Hello from Kiabakari Everyone – Sorry it has taken me a while to put that I am safely here in Kiabakari.. I have to figure out something for my internet because I am starting to think that this may not be the best situation, but maybe it’s all I can do- after 3 attempts and a total time of probably 25 minutes I was able to open my email. We’ll see how posting this blog goes! (otherwise at the bottom is information on how to call me! I would love phone calls!)
I am here and trying to get adjusted. Which to be honest has not been easy. It has been really hard trying to figure things out an get settled here so far. I am trying really hard though! People are nice here, but it’s really hard to communicate, I am really anxious to go to language school because my Swahili does not cut it.. and that is really hard. I am trying though and learning slowly here. But not being able to communicate really does make one feel like an outsider let me tell you and... well turns out I am not a huge fan of living all by myself.. I miss my wonderful roomies! Hmmf – enough complaining- I am sure it will just take time and adjusting..
The flight up here was amazing! I got to ride in a tiny airplane- (8 passenger) And I was the only one on board so my pilot let me sit in the co-pilot seat and wear the other headset- which was awesome!! Flying into Musoma was beautiful, the scenery up here is gorgeous- lots or mountains and fields and Lake Victoria is beautiful – (and where all my water comes from so- Hallelujah for Lake Victoria!).. When I got to Kiabakari it was getting dark and there was no electricity so I had to wait until morning to see it. It is a beautiful campus and nice and small. Right now I am staying in guest housing, but I think that I may be moving into a teachers house eventually... but only time will tell.
Some adventures of the past few days: Woke up to a baby snake in my bathroom the first morning... when I asked someone to look at it in the afternoon when it was still there... I found out it was a baby cobra.. Oh... yeah poisonous snakes here in Africa.. I’m not at camp with garter snakes anymore... Yikes!!) So.. I’m keeping my eyes out for more...) haha when I told my mom she didn’t believe me... it wasn’t a cobra.. yes. Mom. It was. No.. ;-) sorry mom- I wish it wasn’t too... but on the plus side since I got help spraying my room with some bug killer spray (hope it works on snakes too...) and they left the spray here... so when I saw a scary looking spider I stood at a distance and sprayed it like crazy! And it worked! ☺ Also – my blog title comes from the fact that there are some bees the size of small birds here- you all know how much I love bees, but so far I let them live/ burrow in my porch roof, they leave me alone! Also Roosters- All over the place! Roostering- ok- crowing all the time ;-)
I got to teach some already which was nice, hard since my Swahili is so awful, but we just worked on introduction stuff and the verbs be and have. So it was fun.. (that was actually where I planned to start my lessons so I had done some of the preparation already! ;-) I also got to go to the market where I got some basic food ( rice, beans, potatoes, onions sugar tea etc..) because I will be cooking all my meals – which takes time and I am trying to learn – I asked the cook in the kitchen if I could help her some so I can learn.
I also got to go to Bunda yesterday where I was given a tour of the hospital. I found out African women are tough because when I was leaving, there was a woman who was squatting down and found out within the next 15 mins she had given birth to a baby boy... she was squatting down to push out the baby! Eek! I also got to go to see where President Nyerere lived and a museum for him.
That’s all I really have for now, things I hope to find out in the next week, (how to get to the market by myself, how/ where I can buy a bike, more about water and cooking... and also maybe how I am getting back to Arusha in November for language school).
After talking with Linda Jacobson (My wonderful TZ mom in Arusha) before coming up here I realized that some things are just way out of my control, and many things here feel like that- especially being so new to so many things... All I can do is rely on God and hope that patience and time will bring good things! Sometimes I am good and can keep that in mind, but at other times, I get overwhelmed! -- Thoughts and payers are more than welcome in this time of transition!
Thank you all so very much!
Salama
Annie
PS- Dear friends and family - - Since my internet has been really hard so far here in Kiabakari for communication I am heartily welcoming phone calls if people would like to call from time to time- I have gotten a few from family and best friends and it is so nice to hear from people! The best way to do so is a calling card called callingcards.com (online) it’s about $10 for 100 minutes of talking time- If you go you click on Tanzania under countries and buy the top card – Wild Africa... Then after you buy it , it will give you numbers to type in...- (you dial the calling card number- an 877 number- then your access code or pin number which they give you after paying, then 011 255 – the country code then my phone number 0786017592 - (If it doesn’t work with the zero try dropping it to 786017592. I think it’s $10 gives you 100 minutes of talking time and it just saves whatever isn’t used so if we talk 10 minutes you would still have 90 left. Then the next time you add money you just recharge your calling card online- you don’t buy a new one. PPS- please do keep in mind somewhat – the time difference, +8 hours from MN time.. (I don’t mind being flexible but probably won’t fully enjoy/ remember a phone call at 3 am!
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