Mt. Meru Karibu Napuru Waterfall Tour, 02.07.2011

Today we went on a tour to the base of Mt. Meru.  Mt. Meru is the second largest mountain in Tanzania, second only to Kili.  A day of hiking only cost us 10,000TZS!  Worth every penny.  I met a few cool locals and got my days worth of exercise!

            We started by meeting at the Sakina grocery store.  There were about 23 of us volunteers who went.  We also had four guides who were all brothers.  Frenk, a 14 year old who looks 9, Kiko, James, and Abdul.  Abdul didn’t speak much English but Frank and Kiko did.  We called a dala dala and all squeezed into one.  A 10 minute ride later, we got off at the base of Mt. Meru.

            Our hike started uphill.  We walked through very remote villages and farm land.  Each village we passed spoke a different language from Swahili.  There were also Maasai tribes. Everyone was dressed in congas and all the women were carrying large sticks and bushes of green on there heads to their goats and livestock.  There were also many people on bikes, carrying Coke or large water jugs.  There were a lot of wild dogs savaging the streets, and also cows and goats.  The cows here all have horns and humps like camels. It’s quite a weird sight, really.  While taking pictures of the scenery, Angela got a stick thrown at her.  The people here don’t like pictures to be taken, and if they are taken, they want money.  Kiko said that they think that every photo taken will be sold after we return to the US, and so they want compensation for it.  After that, we either sneakily took pictures after people walked past us, or we asked permission.  I took a lot of pictures of the scenery, but none do the view justice.  I wish you could smell what I smelled and hear what I heard, especially the sound of the wild monkeys chattering.  Seeing monkeys in the wild is way more amazing that seeing them in the zoo!

            The hike was pretty strenuous and mostly up hill.  Ashlee was dying in back!  She swore during the hike and afterwards that she would never go on another hike again in her life.  Think she’ll go to Kili with me if I can afford it? Haha. We got to the check point and signed in.  I’m not sure why we signed in.  Maybe if we got lost?  If we got lost though, I don’t think anybody would have missed us.  I doubt very much there are search teams or anything like that.  It wouldn’t take much walking to find a village anyways.  I doubt we would be welcome, even if we needed help. We found that trespassing is highly frowned upon. As we were taking a rest we heard chanting.  There were two men and a group of 20 children, all holding hands and all blinded.  I asked Kiko why they were doing that and why the children were blinded.  I could hardly prevent myself from tripping in that terrain with shoes, and here they were, blinded and doing it, although struggling greatly.  Kiko said that was their punishment for trespassing in a village they were not welcome in.  During the punishment, two children got lost from the group.  They were reaching out in front of them, trying to find the hand of another. Nobody was helping to guide them back to the group. They turned slightly to the right and almost fell over the cliff edge. It scared the hell out of me.  The men guiding them didn’t seem to care so a member of our group grabbed their hands and lead them back to the group.  Seeing this made most of us feel really uncomfortable.

            We split from the group of blinded children and started our descent into the base to find the waterfall.  It was treacherous! I much more enjoyed going up than going down.  It had rained and it was very slippery.  The steps were almost vertical, and many of us fell.  Volunteers were helping volunteers as we each fell in turn.  James joked that he saved Ashlee’s life at least five times, although it was hardly a joke since I think Ashlee would have in fact died without him. J Love you Ashlee!  Frenk (the cute little bugger) saved me once.  This little boy went diving after me.  I’m sure the monkeys in the canopy were laughing at the Mzungos who couldn’t walk. Maybe that’s why there was so much chattering.  I should have used my camcorder to record our trek down, although we were warned to put all of our cameras away before hitting this part, so we did.  And there was no way in hell I was letting go of the ground or foliage, or whatever was keeping me from falling over the edge at each step to reach for my camera.

            We got to the base of that part of the journey.  There was a small river.  We stopped to take a break and pictures. This is where we saw most of the monkeys.  IT WAS AMAZING!  We saw leaves moving, and then spotted one.  All of us were so excited.  We saw more leaves moving, and there was another monkey!  Kiko told me that when they see humans, they often come closer because often times people bring them food.  I wish I had thought of bringing some bananas. 

            Kiko and I became friends quick, talking about the many differences of living in America and living in Tanzania.  It’s astounding how lucky we all are to have been born in such a powerful and rich country.  He said that it is very hard for people to leave Tanzania because they cannot afford it.  Even with saving, it would be impossible for some of them.  Some do not make in a lifetime what it would cost for a plane ticket, and what they do make goes towards food and water.  We also talked about music.  We both love Bob Marley!  He played it on his cell phone while we were hiking.  What is better than singing and dancing to Bob Marley while hiking in a rain forest?  He laughed at my dancing.  Even in Africa, my dancing makes me look like a fool!  Guess who else everyone here loves? Justin Bieber.  I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the song “Baby” since arriving.  Then we talked about the difference in prices and costs.  He couldn’t believe it when I told him how much avocadoes cost in the states.  Here they are pennies, even by TZS standards.  He said gas here is very expensive right now, at 2100 shillings.  I told him it was over 4USD and he was amazed anyone would pay that much. We’re facebook friends now. So are Frenk and I.  I can’t get enough of Frenk, he is so damn adorable.   

            Good thing Kiko and I become friends.  He helped me through the next part of the journey.  We went up stream, where there was a lot of rock skipping and hopping and a ton of boulders to climb up and past.  I tried to keep my shoes dry; I failed. I saw one more monkey during this time.  Most of the time my eyes were on the ground, trying to not kill myself.  When I wanted to look at the scenery, I stopped walking.  Kiko was in front of me, leading the way.  He made it look sooooo easy. In fact, he was singing and humming during it.  Then he would reach his hand down from atop a boulder, and help pull me up.  I asked him if he ever got used to this, the rain forest, the monkeys, the hike, all of it.  He said yes, he does it all the time.  I don’t think I could ever get used to it.  Neither do I think he could ever get used to a place like Chicago.   

            Finally, we reached the waterfall.  You had to walk through an almost cave-like structure and then BAM, there it was! There was this breath taking scenery of this powerful, tall waterfall.  I’ve seen many waterfalls, but none as beautiful.  Maybe it was the monkeys, maybe it was Bob Marley playing in the background, or maybe it was the almost dying to get there part, but it was simply gorgeous.  

            Kiko and I were the first to see the waterfall.  As the other people began to trickle through the cave opening, he asked me if I wanted to climb up behind the waterfall.  I said no way!  Then he grabbed my hand and we went.  It wasn’t as hard to climb as I thought it would be, but it was slippery.  And if I had fallen over the edge, I would have definitely died.  I got a picture, but it was zoomed in so you couldn’t see how high up it was. 

            We hung out a bit there to rest and take it all in.  I stepped my feet into the water, and it was freezing cold.  My legs started to numb in the time it took to take pictures with friends.  Frenk told me to go swimming.  I said to him he was crazy, but if he jumped in first, I’d follow. He said hapana asante right away. 

            The walk back was just as amazing as the walk there.  Same train, but just as new and it was hours before.  As we were going down the vertical portion, I was too busy thinking about how to prevent myself from falling that I forgot we would eventually have to go back up.  Going up was a hellish-time and left us all breathless.  All of us, except the guides. Kiko was still singing and humming!  Luckily, though, it had dried a bit, so it was much less slippery.  Making it to the top of that part felt like heaven. After I got up, I saw this little boy and a woman walking up a trail that was parallel to ours.  They were carrying big bushes of greenery on their heads and still were not out of breath.  These people are machines!

            The rest of the walk down through the villages again was just as amazing as going up.  I wish I had been able to take more pictures but I didn’t want to get sticks thrown at me.  The clouds had separated a bit by this time so we had a better view of the mountain range and farms.  One volunteer had to pee very badly, so she asked Kiko and James if there was a place she could go.  Since we were in the area with village huts, they lead her into a gated yard and into a house.  The people who lived there didn’t even know!  I asked if this was normal and okay to do and Kiko said of course.  For these people, they share everything. I told them that if somebody in the US did that, the home owner would get his shotgun out. 

            Kiko, James, Frenk, I, and some of the other volunteers are going to hang out again soon.  They invited us to a birthday party but we were all too tired.  Mark went though.  He is good friends with them, which is why I feel like I can trust them.  Always in groups though!

Orientation 07.01.2011

Orientation 07.01.2011

            I’m in bed, under my mosquito net. Today was a busy day at orientation.  We filled out all the necessary forms and learned a bit of Swahili.  Then we went on a tour of the city.  The road from the volunteer house is very long, dusty, and rocky.   All of Arusha is very dusty and rocky.  We walked down the road to catch the yellow dala dala and WOW, do they stuff a lot of people in those.  The dala dala is a van with maybe twelve tiny seats, and each one is stuffed with at least 20-30 people.  People are sitting on people and people are bent over standing over others.  It’s hot, stuffy, and if you have a personal bubble people, it’s popped. There is one door so if you’re stuffed in the back, you have to knock VERY hard on the ceiling to let the driver know when you want to get off.  The other people will help you out, and knock or yell at the driver to stop.  We learned how to say it in Swahili today but I forgot the word.  I’ll look it up in the morning because it’s a pretty damn important word since I’ll be using the dala dala every day.  Each dala dala is marked by a color.  Each color goes in a continuous circle, picking people up, and dropping people off.  To get to my first placement, I will have to take the yellow one and then the green one.  Ruth, a volunteer who has been here for a while, will show us Monday. 

    Us in the back of a dala dala.  We were actually pretty roomy in this picture.  Nobody as on my lap so it was a good ride!     

Another day, another dala.  There were 27 people in this dala dala. Imagine a clown car. That's about as roomy as a dala dala.  This was better than the last ride though.  If you can move enough to take your camera out, it's roomy. One girl said they stuffed so many people on hers, the bus tipped. 

The smells here in Arusha are very different from home.  The air smells dusty and the people have a very distinct smell as well.  It is a smell of body odor, but not of that which people back home smell.  At home, when people have BO, it’s wrenched.  Here, it is a sweet, almost peppery smell.  I imagine diet is a huge factor.  It really isn’t that horrid of a smell at all.  I have become accustomed to it already. 

            We were then taken to the market place, and I did a great job bargaining!! I wanted a bracelet, and the man said 3000TZS each.  I said two for 500TZS.  We agreed upon two for 1000TZS, about 60 cents total, or 30 cents each.  Ashlee has the other.  They are very nice too, and simple.  I then found some post cards for Danielle.  She wanted 8000TZS, and I bargained her down to 4000TZS.  Woop woop!  I will go back soon.   Everyone was telling me pola pola, or slowly. Slowly look at my stuff.  We were in a rush though. 

            After that, we went to a restaurant.  I didn’t get anything because I knew at home we would get dinner.  It was another Tanzanian dish.  A type of bread, noodles, avocados, beans, salad greens, and fruit.  Delicious!  No baby chickens tonight though.

            The best part of the day happened after we got off the yellow dala dala at the end of our street.  Our neighbors are very poor families with no electricity, floors, or water.  All of these children who had never seen us before came running up to us from down the road with their arms outstretched yelling MZUNGU! MZUNGU! I opened my arms and they ran into them.  I picked them up and hugged them hard.  They spoke fairly well English so we talked and they walked us the rest of the way back to our placement.  I told them to say mambo next time they see us.  It was such a heart warming experience, and also very sad.  The volunteers who have been here for a while said to watch our pockets and purses though, because they will steal money if they see it.  They also said the children will often say, “give me money.”  After seeing all those late night commercials, it’s hard to see something so heart wrenching in person.  The still seemed to have an amazing amount of joy though. 

            A group of us are going for a hike tomorrow.  We were told we’ll probably see monkeys!  It’s only costing us 15,000TZS too.  We’re leaving early so I’m going to sign off.  I called Danielle today and she told me that Dad was upset I hadn’t uploaded anything on my blog yet.  DAD, I will soon, probably Sunday.  I don’t go out at night to the internet café because it is dangerous and my days have been full.  Tomorrow it will be nightfall before I return so Sunday!  I’ll try to get some pictures up too. 

            OH!  That reminds me.  There was a girl from London who choked today and I helped her.  Nursing school dollars at work!  She choked on her malaria pill and was being given the Heimlich remover by her friend.  I heard the commotion, turned around, saw her, and rushed over.  Mark has pushed the security button by then, so more help was on the way (The organization pays a lot of money to a security group.  We push the button in the case of any emergency, and they are at the house within five minutes.  They were dressed in all black, with helmets, and maybe weapons? So much was going on, I didn’t notice.  I imagine they would though if they’re security.  I’ll ask.) While they were on their way, I helped her.  I still don’t know her name, but I’m sure I’ll see her tomorrow.  The pill became dislodged but she was in a panic attack and was still having trouble breathing.  She started hyperventilating so I told her to take slow, deep breaths and she began to calm down enough so that she was taking in oxygen.  She was puking and kept going back to hyperventilating so I reminded her to spit out everything in her mouth as it came up so she wouldn’t aspirate and to just breathe slowly.  The vomit was very sticky and slimy and I was scared she would breathe it into her lungs.  She said something felt stuck in her throat and she couldn’t swallow.  Everyone was telling her to drink water; that maybe it would help, but I said it wasn’t a good idea.  When you’re choking and can’t swallow, I think the last thing you want to so it stick more in your mouth.  Security took her to the hospital, and I washed my hands and sat back down and finished my lunch.  A friend accompanied her to the hospital.  I saw her early today but didn’t get a chance to talk to her.  She looked good though.

 Our view.  Isn't it beautiful?!  Mt Meru.

This is the shop we buy our water, beer, and snacks from. 

On our way to Arusha, 30.06.2011

On our way to Arusha, 30.06.2011

            Habari za asubuhi?  It’s 0400 here, 2000 at home. I slept about 4 solid hours last night, and I feel great!  We catch our bus at 0515.  I can’t wait until I’m at the volunteer house, all unpacked.  I brought a lot of school supplies and toys for the children and it’s weighed down my bag a ton.

            The air here is very dry.  It’s drying out my membranes and caused me to have a bloody nose last night.  I hope my body gets use to it soon.  Otherwise, I’m going to start sticking chapstick up my nose or something (I think I’m joking, but who knows what I’ll do in my desperation). 

            *12 hours later, one broken-down bus, and one pair of sunglasses down the squatter later, we’re here in Arusha at our home placement!  Where to start?  Today was such an eventful day and I only have 30 minutes left to my lap top battery.*

            Ashlee broke a reusable Coke bottle and was charged 500TZS for it.  It was in her back back as we were making out way to the lobby of the Econolodge.  She let go of her bag, it tipped over, and the bottle SMASHED in the hallway.  I’m sure it woke some people up.  When we went down stairs and told the lady, she said there was a fee for broken bottles.  I think that as they return the bottles, they get new ones at a very low cost, maybe even half the price.  So if a bottle is broken, they must make up the difference.

            We left the Econolodge before the sun was up. It was only about two blocks away, but they were very dark, dusty, bumping, unfamiliar blocks.  Also, the place where the bus picked us up at was an alley with no lights.  Thank God Mark was there.  Having a male accompany us made me feel much better, especially since he can speak quite a bit of Swahili.  Last night a man said mambo to us, and we didn’t hear.  He assumed we were ignoring him so he started yelling at us.  “If you’re not going to say hello, go back to where you came from. F*cking go back.”  Just being with Mark made me feel better.

            While we were waiting at the bus station, we heard the Muslim chant calling for morning prayer.  I don’t know the technical name of it but it was such a beautiful noise.  I have seen many Muslim women walking around in their full dress, everything covered but their eyes.  Christianity and Muslim are the two major religions here.  I hope to go to church with our security guard, Kaka.  Cultural immersion is the best!

            We were warned to drink very little because the bus doesn’t stop very often.  We were told five hours in would be the first stop for bathroom and lunch so I was very excited when we stopped three hours in.  I didn’t have to go that bad because I was sweating and hadn’t been drinking but I thought, hey while we’re here…  I stepped up right away, walked out of the bus, and looked around for the toilet.  The men behind me walked to the right, the women to the left.  They took a squat RIGHT THERE!  In front of the bus, no toilet paper, the whole works.  I immediately started stretching, acting like I had absolutely no intention of trying to pee.  The voice inside my head screamed, “NO!  I’m not ready for this yet!  I can’t squat! Give me a few weeks to get situated before you ask this of me!” 

            The second stop (AKA lunch) had buildings.  I saw them are felt relieved.  There was even a sign that said, “toilets.”  Ashlee and I had a mini celebration.  I walked in and saw stalls.  I walked in a stall, no toilet.  SQUATERS!  Was there toilet paper? No.  Just the hole, and a hose for what I assume you used if you did a number two.  I did my business, did a shake to get the last few drops off (I carry tp in my pocket now), and went to the sink to wash my hands.  While I was washing my hands, Ashlee came out of her stall.  She walked up to me and looked very sad.  All the said was, “Ya know my $40.00 sun glasses?”  I started laughing so hard!  They fell into the hole and she was bending.  That was 120 waters down the squatter!  Great first-squatter story.

            The bus ride was supposed to be nine hours long, but the bus broke down so it took us twelve hours to travel from Dar to Arusha. The breaks went out.  When the bus pulled over, a man from across the street ran over the help.  He fixed it within a few hours, out of the kindness of his heart.  It seems like everyone here really help each other out.  We pulled over in front of a very impoverished house with horrid-looking chickens.  The chickens were skinny, and almost completely featherless.   All the houses that we passed had rusty metal or crumbling clay walls, straw roofs. The family was very nice though.  There was a mother, a father, a little girl, and two little boys.  All were very skinny.  The little girl was wearing a red velvet dress with white trim, a Christmas outfit for a little girl.  The mother was doing the daughter’s hair in braids.  The mother could not do much for her daughter because of their financial state, but she could do were playing music videos. 

            The bus had a TV and they were playing music videos and movies. Some of them were English rap videos from the 90s.  They also played a lot of Celine Dion.  The rest were in Swahili, some rap and some what I have no genre for.  Authentic Tanzanian music I suppose?  They also played an awful movie with English subtitles.  The acting was HORRIBLE!  I guess there is less demand for proper acting in a country where most people can’t afford electricity.  More appealing than the videos was the gorgeous view we got out all of the mountain ranges, Mt. Meru, and Mt. Kilimanjaro. 

            A lot of the women are wearing congas.  They are the long, wrapped, colorful dresses.  They are also balancing TONS of heavy stuff on their heads, walking around fast, making many turns.  It’s talent!  The women here work so hard and the men don’t seem to do as much.  The tax drivers are men, and also the bus drivers, but the manual labor is all taken care of by the women.  The cooking, cleaning, gathering water, collecting food, and shopping are all the responsibility of the women.  All of these things are a much longer process than they are in the US. 

            I arrived to the volunteer house during social night.  Everyone from the program, even the people living at home stays come to have a meal together.  I ate my first authentic Tanzanian meal!  Avocados are a staple here, which makes me very happy.  We were also served baby chickens.  Literal baby chickens, maybe hatch a few days prior.  The entire body, minus the head.  I tried it.  It was pretty OK, minus the bones. 

            All the people here are amazing and so interesting.  Some are from Canada, some from Europe, and some from the US.  The house is a pretty nice size, but the room is rather small for the five other girls in there with me. We all have bunk beds, all with mosquito nets.  There are no dressers, so I’ll be living out of my suitcase.  I have a cubby hole though!  I was so looking forward to unpacking everything too!

            I took a shower…it was a very cold drizzle.  I feel the conditioner in my hair still.  It feels oily.  I turned the shower part off, and used the water coming out of the faucet to wash each body part, one at a time.  Then my head. I was told afterward that if you’re the first in the shower, you’ll get hot water.  But you have to turn the hot water on for a while.  I don’t know.  I’ll get the jist in due time.  Or get used to cold showers.  I think it’ll be the latter. 

Here are some pictures of the volunteer house:

These are the buckets and clothes line we use to wash our clothes.

The first meal we were fed.                                                                     Baby chickens, bones and all. 

 This is our front yard.  It's gated in and we have a security guard 24 hours a day and an emergency button.  One of our security guards is Massai. The other's name is Kaka. They are amazing and funny!

This is one of our cooks.  She also cleans the house. I LOVE her. She is amazing and so kind.  She is trying to teach me more Swahili, but I'm a bad student.

Our coffee is instant.  It's pretty tasty though. There are coffee fields about an hour away in Moshi.  I think I will take a bus there to take a tour in a few weeks.

Eating breakfast with some of the other volunteers. This is Matt, Angela, and Emmy.

Dar es Salaam 29.06.2011

Dar es Salaam, 29.06.2011

The bathroom in our hotel:

            Ashlee and I are in our hotel room at Dar es Salaam.  We took a “tax” for 3500TZS (1600TZS~1USD). They driver’s seat is on the right side of the car and they drive on the left side of the street.  Our taxi driver got pulled over by the traffic police.  He came over to the car, saw Ashlee and me, said mambo, and then let us go.  When I asked the driver what he got pulled over for, he said that all the traffic police here in Dar are corrupt.  He spoke in really broken English, so I didn’t ask for any more details.  Maybe he meant that people get pulled over all the time for bogus reasons, and are forced to pay the ticket? It was rush hour so it took a whole to get here, the Econolounge. It’s 2700TZS a night, and small but very colorful.  I like it.  The bathroom isn’t more or less than I was expecting, really, but far different from what you’d find in even one of the cheapest motels in the US (Danielle, the water in the toilets are like they are in London.  The water just goes down.).  But…after 29 total hours of travel, I can honestly say that was one of the best damn showers I’ve ever taken.  The water was luke warm, and the pressure was almost non-existent, and it was wonderful.   And this bed I’m lying on is on of the most inviting.   Time for a much needed nap, more later.  I’m going to fall asleep to the sounds of honking horns, breaks, and people chattering in Swahili.                                                                                                

            I just got back from walking around Dar with Sarah and Mark.  Sarah has worked for IVHQ now for a while and she is training Mark in her position so he can take over in August.  They both seem like really cool, interesting people.  I am very glad they are here so show Ashlee and I around.  Dar is rather small, but it’s busy and not many of the people are fluent in English.  Also, there are a lot of fast moving cars and round-abouts, which makes crossing the street exciting.  Our taxi driver hit a woman while dropping us off, and although she wasn’t hurt at all, I’m going to try my hardest to avoid being hit too. This city is full of friendly people though, all saying mambo and smiling as we walk by.  I respond with by saying, “poa.” If you talk to them, they follow you, asking you where you’re from and where you are going.  They also try to sell you EVERYTHING.  I saw some cool jewelry and art while walking around.  I may go back to buy some souvenirs.

            I need to practice speaking in Swahili.  Mark said it’s a pretty forward language, easy to grasp.  I hope my host family speaks very little English so I am immersed in Swahili.  There’s no better way to learn a language to be thrown into it. I walked through the farmer’s market on the way to buy my phone.  There were a few fruits and veggies I didn’t recognize, and I’m looking forward to trying them.  Water and Coke are sold at the hotel for 500TZS, and all the pop is in glass, reusable, recyclable bottles.  I haven’t seen a can since I got here.  Talk about eco-friendly.  The US could learn a thing or two.

            The money here is so much fun!  Instead of old, dead presidents, their dollar bills have elephants, lions, and giraffes on them.  The bills are all different colors.  10,000TZS is red, 500TZS is blue, and so on.  I’m having fun with my monopoly money! The big numbers make me feel rich.  J  The conversion is still pretty confusing, so we’ve found ourselves comparing the price of an item or service we wish to buy with that of something we’ve already bought.  For example, one liter of water costs 500TZS, so 10,000TZS is worth 20 waters to us.  The taxi ride was 35,000TZS, so the hotel was a steal for 27,000TZS.  With what we spent to buy our phones, we could have bought 54 bottles of water.  Then we each bought a 10,000TZS phone card (another 20 bottles of water). It sounds confusing on here, but it’s working for us! 

            I talked to Mark a bit about Mt Kilimanjaro.  He has climbed it.  I’m 100% set on the idea now, as long as I can afford it.  I have to look into rental fees for the equipment and how much the hike itself will cost with a guide.  The more people in the group, the cheaper it will be. Fingers crossed! 

            Sarah, Ashlee, Mark and I are going to grab dinner in an hour at an Indian restaurant.  I haven’t eaten since breakfast on the plane, 11 hours ago.  I don’t feel very hungry; must be all this excitement suppressing my appetite.

            My phone number is 011255766308667.  Receiving phone calls is free, so if you have free international calling on your cell phone plan, CALL ME!  I can also get texts for free, but it costs 100TZS to text back.  To buy the phones for the lowest cost possible, Sarah took us for a nice stroll through Dar to a little cell phone shop.  We went inside the store to buy the phones and make a copy of our passports.  We then went outside to a tent where three women were.  They were very friendly, and were laughing at each other’s broken English as they tried pronouncing our names.  The woman who was helping me even started making fun of my last name! She would point at it, say it, and all three would laugh!  Then she wrote her name down and asked me to say it.  I butchered it and we all laughed again.  They were so friendly and fun, even if it was at my expense. ;-)

            I love Africa.  I look forward to spending three more months here!

            I just got back from Badminton International, the Indian restaurant.  We got four appetizers and three meals and ALL of it was amazing.  I loved every bite. I’m going to have to find a place that serves authentic Indian food back home.  I could try to cook it….but that would probably end badly.

            The power here goes out very often.  It went out in the Airport upon our arrival, and one of  the security guards yelled, “Welcome to Tanzania!” and everyone laughed.  It’s happened 4 times since then.  I asked Mark about it.  I assumed it was to save on energy costs.  He said that it was, and that each area in Arusha will have power for one or two hours a day, usually at night, so this is the time to charge everything. He also said that the electric companies are very corrupt and if somebody pays under the table to have more energy, other areas will go without.  However, the volunteer house has a back-up generator, so it won’t be an issue while living there.   It’s amazing how the constant flow of electricity that we can count on back home has helped to shape our society.  I guess by western standards, it would be considered a flaw to have energy rationed like it is in Tanzania.  You wouldn’t be able to count on your desk top (at homes or businesses), wouldn’t be able to watch TV whenever you’re bored, or play video games all day.  There seems to be a lot more people talking and chatting with their neighbors here though.  Everyone is out.  Yes, they have to record information via old-fashioned paper and pen, but maybe the trade-off isn’t so bad. 

            We leave tomorrow at 5 am.  I am psyched for the bus ride tomorrow, and what I will see. Kwaheri until then!

They love Coke and Fanta here! I love 

Coke and Fanta too!

Heathrow Airport, London 28.06.2011

Heathrow Airport, London 28/06/2011

            Ashlee and I are waiting at the Heathrow Airport for our 9 hour flight to Dar.  The flight to London was rather uneventful.  However, I now understand the value of business and first class seating. I slept maybe two hours during the flight, my body curled up in a failed attempt to find comfort.  I should have invested in a more comfortable neck pillow.

Ashlee curled up sleeping while 

guarding our bags:

          

            I like London.  Well, to be fair all I can really say it I like the environment of the Heathrow Airport.  The people have cool accents, the lady on the “woman’s bathroom” sign has a really cool, umbrella-like skirt, and the food and wine was delicious.  We ate at a restaurant called, “The Giraffe.”  It has a laid back, relaxed vibe.  I ordered a Jambalaya and chorizo dish, and it was yummy.  I had issues with Euro conversions.  I didn’t pay enough at first. Ah well, with practice….  

            Danielle, the toilet doesn’t flush backwards here.  The water just goes down. The only thing this airport is missing is organization and a shower.  I could really go for a shower right now.  I guess this is preparing me for the three months ahead.  I think I’ll find it less necessary to shower as regularly when everyone around me isn’t wearing perfumes and dressed in business suits.  Here’s me, probably stinky, with an American accent (so they already don’t like me), and dressed in a T-shirt, yoga pants, and gym shoes that I frequently take off (which makes me even stinkier). 

            *We have to run from section A to section C now!  Our plane gate was just announced and we have 30 minutes to get there. More soon.*

            The Heathrow Airport is huge, and I think it must be made up of a dozen or so large expansions.   Ashlee has a fear of escalators but this airport has definitely made her face it.  Nothing is on the same floor.  You have to go up, down, up, down.  We landed, we were on the first story, we went up a floor and then down again to get to terminal 5, we went up again to get through security, and then down to section A, and then down again and took a trolley to section C.  Then up again to the gate, and then down the gate into our plane. Am I confusing you yet?  All I can say is thank God for signs and escalators.  One escalator was broke, and by the time I climbed to the top, I felt as if I had just finished climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.  My suitcase was heavy!  I got to the top, turned around, and didn’t see Ashlee.  Forty-five seconds later I see her coming up, out of breath, red in the face.  And then we had to run to the gate! We got on our plane as they were announcing last call. I’m a bit nervous about our connecting flight at Heathrow in October.  We’ll have an hour and 23 minutes in between the time at which our plane lands and our other takes off. I hope the fast lanes are fast enough. 

“Get excited and enthusiastic about you own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire - you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.” - Denis Waitley

            Three days until Ashlee and I leave!  It’s hard to believe that if we wouldn’t have postponed our trip, we would have already been there for more than a week.  I don’t feel like my departure is only a few days away.  I’ve been planning this for so long and have become accustomed to thinking of it as a long-term goal, far away in the future.  I am very excited.  My mind is so busy with thoughts of Tanzania; it’s like a constant buzzing of pure emotion.

Our travel itinerary and details are as follows:

            Ashlee will be coming to my parent’s house on Sunday evening. She’ll spend the night (and we’ll probably be giggling like excited school girls all night.  I doubt I’ll be able to sleep at all!). We will catch a British Airlines flight at 2145 to London.  We should arrive in London at 1125, and will have an 8 hour layover.  I wonder if this is enough time to leave the airport, see something English, and then return, get through security, and catch the flight to Dar Es Salaam?  I doubt it.  A friend told me that London Heathrow is a terribly unorganized airport.  At least we’ll be able to see the United Kingdom from the air!  Maybe we’ll enjoy a cup of English tea in the airport.  We will finally arrive at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania at 0700, a total of 25hrs and 15 minutes later.  Don’t worry, I already bought my travel pillow. 

            After we arrive at Dar, we will take a taxi to our hotel.  Sarah Mahte, a woman who works for IVHQ, told us we are expected to bargain hard for a reasonable price for the taxi ride.  We should be able to get the price for 25,000TZS, although the taxi price board will say we owe much more.  What a great way to fool Westerners.  I’ve bargained for things in Mexico and Puerto Rico but it was always for little trinkets and souvenirs.  If Sarah hadn’t told us to bargain, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it.  In the US, prices are prices; we aren’t expected to practice the art of bartering.  I’m both nervous and excited about it!

            Ashlee and I will meet Sarah at the Econolodge at 1400.  She lives in Dar, and offered to meet with us to chat and grab dinner. To the right is a picture of the city of Dar.  I am happy Sarah will be there to show us around.  I’m very excited to meet her; she’s been so helpful and quick to respond to all the emails I’ve sent over the last few months.  Also, she was a previous volunteer in Arusha so I can ask her all about her experiences!  Hopefully I’ll get a cell phone while in Dar.  

            We will then leave for Arusha by bus.  We decided to do this rather than fly to Arusha directly because it less expensive and we are both excited to see the scenery.  The bus trip lasts about 8 hours, and we were assured the roads were paved. Hopefully we’ll see a lot of interesting things, maybe even some wildlife like elephants or wildebeests.  We will be met in Arusha by IVHQ, and will be driven to the volunteer house.  We’ll both be living here for the first month, with 30 other volunteers from around the world.  I can’t wait to meet and live with 30 other people who share my passion for traveling and helping others.  I’ve already befriended a few of them on facebook.  They all seem so nice, and just as excited as I am. Many of them have traveled all over, for both recreation and volunteer.  After the month is over, Ashlee and I will be moving in with a local family.  I’ve decided to bring them some of my honey and soap as a thank-you gift.  I hope they like it!  I also hope they have children to play with.

     The first half of my time will be spent volunteering at Kitulizo orphanage (rather than the Faraja Orphanage as I originally thought).  The children there range from age three to age six.  I’ll be responsible for playing with them, watching them, teaching them math, English, and other things.  A website was just constructed for them by current volunteers:  http://supportbosi.org/.  The website has pictures of the children that are supported by them, information about the organization, an area to make donations, and also an explanation of what their goals are.  

            I will spend the rest of my time volunteering at the Ngarenaro Health Centre.  I can’t begin to explain the excitement I feel about the opportunity to work here!  I love OB nursing and I can’t wait to put my newly learned (and licensed skills) to good use!  My responsibilities while at the orphanage will include assisting local nurses in the labor room, giving vaccinations to the newborns, general clearing in the ward, and treating mothers and their children who come to the clinic.  I think I’m in for quite a culture shock!

            I have recently decided to bring my lap top with me.  There is an internet café close by, so I will easily be able to keep in touch with my loved ones back home.  I’m going to be using skype a lot.  My name is manda.bee1 so add me and we’ll chat (if you’re up late)!

            Our living arrangements with our host family end on September 23^rd.  I had originally thought that our placement ended on September 30^th so we booked our flight to leave on October 2^nd.  Now we have a week longer in Tanzania than we had planned for.  I think that with well-thought out budgeting, this may end up being beneficial.  We now have time to see more.  Sarah suggested visiting Zanzibar.  I would love to visit Zanzibar, the pictures I’ve seen are so beautiful.  However, I think Mount Kilimanjaro is calling my name.  I am going to look into the costs of climbing it, and how much time it would take.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to afford it and then I’ll be on my way up!  

            Ashlee and I will leave Tanzania on October 2^nd.  We will be flying to Amsterdam and will be staying there for four days.  We will then take a train to Paris, where we will be staying for three days.  At both areas, we will have free rooming!  Ashlee has some friends in Amsterdam that we can stay with and our hotel in Paris is being paid for with Ashlee’s family’s Holliday Inn Express reward points.  It’s right on the Seine River!  I’ve never been to Europe before, and since it is costing us only a little more than we would be spending otherwise, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity!  We will be coming home on October 9^th (just in time to make it home for a couple weddings and to meet my best friend’s new addition to her family, Isabella).  

            More to come very, very soon!  Don't forget to check out Ashlee's blog also.  A link to her page can be found to theh right of this page. 

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

I think it’s high time for my second blog post.  I have not written in here since my first post because I really want this blog to be about my volunteer trip, with as few fillers as possible.  However, I do have a few exiting updates!

• As of today, I have raised $1922.00 in donations!  I am eternally grateful for all of the support I have received and have yet to receive.  At times like this I remember how beautiful people really are.  This trip would not be a possibility if I wasn’t surrounded by such wonderful, optimistic people.  
• I graduated from nursing school!  I will be taking my state boards very soon and then I’ll officially be Ms. Amanda Boldt, RN, BSN. Now doesn’t that have a great ring to it?  ;-)
• I had to push my orientation date back by two weeks. Orientation is now July 1^st, 2011.  I am anxious to get to Tanzania but I think the postponement is a good idea.  It allows me more time to study for the NCLEX state boards and also to raise and work for more money.
• This trip is becoming such a reality!  I can hardly believe that I am reaching so far out of my comfort zone and going to Tanzania for three months.  The feeling is both exhilarating and very hard to explain.  It’s a rush! One thing is for sure: this trip is going to change me. I welcome the change.