go watch at it at the outside grass area of the club. We got there at like 10:30 and watched 11 contestants go through a a process of being judged on the bikini contest, formal wear, and a talent show. It was really interesting to watch and compare to the Miss contests in America and what plays into those competitions there. The whole town of Moshi seemed to be there, as well as every mzungu in town. In between each judging event there were dance performances and concerts. Although it was really enjoyable, the competition did not end until almost 2:30 and we were all ready for it to end. Luckily, my favorite girl one and she will be continuing on to compete for Miss Tanzania next week.
After the contest was over, we went inside where the club was just starting to get busy. The club was huge and looked like something ive seen in Europe with multiple floors and numerous places to hang out and dance. The whole club also was filled with neon and flashing lights. We ended up staying there until 5 that morning and spent the whole night dancing and having a blast. We also ran into our UK friends that we had met the weekend before so that was fun. When we were leaving, the club was barely dying down but we figured we should get some sleep. So finally we drove to the Buffalo Hotel and passed out until 10 when the maids knocked on our door and told us it was time for check out. I think at that point I could have slept forever and was hopign the knocking on our door was just a dream.
Sunday morning after having to leave the hotel, we went to breakfast in the city at one of the few places open. I had waffles, fruit, and syrup which is something I had been craving since I got here. Sadly, I just found out about this restaurant on my last weekend but still happy to have had that. The rest of the day, even though all I wanted to do was sleep, was spent getting my hair braided by a local girl who my friend knows. I arrived at my friends house at 2 and for the next 4 hours sat while extensions were braided into my hair. I felt so bad for the girl doing them because she must have been so bored. Luckily, I brought a book and so kept myself semi-occupied but still jumped up as soon as she was done. As for the braids, I love them, and wish I had done them sooner. It will be so nice to not have to worry about my hair for the next week here. That night, I got home and my roommates and I brought a tub of ice cream into our room and spent the evening relaxing and watching gossip girl. I could barely keep my eyes open though so ended up falling asleep at like 10.
And then finally this morning our computer classes started at KIWODEA. We got there around 8 and no one was there yet so I was a little nervous that no one was going to show but by 9 we had about 8 women eager to learn. At first I was nervous because only one of the computers were working and the internet still hadnt been fixed but one of the volunteers had brought there lap top so I worked on that one with 4 girls while the other volunteer took the other half. We ended up working with the women on typing our basic sentences and getting familiar with the key board, which none of them seemed to be. They were all using one finger to type and had no idea where puncutation marks were or the caps lock key etc. By the end though they were all using two hands and had learned the most basic keys. I would write a sentence on the screen using different fonts and switching between caps lock letters and not and then they would have to retype what I had written. This exercise proved to be really beneficial. We were finished by around 12, at which time I walked home for lunch. Im hoping tomorrow the internet will work so we can work on google searches and how to write an email but for now I am thrilled at how the program has turned out.
Also today, many kids showed up for the volunteer school so that was also a success. Mostly other volunteers were working with them who I had asked to come along but it was great that these children who normally couldnt afford to go to school, were now gaining an education. Oh and also my friend and I are thinking about going to the store this afternoon and buying sodas to bring back to our homebase to sell. Water and tea are our only beverages here so I think people would be happy if they could have a coke or fanta waiting for them in the fridge if theyd like. We want to sell them for 1000 shillings which is a little less than a dollar so very resonable but they are sold for 400 shillings at the store so we would still make some profit. We are still working out with the program managers if thats allowed but I think that will be a good way to raise money for the printer.
Ok thats all for now! Im going to go spend my afternoon taking pictures of the town and the house, etc. so I can remember everything. I also want to plan out everything I want to do before I leave this week so I can make the most of the time I have left :(
On Saturday morning we woke up early and had omelets and toast at the hotel. Then around 10 oclock we were picked up by our tour guides who have also become all of our friends and the rest of our group and drove to a small town in the mountains about an hour away. It had rained the night before and so our van got stuck at one point so we all had to get out and push. It was really cute because about 15 young children ran out of their houses and helped us push as well. Unfortunately the car started swirving down the hill but luckily we had all gotten out and it was able to stop so just the back tires were off the road. Either way we had to walk the rest of the way and the driver worked on getting the van back on the road with the help of the children and a few of our guides.
After that excitement we walked up to a house which belonged to a family who own a coffee business. We were met there by a young man named Oscar who was one of the sons of the family who lived there and also our guide for the day. For the next few hours he took us over the process of how his family makes their coffee and also let us make our own from start to finish. He was really funny and made the whole process really enjoyable. We picked the coffee beans, peeled and washed them, grinded them, roasted them, and then grinded again. In the end, our result was some of the best coffee i have ever tasten. It was so smooth and while at home I drench my coffee with milk, all I needed for my cup here was a small half spoonful of sugar.
After enjoying our coffee and the lunch that was served we began our hike to a waterfall. It was a much easier hike than the Kilimanjaro one and along the way Oscar stopped and total us interesting stories and facts about the plants and villages that we were passing through. Finally, after about an hour we arrived at this amazing looking waterfall. Then, although the water was freezing, about half of us dove in and began swimming towards the downpouring water. I was holding my friends hand the whole time but also struggling to breathe. I had never felt such a sensation close to drowning before. I was about to turn around when our guides yelled to us to swim backwards which we did until we made it to the other side of the waterfall. Once across we entered this little cave where we could stand and look out through the water. My heart was beating so fast and it was such a rush. I have swam through waterfalls in costa rica and Hawaii before but nothing has compared to this one. I wanted to stay longer but the cold was getting to me so after a few minutes my friend and i swam back, once again holding hands and struggling to breathe. Once I reached the shore area and had pulled myself back up, I was so thrilled and excited that I had decided not to turn back. I felt bad for the half of my group who decided to not go in.
After the waterfall we changed and hiked back all the way to where our van was. It was already almost 6 at that time and we were all tired from the exciting day. Once we got home, we showered and changed and then about 6 of us went out to dinner at a local chinese restaurant called Panda. I was skeptical about how chinese food in Africa would be, but it turned out to be fairly satisying asian cuisine. However, it was a lot more expensive than we had hoped so we probably wont be going back there.
After dinner, we rushed to the hotel to change for the night and drove to a club called La Liga. The evening event that day was Miss Kilimanjaro and we had all boughten tickets to go watch at it at the outside grass area of the club. We got there at like 10:30 and watched 11 contestants go through a a process of being judged on the bikini contest, formal wear, and a talent show. It was really interesting to watch and compare to the Miss contests in America and what plays into those competitions there. The whole town of Moshi seemed to be there, as well as every mzungu in town. In between each judging event there were dance performances and concerts. Although it was really enjoyable, the competition did not end until almost 2:30 and we were all ready for it to end. Luckily, my favorite girl one and she will be continuing on to compete for Miss Tanzania next week.
After the contest was over, we went inside where the club was just starting to get busy. The club was huge and looked like something ive seen in Europe with multiple floors and numerous places to hang out and dance. The whole club also was filled with neon and flashing lights. We ended up staying there until 5 that morning and spent the whole night dancing and having a blast. We also ran into our UK friends that we had met the weekend before so that was fun. When we were leaving, the club was barely dying down but we figured we should get some sleep. So finally we drove to the Buffalo Hotel and passed out until 10 when the maids knocked on our door and told us it was time for check out. I think at that point I could have slept forever and was hopign the knocking on our door was just a dream.
Sunday morning after having to leave the hotel, we went to breakfast in the city at one of the few places open. I had waffles, fruit, and syrup which is something I had been craving since I got here. Sadly, I just found out about this restaurant on my last weekend but still happy to have had that. The rest of the day, even though all I wanted to do was sleep, was spent getting my hair braided by a local girl who my friend knows. I arrived at my friends house at 2 and for the next 4 hours sat while extensions were braided into my hair. I felt so bad for the girl doing them because she must have been so bored. Luckily, I brought a book and so kept myself semi-occupied but still jumped up as soon as she was done. As for the braids, I love them, and wish I had done them sooner. It will be so nice to not have to worry about my hair for the next week here. That night, I got home and my roommates and I brought a tub of ice cream into our room and spent the evening relaxing and watching gossip girl. I could barely keep my eyes open though so ended up falling asleep at like 10.
And then finally this morning our computer classes started at KIWODEA. We got there around 8 and no one was there yet so I was a little nervous that no one was going to show but by 9 we had about 8 women eager to learn. At first I was nervous because only one of the computers were working and the internet still hadnt been fixed but one of the volunteers had brought there lap top so I worked on that one with 4 girls while the other volunteer took the other half. We ended up working with the women on typing our basic sentences and getting familiar with the key board, which none of them seemed to be. They were all using one finger to type and had no idea where puncutation marks were or the caps lock key etc. By the end though they were all using two hands and had learned the most basic keys. I would write a sentence on the screen using different fonts and switching between caps lock letters and not and then they would have to retype what I had written. This exercise proved to be really beneficial. We were finished by around 12, at which time I walked home for lunch. Im hoping tomorrow the internet will work so we can work on google searches and how to write an email but for now I am thrilled at how the program has turned out.
Also today, many kids showed up for the volunteer school so that was also a success. Mostly other volunteers were working with them who I had asked to come along but it was great that these children who normally couldnt afford to go to school, were now gaining an education. Oh and also my friend and I are thinking about going to the store this afternoon and buying sodas to bring back to our homebase to sell. Water and tea are our only beverages here so I think people would be happy if they could have a coke or fanta waiting for them in the fridge if theyd like. We want to sell them for 1000 shillings which is a little less than a dollar so very resonable but they are sold for 400 shillings at the store so we would still make some profit. We are still working out with the program managers if thats allowed but I think that will be a good way to raise money for the printer.
Ok thats all for now! Im going to go spend my afternoon taking pictures of the town and the house, etc. so I can remember everything. I also want to plan out everything I want to do before I leave this week so I can make the most of the time I have left :(
Friday, June 11, 2010
Last Weekend :(
So its Friday afternoon and I just finished work for the week. Its been a while since ive written since we havent made it to an internet cafe but ill sum up the highlights of the week and mostly talk about my new placement.
So first, I have started my new placement which I love. The NGO which i am placed at is called KIWODEA and stands for Killimanjaro Womens Development Association and was founded by a woman named Nancy Tesha. I am really sad that I was placed there with only 2 weeks left because there is so much I want to do but am trying to make the most of my time there. Basically, the association is not really what I thought it would be but instead is more of a community center that includes a nursery school, a store, a small library, an internet room, and a sewing room. When i met with Mama Nancy she explained to me that the center's original goal is was to raise money in order to provide women with loans to start their own businesses but has since then expanded. Now the center serves as a place where women can sell stuff in the store such as art and beaded crafts, as well as a place where they can seek theraputical help if they have been beaten by their husbands or something like that. So basically the center has a lot going on and Mama Nancy seems to have a lot of goals for KIWODEA but does not necessarily know how to carry out the plans. She also seems to be really low on money and worried about how she will be able to do everything she wants. For instance, within the first 30 minutes of talking with her she asked me questions such as how much she thinks she should be charging for her giving psychological advice to the women of the community. I guess until now she has been doing it for free because she does not want to turn people away but now is realizing that she also has to make a living and cannot continue to offer free help. I was a little taken back that she would take advice about her income from a 20 year mzungu on her first day and I sure as hell didnt have an answer on the spot but I talked with her about the pros and cons about charging a lot or a little so hopefully that helped.
Anyway, KIWODEA is made sustainable by the money earned from the children's tuition at the school, charging for the internet, the profit made at the store, donations, and a few other small ways. She uses most of the money she makes and puts in towards the center and also for the loans and to fund programs such as ones where women can come learn basic business skills through a 5 day orientation. Oh and she is also working on adding a program which helps handicapped and disabled people, because it was her husbands dying wish after struggling with parkinsons for some time to have such a program started.
So after she explained everything to me, I was a little overwhelmed and did not know what she wanted me to do while I was there. So after talking to her for some time, we came up with the idea that i would help teach computer classes next week for women in the community who just want to learn basic computer skills and are unable to afford to do so because of the expense of using the internet. Because the center itself is really low on money too, I have offered to pay for the time which i teach, which i am more than happy to do. I definitely think that this is the way that I will be able to be most helpful and can leave a sustaining impact on at least a few women during the such a s hort time I am here.
So that is basically the project I will be working on all next week as well as I think I will be helping strategize ways to fundraise for the center. Sadly, I couldnt start with the classes this week because the internet had to be fixed in the center so instead spent my time making flyers for the computer classes and helping out in the classroom. My hope is to be able to maybe make enough money during the rest of my time here through fundraising to purchase a printer for the center. I guess they used to have one which was helpful because women in the community were able to print out things such as price lists for their shops and stuff like that but are no longer able to do so. So, as of now, thats my goal expect im not sure how to do that exactly.
I have also been working with a past CCS volunteer at KIWODEA named Caitlin who is kind of helping me and instructing me, which is really nice to have. She is starting her own NGO here and is really inspiring to talk to. She is definitely making me think that I would love to do a similar thing one day and start an organization here to help the local community. It seems like CCS volunteers so often come back to live and volunteer here, which is really inspiring to hear. Oh and she also went to northwestern so we have the Evanston connection too and its just fun to be able to talk to someone at work. Her and I also might organize an alternative school for next week because all the schools officially ended today but we thought we could teach the children who normally cant afford school and give them the option to come have a week of learning. We already got the support from Mama Nancy and my program is willing to donate porridge as a snack for the children so I think it will all come into place. Hopefully, other volunteers from CCS will be placed at KIWODEA after I leave so they can continue with the computer classes and the alternative school. But yeah so thats what ill be up to during the rest of my time here.
Other than my placement my week itself was also a lot of fun. Since there are so many volunteers at the house now it always seems too crowded so we have been going into town a lot more to escape from the hecticness. On Tuesday we went out to dinner at a restaurant called Taj Mahal, which is a local favorite and we took our friends Aubrey and Graham as repayment for cooking us dinner at their house a few nights before. The restaurant was a really fun experience, especially since all of the food was cooked on the street and brought in. We definitely thought we might all get sick because the place was semi sketchy but luckily didnt. While there we had meat and veggie skewers, chicken on a stick, and zanzibar pizzas which are grilled pockets with veggies and egg and spices inside. Everything was delicious and also we all got huge glasses of mango juice for 70 cents and was the freshest and most delicious thing ever.
After dinner we went to the hotel rooftop bar next door where we were suprised by our 2 canadian friends who had left from CCS last weekend. They had been on a safari and were supposed to just sleep at a hotel by the airport for their flight wednesday so we thought we had already said all of our goodbyes but instead they managed to find a ride back after their safari nd stay in Moshi that night. We even got to see them the next day, which was amazing. All we had been doing since they had left was talk about them so it was such a great suprise.
And then last night we went out for pizza with our local friends and then came home and watched movies until bed. The four of us in our room also decided this week to push our bunkbeds together so now its one big bed where we can all watch movies and nap together :). I am sure the housekeepers think we are crazy but it is maybe the best idea weve had.
So this weekend is my last full weekend so we have lots planned. My 3 friends and i got a hotel room for the weekend so we can have the freedom of experiencing the town without having to be back at a certain time and also just plan on exploring a lot. We are staying at a place called Buffalo Hotel, which is costing us a grand total of 15 dollars each for both nights. Tomorrow we are also doing the coffee tour with a bunch of our group members and our friend is the guide so I am very excited for that. First we are going to a coffee plantation to learn how they make the coffee and have "some of the best coffee we'll ever try" (according to the people who have already done it and then we are going to a waterfall to swim and enjoy the scenery. Then tomorrow night, at one of the local clubs there is a miss kilimanjaro pagaent taking place which i guess happens every year and is really fun to be a part of. And then our last plan is to go to a church service on sunday morning with our Baba. Oh and then sunday I am getting my whole head braided for about 10 dollars. Supposedly, it takes 4 hours because our friend Aubrey did it but hopefully it will be worth it.
Hope I can write again sooner than last time!
So first, I have started my new placement which I love. The NGO which i am placed at is called KIWODEA and stands for Killimanjaro Womens Development Association and was founded by a woman named Nancy Tesha. I am really sad that I was placed there with only 2 weeks left because there is so much I want to do but am trying to make the most of my time there. Basically, the association is not really what I thought it would be but instead is more of a community center that includes a nursery school, a store, a small library, an internet room, and a sewing room. When i met with Mama Nancy she explained to me that the center's original goal is was to raise money in order to provide women with loans to start their own businesses but has since then expanded. Now the center serves as a place where women can sell stuff in the store such as art and beaded crafts, as well as a place where they can seek theraputical help if they have been beaten by their husbands or something like that. So basically the center has a lot going on and Mama Nancy seems to have a lot of goals for KIWODEA but does not necessarily know how to carry out the plans. She also seems to be really low on money and worried about how she will be able to do everything she wants. For instance, within the first 30 minutes of talking with her she asked me questions such as how much she thinks she should be charging for her giving psychological advice to the women of the community. I guess until now she has been doing it for free because she does not want to turn people away but now is realizing that she also has to make a living and cannot continue to offer free help. I was a little taken back that she would take advice about her income from a 20 year mzungu on her first day and I sure as hell didnt have an answer on the spot but I talked with her about the pros and cons about charging a lot or a little so hopefully that helped.
Anyway, KIWODEA is made sustainable by the money earned from the children's tuition at the school, charging for the internet, the profit made at the store, donations, and a few other small ways. She uses most of the money she makes and puts in towards the center and also for the loans and to fund programs such as ones where women can come learn basic business skills through a 5 day orientation. Oh and she is also working on adding a program which helps handicapped and disabled people, because it was her husbands dying wish after struggling with parkinsons for some time to have such a program started.
So after she explained everything to me, I was a little overwhelmed and did not know what she wanted me to do while I was there. So after talking to her for some time, we came up with the idea that i would help teach computer classes next week for women in the community who just want to learn basic computer skills and are unable to afford to do so because of the expense of using the internet. Because the center itself is really low on money too, I have offered to pay for the time which i teach, which i am more than happy to do. I definitely think that this is the way that I will be able to be most helpful and can leave a sustaining impact on at least a few women during the such a s hort time I am here.
So that is basically the project I will be working on all next week as well as I think I will be helping strategize ways to fundraise for the center. Sadly, I couldnt start with the classes this week because the internet had to be fixed in the center so instead spent my time making flyers for the computer classes and helping out in the classroom. My hope is to be able to maybe make enough money during the rest of my time here through fundraising to purchase a printer for the center. I guess they used to have one which was helpful because women in the community were able to print out things such as price lists for their shops and stuff like that but are no longer able to do so. So, as of now, thats my goal expect im not sure how to do that exactly.
I have also been working with a past CCS volunteer at KIWODEA named Caitlin who is kind of helping me and instructing me, which is really nice to have. She is starting her own NGO here and is really inspiring to talk to. She is definitely making me think that I would love to do a similar thing one day and start an organization here to help the local community. It seems like CCS volunteers so often come back to live and volunteer here, which is really inspiring to hear. Oh and she also went to northwestern so we have the Evanston connection too and its just fun to be able to talk to someone at work. Her and I also might organize an alternative school for next week because all the schools officially ended today but we thought we could teach the children who normally cant afford school and give them the option to come have a week of learning. We already got the support from Mama Nancy and my program is willing to donate porridge as a snack for the children so I think it will all come into place. Hopefully, other volunteers from CCS will be placed at KIWODEA after I leave so they can continue with the computer classes and the alternative school. But yeah so thats what ill be up to during the rest of my time here.
Other than my placement my week itself was also a lot of fun. Since there are so many volunteers at the house now it always seems too crowded so we have been going into town a lot more to escape from the hecticness. On Tuesday we went out to dinner at a restaurant called Taj Mahal, which is a local favorite and we took our friends Aubrey and Graham as repayment for cooking us dinner at their house a few nights before. The restaurant was a really fun experience, especially since all of the food was cooked on the street and brought in. We definitely thought we might all get sick because the place was semi sketchy but luckily didnt. While there we had meat and veggie skewers, chicken on a stick, and zanzibar pizzas which are grilled pockets with veggies and egg and spices inside. Everything was delicious and also we all got huge glasses of mango juice for 70 cents and was the freshest and most delicious thing ever.
After dinner we went to the hotel rooftop bar next door where we were suprised by our 2 canadian friends who had left from CCS last weekend. They had been on a safari and were supposed to just sleep at a hotel by the airport for their flight wednesday so we thought we had already said all of our goodbyes but instead they managed to find a ride back after their safari nd stay in Moshi that night. We even got to see them the next day, which was amazing. All we had been doing since they had left was talk about them so it was such a great suprise.
And then last night we went out for pizza with our local friends and then came home and watched movies until bed. The four of us in our room also decided this week to push our bunkbeds together so now its one big bed where we can all watch movies and nap together :). I am sure the housekeepers think we are crazy but it is maybe the best idea weve had.
So this weekend is my last full weekend so we have lots planned. My 3 friends and i got a hotel room for the weekend so we can have the freedom of experiencing the town without having to be back at a certain time and also just plan on exploring a lot. We are staying at a place called Buffalo Hotel, which is costing us a grand total of 15 dollars each for both nights. Tomorrow we are also doing the coffee tour with a bunch of our group members and our friend is the guide so I am very excited for that. First we are going to a coffee plantation to learn how they make the coffee and have "some of the best coffee we'll ever try" (according to the people who have already done it and then we are going to a waterfall to swim and enjoy the scenery. Then tomorrow night, at one of the local clubs there is a miss kilimanjaro pagaent taking place which i guess happens every year and is really fun to be a part of. And then our last plan is to go to a church service on sunday morning with our Baba. Oh and then sunday I am getting my whole head braided for about 10 dollars. Supposedly, it takes 4 hours because our friend Aubrey did it but hopefully it will be worth it.
Hope I can write again sooner than last time!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Lazy Sunday Afternoon
Its sunday afternoon here and the new group of volunteers has went into town for a tour so the rest of us are just enjoying a lazy day. 27 new people got here last yesterday, most of them late last night, so we did not meet them until breakfast this morning. Its definitely overwhelming and hectic right now with everyone getting adjusted and introducing themselves but im sure as time goes on I'll get used to it. As of now though, it seems to be near impossible to remember everyone. So far, I have met all the girls in the room across the hall and they all seem great so it will be nice to make new friends. Also about 8 people left yesterday from our first group, which proved to be a lot sadder than i thought. Hopefully, we will all stay in touch.
So since the last time I have written the weekend has been a mixture of relaxing days and fun nights. On thursday night about 8 of us went out to dinner for our canadian friends last night and then went to a spot called koolbar afterwards. The place we were at looked like any place where people would hang out in america on a weekend night as well, but there were a lot of locals there too so it was a good mixture. There was a pool table and a dance floor and lots of tables to hang out so a good mix of everything. We also ended up knowing about half the people in the place and made a lot of new friends as well. It was funny though because at one point my friend Amy and i were sitting and commenting on how American this bar war and we looked up and saw that a masai was on the dance floor, wearing a traditional outfit, cloak and all, so that made it seem more like we were in Africa.
On friday, we were at school and it was raining in the morning so we had to be inside with the kids. I was kind of worried that the kids would just be running around the classroom and would be wild all day but instead we sang lots of great songs and I got to learn a lot of new swahili childrens rhymes and dances. Then we worked on writing out english sentences with the older class and rewarded the kids with stickers if they could read out the phrases we had written on the board. Most of the class got the exercise right away but a few we had to help through understanding what they were actually saying in English. The work day flew past though and as soon as i got home i passed out until lunch. Then after lunch we went into town for a little just to use the internet and exchange money and then helped our friends who were leaving pack until dinner. Afterwards, we ended up going back to koolbar and had another really fun night but we ended up leaving early because our friends had 7 am flights in the morning and we were all getting up to say goodbye.
On Saturday we said our goodbyes, which were sad, and after breakfast decided to try out going on a run, which none of us had even thought about during the first 3 weeks. My friends Sam, Kasey, and I started down our dirt road outside the gates but didnt up making it that far because the roads were so bumpy and we were also getting stared at by everyone the entire time. A few younger kids also started running along side us which was kind of weird and funny too but we thought it would be better to turn back. Guess running wasnt the best idea around here but im glad we tried. When we returned a few of the new volunteers had arrived, who had come on an earlier flight so we spent the afternoon talking to them and lying out in the garden. Then after dinner we talked to our directors who gave us permission to stay out past curfew that night so we ended up going back to koolbar again and had another really fun night. Even more people were there this time and we were all happy knowing that we didnt have to make it back early. We met a group of guys from the UK who had just climbed Mt. Killi and were now celebrating their achievement so spent most of the night hanging out with them. Sadly they were leaving for a safari tomorrow but are coming back in a week so im sure we will see them around moshi again. Its amazing how friendly people are out at night and its so nice that everyone in the place hangs out together, masais and all. :)
So yeah it has been a very relaxing weekend during the days and has been really fun to go out and experience local culture and meet new people at night. Exactly how i hoped this weekend, which was our first with no plans, would turn out. Tonight, my 3 friends and i are going to our friends apartment for dinner, which they are making for us. And then im sure we will all be going to bed really early after going out 3 nights in a row.
Sadly, tomorrow is my last day at the Magareza school so ill have to say goodbye to all of the kids which will be hard to do. I feel like i am finally getting adjusted to the school and have learned almost everyones names. I am planning to bring my camera and taking lots of pictures and videos though to remember them. I am also extremely excited for my new placement which i start on tuesday at a local Killimanjaro womens group center called Kidowea (I think). Im not exactly sure what i will be doing because no other ccs volunteers from this house have volunteered there before but supposedly there is an American volunteer working there now independently, who has offered to show me the ropes and help me get settled. I am hoping I will be able to make a difference and be helpful in the two weeks that i am there and will right all about my first impressions in a few days!
So since the last time I have written the weekend has been a mixture of relaxing days and fun nights. On thursday night about 8 of us went out to dinner for our canadian friends last night and then went to a spot called koolbar afterwards. The place we were at looked like any place where people would hang out in america on a weekend night as well, but there were a lot of locals there too so it was a good mixture. There was a pool table and a dance floor and lots of tables to hang out so a good mix of everything. We also ended up knowing about half the people in the place and made a lot of new friends as well. It was funny though because at one point my friend Amy and i were sitting and commenting on how American this bar war and we looked up and saw that a masai was on the dance floor, wearing a traditional outfit, cloak and all, so that made it seem more like we were in Africa.
On friday, we were at school and it was raining in the morning so we had to be inside with the kids. I was kind of worried that the kids would just be running around the classroom and would be wild all day but instead we sang lots of great songs and I got to learn a lot of new swahili childrens rhymes and dances. Then we worked on writing out english sentences with the older class and rewarded the kids with stickers if they could read out the phrases we had written on the board. Most of the class got the exercise right away but a few we had to help through understanding what they were actually saying in English. The work day flew past though and as soon as i got home i passed out until lunch. Then after lunch we went into town for a little just to use the internet and exchange money and then helped our friends who were leaving pack until dinner. Afterwards, we ended up going back to koolbar and had another really fun night but we ended up leaving early because our friends had 7 am flights in the morning and we were all getting up to say goodbye.
On Saturday we said our goodbyes, which were sad, and after breakfast decided to try out going on a run, which none of us had even thought about during the first 3 weeks. My friends Sam, Kasey, and I started down our dirt road outside the gates but didnt up making it that far because the roads were so bumpy and we were also getting stared at by everyone the entire time. A few younger kids also started running along side us which was kind of weird and funny too but we thought it would be better to turn back. Guess running wasnt the best idea around here but im glad we tried. When we returned a few of the new volunteers had arrived, who had come on an earlier flight so we spent the afternoon talking to them and lying out in the garden. Then after dinner we talked to our directors who gave us permission to stay out past curfew that night so we ended up going back to koolbar again and had another really fun night. Even more people were there this time and we were all happy knowing that we didnt have to make it back early. We met a group of guys from the UK who had just climbed Mt. Killi and were now celebrating their achievement so spent most of the night hanging out with them. Sadly they were leaving for a safari tomorrow but are coming back in a week so im sure we will see them around moshi again. Its amazing how friendly people are out at night and its so nice that everyone in the place hangs out together, masais and all. :)
So yeah it has been a very relaxing weekend during the days and has been really fun to go out and experience local culture and meet new people at night. Exactly how i hoped this weekend, which was our first with no plans, would turn out. Tonight, my 3 friends and i are going to our friends apartment for dinner, which they are making for us. And then im sure we will all be going to bed really early after going out 3 nights in a row.
Sadly, tomorrow is my last day at the Magareza school so ill have to say goodbye to all of the kids which will be hard to do. I feel like i am finally getting adjusted to the school and have learned almost everyones names. I am planning to bring my camera and taking lots of pictures and videos though to remember them. I am also extremely excited for my new placement which i start on tuesday at a local Killimanjaro womens group center called Kidowea (I think). Im not exactly sure what i will be doing because no other ccs volunteers from this house have volunteered there before but supposedly there is an American volunteer working there now independently, who has offered to show me the ropes and help me get settled. I am hoping I will be able to make a difference and be helpful in the two weeks that i am there and will right all about my first impressions in a few days!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Thursday Afternoon
So the first group of people are leaving in two days so we are all preparing to say our goodbyes. I cant believe its been 3 weeks already! Sadly half of our group is leaving, including two of my good friends from Canada. However 27 new people also come this weekend so that will be a lot of fun and me and my current roommate are also moving into the room with our remaining friends so that will be nice to all be together. Anyway tonight we are going out to dinner and a place called Koolbar to celebrate. All of our local friends seem to be going to this Koolbar place at least 3 times a wekk so i am excited to see it. Since ive last written weve had a pretty exciting week. Tuesday afternoon, I spent volunteering at an orphanage and playing with little babies. Afterwards, we went for a "cultural learning experience" out to dinner and to watch a performance. Therefore we got to eat traditional african food while watching a group of dancers perform in front of us. Interestingly a lot of the show was acrobats mixed with african dancing so it was definitely an engaging combo. After eating and watching the demonstration we all were forced out of our seats and all dragged to the dance floor. At first, we were all awkwardly trying to keep up with the performers but by the end everyone had gotten really into it and had lost all of the angst. It was a lot of fun and our "Mama" and "Baba" had to tell us three times that it was time to leave before we were willing to go. Im sure the people at the restaurant found it hilarious to watch us all dance, which with what my videos later showed, is justifiied.
Wednesday morning we woke up and instead of going to work we went to Arusha for the day. We started our fieldtrip at the Internation Tribunal for Rwandan Genocide and were met past security by a guide. We were supposed to have been able to sit in on a court case where they were interviewing witnesses, however the witness was fearing for confidentiality so we were not able to sit in. Despite that let down, we toured the building and learned that this was the last year that the tribunal would be open so they were trying to get all of the cases finished. We were all told that they have had about 55 cases so far and have caught and tried many of the major criminals from the genocide. This all interested me so much and was especially great for me because I have taken so many classes on the African genocide so felt happy i was informed about it.
After leaving there we went to lunch at a local restaurant, where i had a huge plate of rice, vegetables, and chicken for 3000 shillings, which is less than 3 dollars. Crazy cheap. Then we were taken to a masai market where we were able to walk from tent to tent looking at anything from jewelery to drums to spears. It was a little overwhelming and i had never been hassled so much in my life but i walked away with a few good deals so that was nice.
Our final stop was at a shopping center where we got to go to a huge grocery store and a bakery. We dont have either of those in Moshi so it was nice to be able to get access to that stuff. We got back and i was exhausted so sat down and finished the Kite Runner, which i absolutely loved, and then ate dinner and played games the rest of the night like LCR and Uno.
And then today we went to school and it was another really great day at the nursery. Three teachers were there so the classes were seperated and we were able to give the kids more personal attention. Last night we had written out all of their names in dotted letters and so today the kids were all able to practice writing their names. I feel like it was a great exercise so that was good. Tomorrow might be my last day with the kids if i switch my placements so im kind of sad about that. Im hoping to come up with a good exercise for body parts tonight to do with them tomorrow, that i hope they'll enjoy.
Ok I have to run because my cab is leaving... Bye!
Wednesday morning we woke up and instead of going to work we went to Arusha for the day. We started our fieldtrip at the Internation Tribunal for Rwandan Genocide and were met past security by a guide. We were supposed to have been able to sit in on a court case where they were interviewing witnesses, however the witness was fearing for confidentiality so we were not able to sit in. Despite that let down, we toured the building and learned that this was the last year that the tribunal would be open so they were trying to get all of the cases finished. We were all told that they have had about 55 cases so far and have caught and tried many of the major criminals from the genocide. This all interested me so much and was especially great for me because I have taken so many classes on the African genocide so felt happy i was informed about it.
After leaving there we went to lunch at a local restaurant, where i had a huge plate of rice, vegetables, and chicken for 3000 shillings, which is less than 3 dollars. Crazy cheap. Then we were taken to a masai market where we were able to walk from tent to tent looking at anything from jewelery to drums to spears. It was a little overwhelming and i had never been hassled so much in my life but i walked away with a few good deals so that was nice.
Our final stop was at a shopping center where we got to go to a huge grocery store and a bakery. We dont have either of those in Moshi so it was nice to be able to get access to that stuff. We got back and i was exhausted so sat down and finished the Kite Runner, which i absolutely loved, and then ate dinner and played games the rest of the night like LCR and Uno.
And then today we went to school and it was another really great day at the nursery. Three teachers were there so the classes were seperated and we were able to give the kids more personal attention. Last night we had written out all of their names in dotted letters and so today the kids were all able to practice writing their names. I feel like it was a great exercise so that was good. Tomorrow might be my last day with the kids if i switch my placements so im kind of sad about that. Im hoping to come up with a good exercise for body parts tonight to do with them tomorrow, that i hope they'll enjoy.
Ok I have to run because my cab is leaving... Bye!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Post Weekend Report
So the internet has been down in all of Moshi for the past few days and is just now back up. I can not imagine how hectic it would be if that were to happen in an American city but here all of the internet cafes simply have a closed sign in their window and no one argues. However, because of the internet failure, a lot has happened since the last time i have written.
Last Friday, our guides from the Safari took us to a local spot called Glacier. We had been told it was a club but when we got there it was all outdoor seating with a live band and a small bar slash food area, which was much more preferable to me. The atmosphere was great and we were the only "mzungus" there which also made it a lot of fun. We ended up staying really late there and spent the time learning how people in Tanzania dance as well as singing with the band on stage, who were playing anything from Bob Marley covers to authentic Tanzanian music. It was a blast.
However, the next morning when we had to get up at 7 to climb Killi, i think we all wished we hadnt stayed out so late. Regardless, we were excited and were picked up by our guides around 8 to start our adventure. By 9 oclock we had arrived at our destination and we climbed out of the car to register and get all ready. We saw a few other groups there as well but there were many paths to take so everyone went their own way for the most part and we hiked by ourselves for the majority of the time. Before starting we took a before picture and then were on our way. We had been told by our two guides that this hike would be like a walk and also reminded that Killimanjaro was the most climbable mountain, so we all started expecting an easy day.
It took us over three hours to reach our summit for the day which was at a crater, whose name I forget. The hike was also MUCH more difficult than i had thought and by no means was a walk ha. It might have been a combination of none of us having worked out in weeks or having went out the night before, but even so it was a definite challenge. After reaching our summit, sadly we could not see the peak of the mountain because the day was so cloudy but we were just happy to be able to sit down and eat our lunch, which were burgers and fries from a local fast food restaurant. Not the normal hiking food but we were all starving and happy to eat whatever was in front of us.
After checking out the view (or what we could see through the clouds) we signed our names in a book at the top and began our trek down. The way down turned out to be, as expected, much easier and faster and we made it down in about 2 hours, not stopping. On our way down however we did notice that we had went up some pretty steep parts so were definitely proud of ourselves for that. We also passed many porters whose job it is to carry gear and equipment up to the top of the mountain. I could never imagine having to carry that much weight with me while hiking so far. I was very impressed. Oh and also 3 of the 6 of us, myself included, also managed to fall on the way down and all have scraps and bruises to prove it :) Anyway, once we reached the bottom we were all exhausted but I was very excited and felt great to have finished the hike. Also, despite it being harder than i thought, it definitely made me want to try to go back one day and climb to the peak. Hopefully, I will be able to accomplish that in the next 10 years or so.
On our ride back we were all pretty quiet and we asked our driver to drop us off directly at a local indian restaurant named "El Rancho" which we had heard was good. We felt bad that we were all so sweaty and dirty but did not want to have to stop home before and then have to find another ride back out so we just decided to go straight there, backpacks and all. Immediately, we sat down and ordered naan among a number of other indian dishes and began our feast. Our three friends, two of which had done CCS last year, joined us at dinner too so that was fun. They had all climbed to the top of Killi so they joke with us when we were saying how hard it was but also said they understood.
About an hour after we got there, the rest of our group from CCS happened to show up at the same restaurant which was fun because then we all got to be together and there was 2 huge tables of us. We were at the restaurant until about 10 o'clock just hanging out, playing pool, and watching the older people in our group consume too much wine which is also fun. Best part of the night though was definitely the banana splits we rewarded us selves with.
That night we went home, showered and all slept like babies. The next morning we were supposed to visit the hot springs but instead we cancelled and decided to sleep in, which was a great choice. We all woke up around 9:30, and after breakfast of cinnamon rolls and fruit, one group left to go on a coffee tour while the younger group of volunteers, myself included, spent the day lounging around the house and tanning in the backyard. We also were all pretty sore from the day before so it was nice to not have too move much. The rainy season just officially ended and it was one of the first sunny days we had gotten so were all excited. On Sunday, I also attempted to do my laundry for the first time while here. I had never hand washed so many clothes in my life and it took me 45 minutes to get everything as clean as i could get. Then it took a while also to hang everything on the clothesline but in the end i wound up with clean clothes, which I was desperate for at the point so that it was necessary.
Sunday afternoon we spent going to town and attempting to find an internet cafe which was open. However, this was a failed attempt so we went to a rooftop cafe and sat around and had drinks and hung out. Afterwards, we came home, had dinner and spent the night reading and relaxing. The other group members got home around 7 from the coffee tour/waterfall trip which they said was a must-do so hopefully we can go next weekend and do that. They all said they had never had such good coffee in their lives so I am thrilled to try it.
Monday, was pretty laid back and we were all still feeling sore from our hike. We went to work and the kids were great that day. We spent the day going over numbers and the alphabet with the younger class and then writing English words with the older one. The younger class was finally understanding their numbers in English and even 16! There was also an extra teacher that day so we were able to give the kids more individual attention. Then during recess, I played soccer with the few of the kids and got my hair braided. It was a really great day and I had so much energy which was nice after being sick all last week.
After work and lunch, a batik artist came to our house, like the one whose shop we went to last week. We were all given a piece of cloth and made our own batik pieces which was so much fun. I made a sun design, which i messed up a little at the end but am still really proud of. I am hoping to get to go to his shop and do more, but we'll see if that can happen. All together to make one piece of cloth it took 3 hours so it was definitely a long process. Then we walked to the market to buy snacks for our room and sweets which we had all been craving and went home for dinner and a relaxing evening at home.
Its Tuesday early afternoon now so thats really all thats new but this afternoon we are going to an orphanage to play with the kids and then all going out to dinner and "dancing" in Moshi. Not sure what the dancing will entail but thats how its written on the activity board so that should be interesting. Oh and also in school today we talk the younger class to say "Hello, my name is ____" and "I am ___ years old." They all had to fill in the blanks and then read from the paper. It was hard to help them spell all of their names but I think it was a good exercise and helped them practice English and writing. I only have a few my days with the class before break so im hoping to fill them with really fun and helpful activities.
Hopefully, the internet will stay working so I can write again soon!
Last Friday, our guides from the Safari took us to a local spot called Glacier. We had been told it was a club but when we got there it was all outdoor seating with a live band and a small bar slash food area, which was much more preferable to me. The atmosphere was great and we were the only "mzungus" there which also made it a lot of fun. We ended up staying really late there and spent the time learning how people in Tanzania dance as well as singing with the band on stage, who were playing anything from Bob Marley covers to authentic Tanzanian music. It was a blast.
However, the next morning when we had to get up at 7 to climb Killi, i think we all wished we hadnt stayed out so late. Regardless, we were excited and were picked up by our guides around 8 to start our adventure. By 9 oclock we had arrived at our destination and we climbed out of the car to register and get all ready. We saw a few other groups there as well but there were many paths to take so everyone went their own way for the most part and we hiked by ourselves for the majority of the time. Before starting we took a before picture and then were on our way. We had been told by our two guides that this hike would be like a walk and also reminded that Killimanjaro was the most climbable mountain, so we all started expecting an easy day.
It took us over three hours to reach our summit for the day which was at a crater, whose name I forget. The hike was also MUCH more difficult than i had thought and by no means was a walk ha. It might have been a combination of none of us having worked out in weeks or having went out the night before, but even so it was a definite challenge. After reaching our summit, sadly we could not see the peak of the mountain because the day was so cloudy but we were just happy to be able to sit down and eat our lunch, which were burgers and fries from a local fast food restaurant. Not the normal hiking food but we were all starving and happy to eat whatever was in front of us.
After checking out the view (or what we could see through the clouds) we signed our names in a book at the top and began our trek down. The way down turned out to be, as expected, much easier and faster and we made it down in about 2 hours, not stopping. On our way down however we did notice that we had went up some pretty steep parts so were definitely proud of ourselves for that. We also passed many porters whose job it is to carry gear and equipment up to the top of the mountain. I could never imagine having to carry that much weight with me while hiking so far. I was very impressed. Oh and also 3 of the 6 of us, myself included, also managed to fall on the way down and all have scraps and bruises to prove it :) Anyway, once we reached the bottom we were all exhausted but I was very excited and felt great to have finished the hike. Also, despite it being harder than i thought, it definitely made me want to try to go back one day and climb to the peak. Hopefully, I will be able to accomplish that in the next 10 years or so.
On our ride back we were all pretty quiet and we asked our driver to drop us off directly at a local indian restaurant named "El Rancho" which we had heard was good. We felt bad that we were all so sweaty and dirty but did not want to have to stop home before and then have to find another ride back out so we just decided to go straight there, backpacks and all. Immediately, we sat down and ordered naan among a number of other indian dishes and began our feast. Our three friends, two of which had done CCS last year, joined us at dinner too so that was fun. They had all climbed to the top of Killi so they joke with us when we were saying how hard it was but also said they understood.
About an hour after we got there, the rest of our group from CCS happened to show up at the same restaurant which was fun because then we all got to be together and there was 2 huge tables of us. We were at the restaurant until about 10 o'clock just hanging out, playing pool, and watching the older people in our group consume too much wine which is also fun. Best part of the night though was definitely the banana splits we rewarded us selves with.
That night we went home, showered and all slept like babies. The next morning we were supposed to visit the hot springs but instead we cancelled and decided to sleep in, which was a great choice. We all woke up around 9:30, and after breakfast of cinnamon rolls and fruit, one group left to go on a coffee tour while the younger group of volunteers, myself included, spent the day lounging around the house and tanning in the backyard. We also were all pretty sore from the day before so it was nice to not have too move much. The rainy season just officially ended and it was one of the first sunny days we had gotten so were all excited. On Sunday, I also attempted to do my laundry for the first time while here. I had never hand washed so many clothes in my life and it took me 45 minutes to get everything as clean as i could get. Then it took a while also to hang everything on the clothesline but in the end i wound up with clean clothes, which I was desperate for at the point so that it was necessary.
Sunday afternoon we spent going to town and attempting to find an internet cafe which was open. However, this was a failed attempt so we went to a rooftop cafe and sat around and had drinks and hung out. Afterwards, we came home, had dinner and spent the night reading and relaxing. The other group members got home around 7 from the coffee tour/waterfall trip which they said was a must-do so hopefully we can go next weekend and do that. They all said they had never had such good coffee in their lives so I am thrilled to try it.
Monday, was pretty laid back and we were all still feeling sore from our hike. We went to work and the kids were great that day. We spent the day going over numbers and the alphabet with the younger class and then writing English words with the older one. The younger class was finally understanding their numbers in English and even 16! There was also an extra teacher that day so we were able to give the kids more individual attention. Then during recess, I played soccer with the few of the kids and got my hair braided. It was a really great day and I had so much energy which was nice after being sick all last week.
After work and lunch, a batik artist came to our house, like the one whose shop we went to last week. We were all given a piece of cloth and made our own batik pieces which was so much fun. I made a sun design, which i messed up a little at the end but am still really proud of. I am hoping to get to go to his shop and do more, but we'll see if that can happen. All together to make one piece of cloth it took 3 hours so it was definitely a long process. Then we walked to the market to buy snacks for our room and sweets which we had all been craving and went home for dinner and a relaxing evening at home.
Its Tuesday early afternoon now so thats really all thats new but this afternoon we are going to an orphanage to play with the kids and then all going out to dinner and "dancing" in Moshi. Not sure what the dancing will entail but thats how its written on the activity board so that should be interesting. Oh and also in school today we talk the younger class to say "Hello, my name is ____" and "I am ___ years old." They all had to fill in the blanks and then read from the paper. It was hard to help them spell all of their names but I think it was a good exercise and helped them practice English and writing. I only have a few my days with the class before break so im hoping to fill them with really fun and helpful activities.
Hopefully, the internet will stay working so I can write again soon!
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