So I was just about to leave the wireless hotspot when this cute blue eyed blonde forgeiner walks up...He finds himself a shady spot and pulls out his laptop. He looks up and says with accent from who knows where...
"So dey decided today was holiday.
Because da moon showddd.
Datz a good one."
I guess American's aren't the only foreingers to find this funny!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Lacey, why didn't you go to school today?
Wednesday 10/1/08
OCTOBER!
Sorry baba, I didn’t feel like hiking to campus today because I still can’t figure out what classes I need to take and quite honestly, I just don’t get the Africa school system yet. Sigh, maybe that’s not exactly what I said, but sure is what I wanted to say. That’s what baba asked me when he got home last night. I feel like I am five again and must go to school or I will get in trouble. Funny. Reminds me of good ole Vegas days! Yes Gary, okay Gary, anything you say Gary! Anyhow, hiked to campus this morning and I guess the next three days school is out-so much for trying to figure out classes today! Last night Debbie was saying, there might not be school tomorrow. My thought process, “there MIGHT not be school?! What!?! Might? Depending on the moon? This would never fly in America!”
PS…looks like I will be changing my plane ticket to nearly a month early! Yes, probably early Dec I will be home. So I guess I will be in school for 2 months? Now that’s funny because all I can think of is Ally and Brit have been in classes since August 25! HA HA HA
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Monday 9/29/08
“Head, nose, ear, eyes, teeth, eyebrow, tongue, hair, bandana, mouth, head, ear, tongue, eyelashes, cheek, forehead, chin, ear, hair, mouth, neck, earring, nose, one tooth, necklace, head, hair, teeth”
Amanda had the pleasure of seeing my level of patience for well over an hour while trying to teach Haiki a little bit of English. Thanks to my job back in the states I have learned to repeat myself repetitively without acknowledging the amount of time I am spending doing so, but Haiki was doing so well it was difficult to stop. I am trying to figure out how much she knows because otherwise, where does one start trying to teach?! She knows the alphabet, most of the colors, and how to count to 100. We worked on the head region today and she seems really determined, but it’s difficult because we really don’t have the time. I feel like I have to sneak time in when our parents aren’t here because otherwise she is suppose to be doing chores, etc. Anyhow, today when Amanda and I got back from our hike to campus from our failed attempt of registering for classes, Amanda told Haiki we were hungry. Haiki suggest chips (French fries) and a sausage (hot dog). Neither Amanda nor I are to keen on their hotdogs, especially for breakfast, so we told her chips would be just fine. She proceeded to offer us some eggs and again, we declined, but then I had small thought-nobody is home. So Amanda and I attempted to translate/draw a picture of a fried egg in hopes we could get her to make this instead, but to no avail, we were left stuck with a failed attempt. So I decided, I will cook the eggs and Haiki can make the chips. Atlas! Finally after two weeks of some sort of Spanish omelet yuckiness, we have an American egg! Amanda made toast with butter and we tossed our over easy eggs on top…it was heaven and Haiki was impressed. At least that’s what Amanda gathered after we explained the difference an omelet and a fried egg.
After reading Amanda’s blog and realizing how much I left out in my blog knowing she would write all the good details, I feel the need to add too one of her stories. Our first night in Arusha at the Florida Inn-I was literally in tears this night because of this incident. First off, Amanda really is a garbage disposal and as I have said, I am learning not to trust her taste buds as everything is tasty in her eyes. Nonetheless, I had only been in Africa a week at this point so I am still heavily relying on Amanda to guide me in the food area. She tells mama Kaaya what to order me and as she stated, Noel order her food. I asked Amanda, what did you order and she replies, “I don’t know, some sort of cow meat.” So we get our food and she starts eating. I ask her again, what are you eating and is it good? Her response, “It’s a little chewy, but you should try it. It’s some sort of cow meat.” I hesitate and refrain from trying it. This is when Noel chimes in and says, it’s not cow meat. It’s a chicken. Amanda looks at me and corrects herself. It’s chicken, not cow. I laugh and joke around saying, you don’t even know what you’re eating and she willingly admits she doesn’t, but continues to gnaw away at this chewy meat. Noel proceeds to try and describe what exactly this “firigisi” is while grabbing at his neck and saying chicken. At this point, I start laughing because I can’t help but to think of Amanda’s vegetarian lifestyle for the past four years or so while watching her eat this chewy meat while Noel points to his neck. You see, once I start laughing, I can’t stop. So I start suggesting body parts of a chicken to Noel wondering if any will click, but Amanda finally says under her breath to me, “I don’t think I even want to know.” So graciously try to gather my composure failing miserably and poor Noel doesn’t understand why I can’t stop laughing. Had Amanda not been a vegetarian I probably would have only laughed for a moment, but the thought just continued to run through my head and every time I looked at her play of chicken gizzard, I just started laughing all over again! She is definitely a trooper!
While on the topic of my laughing behaviors I am reminded of our first day on our Safari at our first camp sight. Ally(pronounced like all-ee) decides to show us around and bring us to the showers since we’re high class American’s and that’s just what we do…well, not so much Amanda, but I have a little OCD cleanliness issue. Nonetheless, Ally tugs on the shower door and it flings open. To all three of our surprise, there is a lovely naked lady taking a shower. Ally hesitates, looks again as if he wasn’t sure he really saw what the two of us were looking at and proceeds to shut the door. Poor ole virgin Lacey can’t stop laughing at the mere fact our guide just totally gave a peek show to the two of us and his only startled response, why didn’t she lock the door? Perhaps the door didn’t lock, that’s why! Too funny, but not sure how funny that would have been had it been me naked in that shower!
Would also like to add, Amanda can be a clever little smartass. For those of you who don’t know what happened to my feet this summer, let me make a quick recap. Isaac (a little boy I work with) just learned how to ride his bike thanks to his father. Now this is a huge deal for me because for years he has been riding a bike, but ever so slowly and for him to actually be able to ride a bike with no training wheels was sheer amazement for me. So I decide I want to take Isaac around the block real quick because I am so ecstatic. I figured I don’t need my shoes as it’s not sunny out and just days prior I got a tattoo that was still healing on the top of my left foot. So the intelligent individual that I am decides to go barefoot. After feeling my feet tingle for quite some time and continuing on thinking it’s just glass already embedded into my feet I discover when I return to his house that I had in fact burned the bottom of my feet. They turned into beautiful blisters which were lots of fun to play with and then into minor craters which still exist as I type this. Anyhow, my feet were still peeling the first week I arrived and so I had to explain to Amanda what I did to cause such a mess. She laughs and I think nothing more of…that is, until our second to last day on our safari! I notice my left arm is burning from the sun and I say to Amanda, “I can tell my arm is burning because every time I put it back in the edge of the sun, it tingles.” She replied something along the lines of ‘ah did you learn a lesson about tingling?’ I can’t remember her exact words, but she is lucky we have only known each other for two weeks. It was clever, funny, spontaneous, and took me a minute to register exactly what she was saying, but I could have totally fed her to the male lion!
So Sunday night Amanda and I decide we are going to go check out the movie theatre in the shopping mall near our house. It’s a short little 15 or 20 minute walk if you take the short cut through some trees or much longer if you take the main roads. We have been advised to avoid short cuts in the dark and for good reason. So it’s about 6:45 pm and the Amanda asks me, do you want to take the daladala? I hesitate a little while looking out the window and figure it might be light enough to still walk. So Amanda ponders for a moment and decides to remind of the two girls on campus who were held up with a machete her first week in Africa. After being reminded of this event I began to think, maybe we should skip the movies?! Eh, we can just take the daladala. We get to the movies and purchaseour tickets (you actually have to pick your seats when purchasing tickets!), get us a coke and some tasty popcorn. It was really super, but the movie Debbie told us was playing at 7:30 was in fact not even playing at all. So Amanda and I look at the list of 5 movies we can choose from and decide on Forgetting Sarah Marshal. I am horrible with movies and it’s not until we sit down in the theatre with our assigned seat that I realize I have already seen this movie with Lora at the drive inn’s! It was great sadness, but I played on my phone for a bit and even dozed off for a few naps in the AC! Yes, there was AC! Anyhow, we leave the theatre and I take most of my cash and tuck it in my shirt, leaving just enough for a daladala or to make it appear I wasn’t hiding anything if we were held hostage with a machete! Being the two white blondes we are, the moment we step out of the mini mall we are attacked by cab drivers. Amanda declines their services and we continue to walk. We realize its past 9 p.m. and the daladala’s stop running after 9. So we decide to just walk home entirely. I send a quick text stating, “if you don’t hear from me in 45 min, freak!” Sigh, it gives me some comfort. So as were walking I proceed to tell Amanda, hey, maybe they won’t notice we’re white since it is pitch black out and she replies, “Have you seen my legs? I am afraid we’re glowing.” Ugh, it was a good thought. We hesitate a bit when we approach the short cut. Should we run for it or take the long way. It’s probably a difference of at least 20 minutes, but we look to sketchy so we decide to take the long way. There were a few spots with light, but most of the way was pitch black. Amanda managed to take a fall in a decent size hole. She totally busted and scratched up her leg a tad bit. It made me feel better given the fact that I nearly wiped out in the middle of campus earlier that day. I miraculously caught myself after drenching my computer bag and spraying the muck all over Amanda too. After Amanda wiped out in the dark, she stated “we are the two most graceful walkers.” Sigh, brought back high school memories and the many falls running up the stairs, but so true. Anyhow, we make it to our street and we’re almost home safe when I spot a dog. It walks towards us very slightly as we pass by and proceeds to cross into the street. As I start to slightly freak out saying to Amanda, “it’s following us!” the dog thankfully stops. Deep breath…we make it home…and what does baba say, “How did you get home?” We tell a small lie about how we tried to get a cab (we didn’t try at all) but rather ended up walking the long way. He continues to ask, “I sent you a text Amanda. Did you get it?” No, no we didn’t. So she reads the text and it says something along the lines of, I advise you to take a cab Amanda, there are fierce dogs outside. Amanda and I look at each other, ‘seriously?’ Well, we did encounter ONE dog and I guess that’s more than a group of kids with a machete holding us hostage.
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Tuesday 9/30/08
Well, Amanda hiked to campus today while I stayed home like a bum. It’s more fun trying to teach Haika English and honestly I have been extremely tired lately. First week and a half I could hardly sleep. Stayed up all night listening to Amanda sleep talk which is very entertaining, but the past three nights I have fallen asleep first, woke up last, and wanted a nap! Whoa, totally normal if I was in America, but haven’t been this tired since I have been here. Perhaps I am just settling in. Who knows? Anyhow, thanks Dawn for the email back with the classes. I will hike to campus tomorrow morning and try to figure some things out with classes. Totally confused, but I guess this is Africa!
OCTOBER!
Sorry baba, I didn’t feel like hiking to campus today because I still can’t figure out what classes I need to take and quite honestly, I just don’t get the Africa school system yet. Sigh, maybe that’s not exactly what I said, but sure is what I wanted to say. That’s what baba asked me when he got home last night. I feel like I am five again and must go to school or I will get in trouble. Funny. Reminds me of good ole Vegas days! Yes Gary, okay Gary, anything you say Gary! Anyhow, hiked to campus this morning and I guess the next three days school is out-so much for trying to figure out classes today! Last night Debbie was saying, there might not be school tomorrow. My thought process, “there MIGHT not be school?! What!?! Might? Depending on the moon? This would never fly in America!”
PS…looks like I will be changing my plane ticket to nearly a month early! Yes, probably early Dec I will be home. So I guess I will be in school for 2 months? Now that’s funny because all I can think of is Ally and Brit have been in classes since August 25! HA HA HA
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Monday 9/29/08
“Head, nose, ear, eyes, teeth, eyebrow, tongue, hair, bandana, mouth, head, ear, tongue, eyelashes, cheek, forehead, chin, ear, hair, mouth, neck, earring, nose, one tooth, necklace, head, hair, teeth”
Amanda had the pleasure of seeing my level of patience for well over an hour while trying to teach Haiki a little bit of English. Thanks to my job back in the states I have learned to repeat myself repetitively without acknowledging the amount of time I am spending doing so, but Haiki was doing so well it was difficult to stop. I am trying to figure out how much she knows because otherwise, where does one start trying to teach?! She knows the alphabet, most of the colors, and how to count to 100. We worked on the head region today and she seems really determined, but it’s difficult because we really don’t have the time. I feel like I have to sneak time in when our parents aren’t here because otherwise she is suppose to be doing chores, etc. Anyhow, today when Amanda and I got back from our hike to campus from our failed attempt of registering for classes, Amanda told Haiki we were hungry. Haiki suggest chips (French fries) and a sausage (hot dog). Neither Amanda nor I are to keen on their hotdogs, especially for breakfast, so we told her chips would be just fine. She proceeded to offer us some eggs and again, we declined, but then I had small thought-nobody is home. So Amanda and I attempted to translate/draw a picture of a fried egg in hopes we could get her to make this instead, but to no avail, we were left stuck with a failed attempt. So I decided, I will cook the eggs and Haiki can make the chips. Atlas! Finally after two weeks of some sort of Spanish omelet yuckiness, we have an American egg! Amanda made toast with butter and we tossed our over easy eggs on top…it was heaven and Haiki was impressed. At least that’s what Amanda gathered after we explained the difference an omelet and a fried egg.
After reading Amanda’s blog and realizing how much I left out in my blog knowing she would write all the good details, I feel the need to add too one of her stories. Our first night in Arusha at the Florida Inn-I was literally in tears this night because of this incident. First off, Amanda really is a garbage disposal and as I have said, I am learning not to trust her taste buds as everything is tasty in her eyes. Nonetheless, I had only been in Africa a week at this point so I am still heavily relying on Amanda to guide me in the food area. She tells mama Kaaya what to order me and as she stated, Noel order her food. I asked Amanda, what did you order and she replies, “I don’t know, some sort of cow meat.” So we get our food and she starts eating. I ask her again, what are you eating and is it good? Her response, “It’s a little chewy, but you should try it. It’s some sort of cow meat.” I hesitate and refrain from trying it. This is when Noel chimes in and says, it’s not cow meat. It’s a chicken. Amanda looks at me and corrects herself. It’s chicken, not cow. I laugh and joke around saying, you don’t even know what you’re eating and she willingly admits she doesn’t, but continues to gnaw away at this chewy meat. Noel proceeds to try and describe what exactly this “firigisi” is while grabbing at his neck and saying chicken. At this point, I start laughing because I can’t help but to think of Amanda’s vegetarian lifestyle for the past four years or so while watching her eat this chewy meat while Noel points to his neck. You see, once I start laughing, I can’t stop. So I start suggesting body parts of a chicken to Noel wondering if any will click, but Amanda finally says under her breath to me, “I don’t think I even want to know.” So graciously try to gather my composure failing miserably and poor Noel doesn’t understand why I can’t stop laughing. Had Amanda not been a vegetarian I probably would have only laughed for a moment, but the thought just continued to run through my head and every time I looked at her play of chicken gizzard, I just started laughing all over again! She is definitely a trooper!
While on the topic of my laughing behaviors I am reminded of our first day on our Safari at our first camp sight. Ally(pronounced like all-ee) decides to show us around and bring us to the showers since we’re high class American’s and that’s just what we do…well, not so much Amanda, but I have a little OCD cleanliness issue. Nonetheless, Ally tugs on the shower door and it flings open. To all three of our surprise, there is a lovely naked lady taking a shower. Ally hesitates, looks again as if he wasn’t sure he really saw what the two of us were looking at and proceeds to shut the door. Poor ole virgin Lacey can’t stop laughing at the mere fact our guide just totally gave a peek show to the two of us and his only startled response, why didn’t she lock the door? Perhaps the door didn’t lock, that’s why! Too funny, but not sure how funny that would have been had it been me naked in that shower!
Would also like to add, Amanda can be a clever little smartass. For those of you who don’t know what happened to my feet this summer, let me make a quick recap. Isaac (a little boy I work with) just learned how to ride his bike thanks to his father. Now this is a huge deal for me because for years he has been riding a bike, but ever so slowly and for him to actually be able to ride a bike with no training wheels was sheer amazement for me. So I decide I want to take Isaac around the block real quick because I am so ecstatic. I figured I don’t need my shoes as it’s not sunny out and just days prior I got a tattoo that was still healing on the top of my left foot. So the intelligent individual that I am decides to go barefoot. After feeling my feet tingle for quite some time and continuing on thinking it’s just glass already embedded into my feet I discover when I return to his house that I had in fact burned the bottom of my feet. They turned into beautiful blisters which were lots of fun to play with and then into minor craters which still exist as I type this. Anyhow, my feet were still peeling the first week I arrived and so I had to explain to Amanda what I did to cause such a mess. She laughs and I think nothing more of…that is, until our second to last day on our safari! I notice my left arm is burning from the sun and I say to Amanda, “I can tell my arm is burning because every time I put it back in the edge of the sun, it tingles.” She replied something along the lines of ‘ah did you learn a lesson about tingling?’ I can’t remember her exact words, but she is lucky we have only known each other for two weeks. It was clever, funny, spontaneous, and took me a minute to register exactly what she was saying, but I could have totally fed her to the male lion!
So Sunday night Amanda and I decide we are going to go check out the movie theatre in the shopping mall near our house. It’s a short little 15 or 20 minute walk if you take the short cut through some trees or much longer if you take the main roads. We have been advised to avoid short cuts in the dark and for good reason. So it’s about 6:45 pm and the Amanda asks me, do you want to take the daladala? I hesitate a little while looking out the window and figure it might be light enough to still walk. So Amanda ponders for a moment and decides to remind of the two girls on campus who were held up with a machete her first week in Africa. After being reminded of this event I began to think, maybe we should skip the movies?! Eh, we can just take the daladala. We get to the movies and purchaseour tickets (you actually have to pick your seats when purchasing tickets!), get us a coke and some tasty popcorn. It was really super, but the movie Debbie told us was playing at 7:30 was in fact not even playing at all. So Amanda and I look at the list of 5 movies we can choose from and decide on Forgetting Sarah Marshal. I am horrible with movies and it’s not until we sit down in the theatre with our assigned seat that I realize I have already seen this movie with Lora at the drive inn’s! It was great sadness, but I played on my phone for a bit and even dozed off for a few naps in the AC! Yes, there was AC! Anyhow, we leave the theatre and I take most of my cash and tuck it in my shirt, leaving just enough for a daladala or to make it appear I wasn’t hiding anything if we were held hostage with a machete! Being the two white blondes we are, the moment we step out of the mini mall we are attacked by cab drivers. Amanda declines their services and we continue to walk. We realize its past 9 p.m. and the daladala’s stop running after 9. So we decide to just walk home entirely. I send a quick text stating, “if you don’t hear from me in 45 min, freak!” Sigh, it gives me some comfort. So as were walking I proceed to tell Amanda, hey, maybe they won’t notice we’re white since it is pitch black out and she replies, “Have you seen my legs? I am afraid we’re glowing.” Ugh, it was a good thought. We hesitate a bit when we approach the short cut. Should we run for it or take the long way. It’s probably a difference of at least 20 minutes, but we look to sketchy so we decide to take the long way. There were a few spots with light, but most of the way was pitch black. Amanda managed to take a fall in a decent size hole. She totally busted and scratched up her leg a tad bit. It made me feel better given the fact that I nearly wiped out in the middle of campus earlier that day. I miraculously caught myself after drenching my computer bag and spraying the muck all over Amanda too. After Amanda wiped out in the dark, she stated “we are the two most graceful walkers.” Sigh, brought back high school memories and the many falls running up the stairs, but so true. Anyhow, we make it to our street and we’re almost home safe when I spot a dog. It walks towards us very slightly as we pass by and proceeds to cross into the street. As I start to slightly freak out saying to Amanda, “it’s following us!” the dog thankfully stops. Deep breath…we make it home…and what does baba say, “How did you get home?” We tell a small lie about how we tried to get a cab (we didn’t try at all) but rather ended up walking the long way. He continues to ask, “I sent you a text Amanda. Did you get it?” No, no we didn’t. So she reads the text and it says something along the lines of, I advise you to take a cab Amanda, there are fierce dogs outside. Amanda and I look at each other, ‘seriously?’ Well, we did encounter ONE dog and I guess that’s more than a group of kids with a machete holding us hostage.
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Tuesday 9/30/08
Well, Amanda hiked to campus today while I stayed home like a bum. It’s more fun trying to teach Haika English and honestly I have been extremely tired lately. First week and a half I could hardly sleep. Stayed up all night listening to Amanda sleep talk which is very entertaining, but the past three nights I have fallen asleep first, woke up last, and wanted a nap! Whoa, totally normal if I was in America, but haven’t been this tired since I have been here. Perhaps I am just settling in. Who knows? Anyhow, thanks Dawn for the email back with the classes. I will hike to campus tomorrow morning and try to figure some things out with classes. Totally confused, but I guess this is Africa!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Hakuna Matata?!?! PSHHH
Livid is an understatement at this point. Trying to figure out how classes work here in Africa and I am shocked that anything happens… Perhaps Amanda isn’t as worried as I am since I have such a tight list to choose from. I actually have no clue how this is working for her. I am more concerned about sorting out my chaos than figuring out what she seems to have sorted out already. I don’t even know where to begin with explaining this mess. I guess this week school was supposed to start, but actually next week you officially sign up for the classes? Sigh. It’s a mess online and if you are lucky enough to find a class, you show up this week and scope it out, decide if you like it, and then technically sign up for it next week?! Most bizarre and frustrating! I have only four classes that have been approved (French, Calc, History, and a Psych), but can’t find them or the specific call number! Argh! Anyhow, this is a brief note before my laptop dies about my FIRST day of class…no class and I am hiking home to read because power is probably still out and I won’t be able to type about last night which is a story to tell if Amanda hasn’t already!!
::pouting::
::pouting::
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Just Be Free
Wow, a lot has happened and unfortunately I have not had the convenience of my lap top at my fingers daily so I am going by memory and going to summarize a ton as I would rather read my book than type at this moment…I just know we are headed to campus in a few so I thought I would type something and try to upload a set of pictures to facebook! Anyhow, I have a few notes in my phone I will touch on first before I venture into our Safari ordeal!
*Sometime last week Amanda and I were in downtown Dar with Kilma…they jumped on a daladala and the daladala almost left me! I was terrified for a moment that I wasn’t going to get on it before it continued to drive away. I totally trampled my way to that door. That would have been BAD!
*Amanda makes me feel like a girly girl! She is a dirty kid who rarely showers or washes her hair! I could write an entire blog on how dirty she is, but will refrain because slowly but surely I am catching up with her dirty ways! Oh, and she has had a year of Swahili in the states, but failed to mention this to me until a week or so later! Evilness! Here I thought she was just extremely brilliant with being able to pick up the language so fast!!
*Well, I am still eating lots of food. Hopefully when school starts tomorrow we won’t be pushed to eat as much. It’s funny and a tad awkward. Amanda and I always eat alone. It’s like, feed the American’s and feed them often. Too funny and I have given up on relying on Amanda to tell me whether or not something is good or bad because she eats anything and everything! We work well as a team though because I will eat the meat and she will eat everything else. It seems to be a compromise we’re both happy about.
*Amanda I decided to take a walk around Arusha Friday night and I said jokingly but in all seriousness, this is fun amusement. It’s very entertaining when they shout “wazungu” and I haven’t figured out why I think it’s funny, I just do. Anyhow, when we were in the museum in downtown Dar last week a group of school aged kids came in and wanted to take pictures with us. When they asked Amanda why not, she replied “do I look like I am part of the museum? Save your pictures for the museum.” It was really mean, but very funny because almost all the kids wanted to take a picture with us, but evil Amanda was firm in saying no, I am not a part of the museum!
*David, before I forget, thanks for the new pills and it was nice to hear a familiar American voice! I hope they do the tick and give me back some of my sanity!
Ok, so a brief touch on this past week. Amanda and I packed our bags Wednesday night to head for Arusha for the weekend. We were suppose to come back Sunday so only packed enough clothes for 3 days. It was a good ten hour bus drive north, but we made it and settled into our beautiful hotel accompanied by a few a little roaches and sometimes warm water to shower. Anyhow, we met some of mama Kaaya’s family and her friend Noel. Somewhere along this journey Amanda and I decided to check into hiring a guide to take us on a Safari. Long story short (don’t feel like typing) we found us a guide and a chef and ventured out to camp in Manyara for one night, the Serengeti for two nights, Ngorongoro Crater one night, and the Tarangire National Park our last night. We ended up extending our stay by well over a week which meant we were wearing lots of dirty clothes and showers were far and few as we were camping. Our chef was awesome…great cook and funny man even though I couldn’t understand anything he said and he couldn’t understand anything I said. Amanda and I had lots of candle lit dinners. We looked like a lovely couple! Everyone else either came as a family or a couple and then there was Amanda and I…it was very entertaining to say the least. We managed to get 6 flat tires, which I found to be hysterical. We only had two spares so after we had no spare tires I asked Ali, what happens if we get another flat. He laughed and didn’t answer so I thought ok, it must not be a big deal but to my surprise he was worried because he brought us back to the wrong camp and confessed he had done so because he had been thinking about the tires. That was comforting, not! No worries though, he went and repaired them and we continued on just to continue getting flat after flat after flat. He had to change one flat in front of two cheetahs! They just watched his every move. Oh before I forget…one night Amanda started sleep talking but not like usual. She was actually having a one on one conversation with me so I wasn’t sure if she was awake or sleeping so I continued to question her. Apparently I pissed her off with all my questions and she sat up in our itty bitty tent and said “sweetheart, listen to me…!” She was rambling on about my luggage and worried whether or not it was going to make it though customs because of possible weapons?! At that point she was awake and was trying to defend herself, but I couldn’t stop laughing. I was literally in tears! She confessed the following morning to it starting off as sleep talking, but because of my persistent questions that must have pissed her off, she woke up and tried to play it off. A few nights later Amanda and I decided to shower at our last camp. She had no intentions of washing her hair, but I convinced her to use my shampoo and conditioner. Just moments later after using my shampoo, her shower head loses water pressure and literally just starts dripping. I try turning off my water head to see if that helps her water pressure, but to no avail, it does nothing. Priceless! I thought one night we had lost Amanda. We were eating dinner on top of the crater and Amanda says to me, it’s beautiful out. I thought to myself, it’s flipping cold out so I ask her, what do you mean, it’s beautiful out?! She proceeds to tell me, the sky is beautiful. I think nothing more of this and we finish eating. She helps the chef bring some of the stuff back into the other building and I sit and chat on my phone for a few when Ali comes and asks me where Amanda is. I tell him she is in the tent and don’t hear anything back from him. I finish talking on the phone and go to the tent where I discover Amanda is NOT! I walk over to the open fire and stare relentlessly at a bunch of foreigners looking for her, but don’t see her. Ali walks up behind me and asks, where is Amanda? I reply, I thought she was in the tent, but now I don’t know. He says he had checked in the tent when I sent him there and she wasn’t there then either. I then tell him she had mentioned the sky being beautiful and she might be laying down looking at. His response, “that’s dangerous.” Sigh, needless to say after calling her name and using my phone for a small flashlight, we found her doing just as I thought. I was worried for a moment we had really lost her! Well, I typed more than I had planned on typing so for more details on all the animals we found etc, check Amanda’s blog!
School starts tomorrow, finally! Will try and keep writing as there is much I haven't said, but as you can see, it will be less and less…Hello to all and thanks to all!
*Sometime last week Amanda and I were in downtown Dar with Kilma…they jumped on a daladala and the daladala almost left me! I was terrified for a moment that I wasn’t going to get on it before it continued to drive away. I totally trampled my way to that door. That would have been BAD!
*Amanda makes me feel like a girly girl! She is a dirty kid who rarely showers or washes her hair! I could write an entire blog on how dirty she is, but will refrain because slowly but surely I am catching up with her dirty ways! Oh, and she has had a year of Swahili in the states, but failed to mention this to me until a week or so later! Evilness! Here I thought she was just extremely brilliant with being able to pick up the language so fast!!
*Well, I am still eating lots of food. Hopefully when school starts tomorrow we won’t be pushed to eat as much. It’s funny and a tad awkward. Amanda and I always eat alone. It’s like, feed the American’s and feed them often. Too funny and I have given up on relying on Amanda to tell me whether or not something is good or bad because she eats anything and everything! We work well as a team though because I will eat the meat and she will eat everything else. It seems to be a compromise we’re both happy about.
*Amanda I decided to take a walk around Arusha Friday night and I said jokingly but in all seriousness, this is fun amusement. It’s very entertaining when they shout “wazungu” and I haven’t figured out why I think it’s funny, I just do. Anyhow, when we were in the museum in downtown Dar last week a group of school aged kids came in and wanted to take pictures with us. When they asked Amanda why not, she replied “do I look like I am part of the museum? Save your pictures for the museum.” It was really mean, but very funny because almost all the kids wanted to take a picture with us, but evil Amanda was firm in saying no, I am not a part of the museum!
*David, before I forget, thanks for the new pills and it was nice to hear a familiar American voice! I hope they do the tick and give me back some of my sanity!
Ok, so a brief touch on this past week. Amanda and I packed our bags Wednesday night to head for Arusha for the weekend. We were suppose to come back Sunday so only packed enough clothes for 3 days. It was a good ten hour bus drive north, but we made it and settled into our beautiful hotel accompanied by a few a little roaches and sometimes warm water to shower. Anyhow, we met some of mama Kaaya’s family and her friend Noel. Somewhere along this journey Amanda and I decided to check into hiring a guide to take us on a Safari. Long story short (don’t feel like typing) we found us a guide and a chef and ventured out to camp in Manyara for one night, the Serengeti for two nights, Ngorongoro Crater one night, and the Tarangire National Park our last night. We ended up extending our stay by well over a week which meant we were wearing lots of dirty clothes and showers were far and few as we were camping. Our chef was awesome…great cook and funny man even though I couldn’t understand anything he said and he couldn’t understand anything I said. Amanda and I had lots of candle lit dinners. We looked like a lovely couple! Everyone else either came as a family or a couple and then there was Amanda and I…it was very entertaining to say the least. We managed to get 6 flat tires, which I found to be hysterical. We only had two spares so after we had no spare tires I asked Ali, what happens if we get another flat. He laughed and didn’t answer so I thought ok, it must not be a big deal but to my surprise he was worried because he brought us back to the wrong camp and confessed he had done so because he had been thinking about the tires. That was comforting, not! No worries though, he went and repaired them and we continued on just to continue getting flat after flat after flat. He had to change one flat in front of two cheetahs! They just watched his every move. Oh before I forget…one night Amanda started sleep talking but not like usual. She was actually having a one on one conversation with me so I wasn’t sure if she was awake or sleeping so I continued to question her. Apparently I pissed her off with all my questions and she sat up in our itty bitty tent and said “sweetheart, listen to me…!” She was rambling on about my luggage and worried whether or not it was going to make it though customs because of possible weapons?! At that point she was awake and was trying to defend herself, but I couldn’t stop laughing. I was literally in tears! She confessed the following morning to it starting off as sleep talking, but because of my persistent questions that must have pissed her off, she woke up and tried to play it off. A few nights later Amanda and I decided to shower at our last camp. She had no intentions of washing her hair, but I convinced her to use my shampoo and conditioner. Just moments later after using my shampoo, her shower head loses water pressure and literally just starts dripping. I try turning off my water head to see if that helps her water pressure, but to no avail, it does nothing. Priceless! I thought one night we had lost Amanda. We were eating dinner on top of the crater and Amanda says to me, it’s beautiful out. I thought to myself, it’s flipping cold out so I ask her, what do you mean, it’s beautiful out?! She proceeds to tell me, the sky is beautiful. I think nothing more of this and we finish eating. She helps the chef bring some of the stuff back into the other building and I sit and chat on my phone for a few when Ali comes and asks me where Amanda is. I tell him she is in the tent and don’t hear anything back from him. I finish talking on the phone and go to the tent where I discover Amanda is NOT! I walk over to the open fire and stare relentlessly at a bunch of foreigners looking for her, but don’t see her. Ali walks up behind me and asks, where is Amanda? I reply, I thought she was in the tent, but now I don’t know. He says he had checked in the tent when I sent him there and she wasn’t there then either. I then tell him she had mentioned the sky being beautiful and she might be laying down looking at. His response, “that’s dangerous.” Sigh, needless to say after calling her name and using my phone for a small flashlight, we found her doing just as I thought. I was worried for a moment we had really lost her! Well, I typed more than I had planned on typing so for more details on all the animals we found etc, check Amanda’s blog!
School starts tomorrow, finally! Will try and keep writing as there is much I haven't said, but as you can see, it will be less and less…Hello to all and thanks to all!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Nod and Smile...
9/12/08
OK…so today was my first day in Tanzania and though I thought I was prepared for what I was going to see or expect…I was wrong! So much goes through my head that I sometimes wish I had a computer inside typing as my thoughts flow, but instead I write notes in my phone so I don’t forget anything! Here is a take on my first full day…
Couldn’t fall asleep last night because of many emotions I am sure. So finally, as the sun begins to rise and the roosters start cooing, I fall fast asleep to Amanda’s sleep talking. She really does sleep talk and it’s not in any language I can understand. I sleep for a few hours, nothing grand and wake up to Amanda gone. Sigh. I ponder for a few minutes on whether or not I should get up and go downstairs or lay and wait to see when she returns. Thankfully, just as I got up to wrap up my beautiful mosquito net, she enters. Huge relief. We chat for a few minutes and I decide I will try to bathe and wet my hair so I can do something with it for the wedding before going down to eat breakfast. Now let me remind you, I haven’t eaten anything since I have been here so I am more than just nervous for breakfast. Amanda tells Haika what to make me and as I wait I prepare myself…if they eat it and survive…I can eat and I will survive too and what do you know, I am still alive after eating breakfast! It wasn’t anything too yummy, but I could chew it and swallow it without feeling the need to vomit. So I know if all else fails, Haika can cook me something edible, even if just eggs, onions, and peppers. Sounds really bizarre to say I have someone cooking for me. I guess it feels mostly strange given the circumstances. I mean, I am not in some luxurious home with an elevator, but more like a 2 story cement block with a kitchen the size of my walk-in closet and a bucket to wash with. So I am not sure how I feel about Haika at this point other than to accept it and don’t get me wrong, the family treats her very well. It’s just awkward. I think it would be fun to try and teach her English since she seems to thoroughly enjoy staring and laughing at me. I have no idea what I look like or what I do that makes her laugh like so, but she seems good in nature.
After breakfast Amanda and I went for a short walk. I forget why we ventured out, but I am sure we had good motive. When we returned we got dressed for the big wedding. I guess because of the living conditions I wasn’t expecting the wedding to be so grand and luxurious, but it was absolutely beautiful! The church was incredible, even without air! I was extremely fascinated with how it was built…the columns, the arches, the walls (the side walls were built with holes so air can blow through). Simply spectacular.
Ok, so I am beyond tired right now, but I did make a few notes in my phone I thought I would mention before I forget or don’t have the time…
1) DRIVING…ok, driving here is crazy! Hell, perhaps crazy isn’t even the word for it. I just sit in the back and mutter a small prayer or two in hopes we make it to our final destination while reminding myself, they’re still alive. I have so many questions for Pamela (mother) but am not sure how to ask her or if it’s even appropriate. I just start laughing to myself and Amanda’s response…ask anything. Holy **** if she only knew! I am totally intrigued by their driving system. I guess you need a license but if you don’t have one you can pay the sheriff a few shillings and be on your way. Actually, I haven’t even seen any local authorities but apparently they’re around. That’s just what I learned when asking about needing a license. Driving here is like survival of the fittest…I am shocked there aren’t more accidents. Not only accidents, but deaths from people just casually walking in the street or dirt roads like they are invincible! I say prayers for them too! Pamela nearly rammed some little taxi (can’t think of the name) off the road, or at least I thought so. My response…I laughed! It’s like bumper cars with no street lights which inevitably causes traffic jams. It is one thing that leaves me speechless…
2) PICTURES…I guess in Tanzanian culture you’re not supposed to look at the camera for pictures. Very strange and makes me want to do it more often because I know otherwise. Not only that, but I can’t control my laugh. During the wedding they decided to video tape us. Now, you would think that this would be ok but again when a strange man is standing in front of me for about 3 solid minutes videoing just me I can’t help but to glance over and look, chuckle, laugh, giggle…whatever you want to call it. Meanwhile, I am dying on the inside wanting Amanda’s approval. If I could just ask Amanda what she would do, but next it’s her turn and the camera stands on her for 3 solid minutes. These are very long intense minutes when you don’t know what the hell to do! It’s also very awkward when you know somebody is taking a picture of you because instinctively you want to glance over and smile (I think it’s in our nature as American’s to look at the camera) and in the process of trying to avoid this, you laugh and it become obvious very rapidly.
3) HAIR…as much as I am tempted to chop it off, I have worked very hard at getting it this length. However, if I do chop it off, it’ll be a surprise when I get home! Anyhow, with that said, I was warned about people touching my hair and honestly, I am totally fine about it. It’s just very entertaining because they try and do it in the sneakiest way. They like to come over and give you a side hug and in the process reach up and touch your hair. During the ceremony at the church, I felt someone literally tug my hair. So I thought I would break the ice during the reception a tad bit after one of the girls wanted me to touch her hair. Thanks to Nina and my cousin Steph I was able to communicate the differences between our hair when asked if I too put oil in my hair. They were really shocked when they found out I had a cousin of the same colored skin and a picture of baby Jason. Thanks for the lecture on your hair in Vegas Steph! I proceeded to tell them they could freely play with my hair, even braid it if they want! We shall see what they do, if they do! I love when people touch my hair!
4) TATTOO…so I haven’t yet to see anyone with a tattoo and if I am not a big enough freak show for them already, my tattoo really catches some eyes. Sigh, didn’t think it would be so foreign or I might have waited. It’s funny though, because they won’t say anything about it, simply just stare.
5) KIDS…the little kids are totally beyond themselves when they see us. Some will talk, but most just stare and it’s very disheartening when they won’t talk back because I work with kids…I love kids! Sigh, maybe when my Swahili gets better..
6) SWAHILI…speaking of Swahili…wow the language barrier sucks! I totally understand what Amanda was saying when sometimes she wants to mutter Spanish/French. It’s almost like you know you can’t speak English so you try to find something else and inevitably I have been saying a lot of “desole” which is French for sorry. And gosh darn Amanda…she has picked up a lot of the language and I feel I need to catch up on a lot! First I am trying to learn 101 family member names because of the wedding and then they want me to greet them in Swahili! YIKES! Can I work on the names first? Or just one phrase for hello? If somebody says Hujambo, I say… SiJambo …if somebody says mambo (usually for younger kids, it’s slang) I can say safi… which reminds me of saki (Tracy’s cat) and safta (Hebrew) WOW! Sigh! Big sigh. And then, to show respect to the elders, you are to greet them first, and all be damn if I can tell you that greeting right now. And when in doubt, say ASANTE!
7) TOILET…ok, so this was a tad of a surprise for me. I had to use the restroom at the reception…so I told Amanda I was going and she goes ok, I am going to warn you though, it’s a hole in the ground. You squat and when you’re done there is a bucket with water. I thought to myself, hmmmm how bad could this be? Well with a door that doesn’t really shut, a hole in the ground, a bucket of water, and me in a dress…it wasn’t glorious by any means. So after skillfully maneuvering my underwear (tempted to take them off but was very unsure what to do) I squat and pee. Now, this is nothing like peeing in the mountains where it absorbs the urine. Nope, you have to make it right in the hole or else you’ll be standing in it! Moments like these are when a girl wishes she was a guy! Unless, of course, you were taking a poo and I suppose then it wouldn’t matter what sex you were! So after my new skills have been put to the test, I contemplate…should I pull up my underwear or what happens next? I decide it would be gross to not do something so I cup my hand and scoop some water from the 5 gallon bucket and proceed to splash myself. Oh, so much more refreshing, and now that I am all clean and fresh I can pull up my underwear. Sigh, on the brighter side, how convenient are my Jew clothes these days and thankfully I don’t have my period! Best part…dinner was served immediately after this expedition. How sanitary is that crap! Oh, and I ate dinner! I even tried something knew! A chi pole? Again, wasn’t yummy, but could definitely eat it.
8) MOSQUITOS…I haven’t quite figured out the purpose of me having to use the net. I mean, I have the shot for yellow fever and I am also taking the malaria pill, so I should be fine, right? I know I like taking risks sometimes and as much fun as it is to sit under this tent while in bed, I am not sure if I will use it the entire time. It reminds me of the princess beds for little girls. I might be a girl, but I am far from little and much too smelly these days to be a princess!
9) CLASSES…So originally classes were suppose to start the 12th and thankfully they were postponed a week until the 20th. That worked in my favor with all the financial aide hassle I was having. So I arrive to find out, classes have been changed yet again and they won’t start till the 29th! Welcome to Africa my friends! Hell, maybe classes will never start and it’ll just be one large party!
10) AMANDA…she talks in her sleep…two nights in a row! Anyhow, getting used to sharing a room and sleeping on a twin bed will be interesting. Nonetheless, totally stoked because she seems awesome! Right now we are on totally different sleeping waves, but that’s because I just go here and it’s technically almost 9 pm in Florida. Therefore, it’s 4 am here. I didn’t get much sleep last night and doesn’t look like I will get much tonight. Still trying to settle in and get used to this. I figure it’s better to do something productive like type this for your amusement then lay in bed and torture myself with thoughts. I just need to completely exhaust myself until my body gets used to this heat/time change/ bathing conditions, etc. Anyhow, hope everything works out when school starts. I have never shared a room like this and not sure about the lights if one needs sleep and one needs to study. No worries or as you say in Swahili…hakunamatata!
11) OVERPACKED…so I didn’t just over pack a little bit. I over packed a LOT! Enough said there…just calling myself out before Amanda skillfully does so in one of her blogs! She probably thinks I am crazy, but I have never been out of America! That’s my excuse! Also, I know a lot of you are anxious to send me stuff, but aside from maybe one or two things, I am perfectly fine. I will let you know if I do need anything, but the fact is, I don’t NEED anything. It’s all wants and I can do without wants…I will survive!
12) WEDDING…I am sure Amanda will write a far better blog about the wedding than I will and not too mention she was here for the sending off party. My advice for better details, check her blog. Anyhow, by the end of the night, both Amanda and I agreed that a wedding like this would never happen in America. I also realized, this home stay is going to give me the best taste of Africa. Would never have been able to attend an African wedding otherwise and Pamela wants to take us places and show us all sorts of things. She really is a sweetheart and seems excited to show/teach us! If either Amanda or I are not in eyesight, she’s asking where we are. If we leave something on a table that she recommends us not too, she tells us before it happens. That aspect makes me feel safe and our house has many locks. The windows have metal bars for protection and the front door also has a metal outside door that locks. After seeing the father lock it up tonight, I feel so much better about sleeping tonight. Back to the wedding-I have lots of pictures and short videos, but you will have to wait until I get back to the states because I am afraid the internet here will be too slow to upload some of them. I am almost totally speechless with how to describe the wedding. It took place in a Roman Cathedral and was very traditional to an American wedding in some aspects. A lot of singing, chanting, and different types of foreign objects to make music. I totally wanted to try out some of their techniques, but when I can’t even greet them how does one ask, may I try? It was like cans on stick and metal objects to beat. I bet they would get a huge kick out of the Blue Man Group. Sigh, they have probably never even heard of them. Anyone in Vegas care to send me a DVD of them! Too bad this particular tribe doesn’t live around here. Pamela told me the name and said she would show me where they live on the map, but I have forgotten the name along with a thousand other names. The bride and groom were given far too many gifts (at church they pass around a bucket and you put money in it…followed up at the reception you give them another gift or money…and apparently during the sending off party everyone gave gifts too. When I say everyone gave a gift/money…I mean literally everyone! If you attend the wedding and ceremony I guess it is a huge custom to do this which is why it would never happen in America or weddings would be very small LOL) and a brand new Mercedes! I know, totally threw me for a loop, but like I said, this wedding was spectacular!
13) ARUSHA…on Thursday Amanda and I are leaving with Mabel (whom I thought was a male but is actually a female…just wanted to clarify that for anyone who might have heard me mention the name before and used HE instead of SHE) on a bus to Arusha. We will be making stops on the way and staying in a hotel. I wonder what the shower conditions will be like there! We won’t be back until Sunday. My phone may be out of service as I had no service in Mt. K! For the most part, the internet and BBM’s work amazingly and it appears to be safe on my bill! Who knew!
14) NERVES…my body isn’t sure what to think/feel/do in certain situations and sometimes I feel like I am leaching myself to Amanda. Typically I am not afraid and when at home feel completely safe unless I think about a fire, but tonight at the reception when I had to use the restroom for the second time (hey, I brought a napkin to wipe this time) I was frightened. It’s outside the building, down a long dark alley, with a bunch of guys trying to talk to me in Swahili or English. I am walking with a 150$ bag, a 300$ camera, 30$ cash, passport and my blackberry…easy target and I hate to ask Amanda to tag along, but I think I will until I get more comfy. She knows some of the language and two of us is better than one. I just never know how to respond. Do I say hello in English, do I say asante or si jambo in Swahili and what happens when the conversation proceeds that? Do I smile and walk away as if I was in the states and some guy was trying to hit on me or is that considered rude/impolite here? Because I can’t understand them and I don’t know what they’re saying, I don’t know how to respond! Are they just truly trying to be friendly? I wouldn’t mind having a conversation in English since we all know I can’t speak a lick of Swahili yet, but how do I know?! So I shake my head and keep walking while thinking, they probably think I am being a snoby American and lets go rob her or do something cruel. Maybe it was just dark out and maybe I don’t know enough people or the language yet, but holy shit is an understatement for the fear I had in that moment tonight. I couldn’t stop shaking and felt like I could have vomited what little food I had just eaten and no, I didn’t take time to enjoy the hole and laugh at the mere thought of how I was going to urinate again. I hauled ass…
9/13/08
Ok, so I was going to read over this before posting it today but because of the internet difficulties I am able to just post…hopefully. It was a quite a hike to the tree Amanda speaks off but nothing a fat American like myself won’t benefit from! The campus is quite an amazing sight. Keep in mind I wrote this through the night half asleep and my host family already knows how much I love sleep as I didn’t wake till 2pm! Yikes. Will try some Tylenol PM tonight. Big day tomorrow…must be up by 9:30! Oh…and I have been informed that the toilets or the same on campus as the toilet I had to use last night. I suppose I will start collecting napkins and look like a hoarder or something of that nature because well, it’s just a tad different! Will also make sure to potty myself before I leave the house. Too funny! I will keep rambling while I wait ever so patiently for this internet to work. As Amanda said, why not Europe?! Well, till I get connection again...hope all is well!
OK…so today was my first day in Tanzania and though I thought I was prepared for what I was going to see or expect…I was wrong! So much goes through my head that I sometimes wish I had a computer inside typing as my thoughts flow, but instead I write notes in my phone so I don’t forget anything! Here is a take on my first full day…
Couldn’t fall asleep last night because of many emotions I am sure. So finally, as the sun begins to rise and the roosters start cooing, I fall fast asleep to Amanda’s sleep talking. She really does sleep talk and it’s not in any language I can understand. I sleep for a few hours, nothing grand and wake up to Amanda gone. Sigh. I ponder for a few minutes on whether or not I should get up and go downstairs or lay and wait to see when she returns. Thankfully, just as I got up to wrap up my beautiful mosquito net, she enters. Huge relief. We chat for a few minutes and I decide I will try to bathe and wet my hair so I can do something with it for the wedding before going down to eat breakfast. Now let me remind you, I haven’t eaten anything since I have been here so I am more than just nervous for breakfast. Amanda tells Haika what to make me and as I wait I prepare myself…if they eat it and survive…I can eat and I will survive too and what do you know, I am still alive after eating breakfast! It wasn’t anything too yummy, but I could chew it and swallow it without feeling the need to vomit. So I know if all else fails, Haika can cook me something edible, even if just eggs, onions, and peppers. Sounds really bizarre to say I have someone cooking for me. I guess it feels mostly strange given the circumstances. I mean, I am not in some luxurious home with an elevator, but more like a 2 story cement block with a kitchen the size of my walk-in closet and a bucket to wash with. So I am not sure how I feel about Haika at this point other than to accept it and don’t get me wrong, the family treats her very well. It’s just awkward. I think it would be fun to try and teach her English since she seems to thoroughly enjoy staring and laughing at me. I have no idea what I look like or what I do that makes her laugh like so, but she seems good in nature.
After breakfast Amanda and I went for a short walk. I forget why we ventured out, but I am sure we had good motive. When we returned we got dressed for the big wedding. I guess because of the living conditions I wasn’t expecting the wedding to be so grand and luxurious, but it was absolutely beautiful! The church was incredible, even without air! I was extremely fascinated with how it was built…the columns, the arches, the walls (the side walls were built with holes so air can blow through). Simply spectacular.
Ok, so I am beyond tired right now, but I did make a few notes in my phone I thought I would mention before I forget or don’t have the time…
1) DRIVING…ok, driving here is crazy! Hell, perhaps crazy isn’t even the word for it. I just sit in the back and mutter a small prayer or two in hopes we make it to our final destination while reminding myself, they’re still alive. I have so many questions for Pamela (mother) but am not sure how to ask her or if it’s even appropriate. I just start laughing to myself and Amanda’s response…ask anything. Holy **** if she only knew! I am totally intrigued by their driving system. I guess you need a license but if you don’t have one you can pay the sheriff a few shillings and be on your way. Actually, I haven’t even seen any local authorities but apparently they’re around. That’s just what I learned when asking about needing a license. Driving here is like survival of the fittest…I am shocked there aren’t more accidents. Not only accidents, but deaths from people just casually walking in the street or dirt roads like they are invincible! I say prayers for them too! Pamela nearly rammed some little taxi (can’t think of the name) off the road, or at least I thought so. My response…I laughed! It’s like bumper cars with no street lights which inevitably causes traffic jams. It is one thing that leaves me speechless…
2) PICTURES…I guess in Tanzanian culture you’re not supposed to look at the camera for pictures. Very strange and makes me want to do it more often because I know otherwise. Not only that, but I can’t control my laugh. During the wedding they decided to video tape us. Now, you would think that this would be ok but again when a strange man is standing in front of me for about 3 solid minutes videoing just me I can’t help but to glance over and look, chuckle, laugh, giggle…whatever you want to call it. Meanwhile, I am dying on the inside wanting Amanda’s approval. If I could just ask Amanda what she would do, but next it’s her turn and the camera stands on her for 3 solid minutes. These are very long intense minutes when you don’t know what the hell to do! It’s also very awkward when you know somebody is taking a picture of you because instinctively you want to glance over and smile (I think it’s in our nature as American’s to look at the camera) and in the process of trying to avoid this, you laugh and it become obvious very rapidly.
3) HAIR…as much as I am tempted to chop it off, I have worked very hard at getting it this length. However, if I do chop it off, it’ll be a surprise when I get home! Anyhow, with that said, I was warned about people touching my hair and honestly, I am totally fine about it. It’s just very entertaining because they try and do it in the sneakiest way. They like to come over and give you a side hug and in the process reach up and touch your hair. During the ceremony at the church, I felt someone literally tug my hair. So I thought I would break the ice during the reception a tad bit after one of the girls wanted me to touch her hair. Thanks to Nina and my cousin Steph I was able to communicate the differences between our hair when asked if I too put oil in my hair. They were really shocked when they found out I had a cousin of the same colored skin and a picture of baby Jason. Thanks for the lecture on your hair in Vegas Steph! I proceeded to tell them they could freely play with my hair, even braid it if they want! We shall see what they do, if they do! I love when people touch my hair!
4) TATTOO…so I haven’t yet to see anyone with a tattoo and if I am not a big enough freak show for them already, my tattoo really catches some eyes. Sigh, didn’t think it would be so foreign or I might have waited. It’s funny though, because they won’t say anything about it, simply just stare.
5) KIDS…the little kids are totally beyond themselves when they see us. Some will talk, but most just stare and it’s very disheartening when they won’t talk back because I work with kids…I love kids! Sigh, maybe when my Swahili gets better..
6) SWAHILI…speaking of Swahili…wow the language barrier sucks! I totally understand what Amanda was saying when sometimes she wants to mutter Spanish/French. It’s almost like you know you can’t speak English so you try to find something else and inevitably I have been saying a lot of “desole” which is French for sorry. And gosh darn Amanda…she has picked up a lot of the language and I feel I need to catch up on a lot! First I am trying to learn 101 family member names because of the wedding and then they want me to greet them in Swahili! YIKES! Can I work on the names first? Or just one phrase for hello? If somebody says Hujambo, I say… SiJambo …if somebody says mambo (usually for younger kids, it’s slang) I can say safi… which reminds me of saki (Tracy’s cat) and safta (Hebrew) WOW! Sigh! Big sigh. And then, to show respect to the elders, you are to greet them first, and all be damn if I can tell you that greeting right now. And when in doubt, say ASANTE!
7) TOILET…ok, so this was a tad of a surprise for me. I had to use the restroom at the reception…so I told Amanda I was going and she goes ok, I am going to warn you though, it’s a hole in the ground. You squat and when you’re done there is a bucket with water. I thought to myself, hmmmm how bad could this be? Well with a door that doesn’t really shut, a hole in the ground, a bucket of water, and me in a dress…it wasn’t glorious by any means. So after skillfully maneuvering my underwear (tempted to take them off but was very unsure what to do) I squat and pee. Now, this is nothing like peeing in the mountains where it absorbs the urine. Nope, you have to make it right in the hole or else you’ll be standing in it! Moments like these are when a girl wishes she was a guy! Unless, of course, you were taking a poo and I suppose then it wouldn’t matter what sex you were! So after my new skills have been put to the test, I contemplate…should I pull up my underwear or what happens next? I decide it would be gross to not do something so I cup my hand and scoop some water from the 5 gallon bucket and proceed to splash myself. Oh, so much more refreshing, and now that I am all clean and fresh I can pull up my underwear. Sigh, on the brighter side, how convenient are my Jew clothes these days and thankfully I don’t have my period! Best part…dinner was served immediately after this expedition. How sanitary is that crap! Oh, and I ate dinner! I even tried something knew! A chi pole? Again, wasn’t yummy, but could definitely eat it.
8) MOSQUITOS…I haven’t quite figured out the purpose of me having to use the net. I mean, I have the shot for yellow fever and I am also taking the malaria pill, so I should be fine, right? I know I like taking risks sometimes and as much fun as it is to sit under this tent while in bed, I am not sure if I will use it the entire time. It reminds me of the princess beds for little girls. I might be a girl, but I am far from little and much too smelly these days to be a princess!
9) CLASSES…So originally classes were suppose to start the 12th and thankfully they were postponed a week until the 20th. That worked in my favor with all the financial aide hassle I was having. So I arrive to find out, classes have been changed yet again and they won’t start till the 29th! Welcome to Africa my friends! Hell, maybe classes will never start and it’ll just be one large party!
10) AMANDA…she talks in her sleep…two nights in a row! Anyhow, getting used to sharing a room and sleeping on a twin bed will be interesting. Nonetheless, totally stoked because she seems awesome! Right now we are on totally different sleeping waves, but that’s because I just go here and it’s technically almost 9 pm in Florida. Therefore, it’s 4 am here. I didn’t get much sleep last night and doesn’t look like I will get much tonight. Still trying to settle in and get used to this. I figure it’s better to do something productive like type this for your amusement then lay in bed and torture myself with thoughts. I just need to completely exhaust myself until my body gets used to this heat/time change/ bathing conditions, etc. Anyhow, hope everything works out when school starts. I have never shared a room like this and not sure about the lights if one needs sleep and one needs to study. No worries or as you say in Swahili…hakunamatata!
11) OVERPACKED…so I didn’t just over pack a little bit. I over packed a LOT! Enough said there…just calling myself out before Amanda skillfully does so in one of her blogs! She probably thinks I am crazy, but I have never been out of America! That’s my excuse! Also, I know a lot of you are anxious to send me stuff, but aside from maybe one or two things, I am perfectly fine. I will let you know if I do need anything, but the fact is, I don’t NEED anything. It’s all wants and I can do without wants…I will survive!
12) WEDDING…I am sure Amanda will write a far better blog about the wedding than I will and not too mention she was here for the sending off party. My advice for better details, check her blog. Anyhow, by the end of the night, both Amanda and I agreed that a wedding like this would never happen in America. I also realized, this home stay is going to give me the best taste of Africa. Would never have been able to attend an African wedding otherwise and Pamela wants to take us places and show us all sorts of things. She really is a sweetheart and seems excited to show/teach us! If either Amanda or I are not in eyesight, she’s asking where we are. If we leave something on a table that she recommends us not too, she tells us before it happens. That aspect makes me feel safe and our house has many locks. The windows have metal bars for protection and the front door also has a metal outside door that locks. After seeing the father lock it up tonight, I feel so much better about sleeping tonight. Back to the wedding-I have lots of pictures and short videos, but you will have to wait until I get back to the states because I am afraid the internet here will be too slow to upload some of them. I am almost totally speechless with how to describe the wedding. It took place in a Roman Cathedral and was very traditional to an American wedding in some aspects. A lot of singing, chanting, and different types of foreign objects to make music. I totally wanted to try out some of their techniques, but when I can’t even greet them how does one ask, may I try? It was like cans on stick and metal objects to beat. I bet they would get a huge kick out of the Blue Man Group. Sigh, they have probably never even heard of them. Anyone in Vegas care to send me a DVD of them! Too bad this particular tribe doesn’t live around here. Pamela told me the name and said she would show me where they live on the map, but I have forgotten the name along with a thousand other names. The bride and groom were given far too many gifts (at church they pass around a bucket and you put money in it…followed up at the reception you give them another gift or money…and apparently during the sending off party everyone gave gifts too. When I say everyone gave a gift/money…I mean literally everyone! If you attend the wedding and ceremony I guess it is a huge custom to do this which is why it would never happen in America or weddings would be very small LOL) and a brand new Mercedes! I know, totally threw me for a loop, but like I said, this wedding was spectacular!
13) ARUSHA…on Thursday Amanda and I are leaving with Mabel (whom I thought was a male but is actually a female…just wanted to clarify that for anyone who might have heard me mention the name before and used HE instead of SHE) on a bus to Arusha. We will be making stops on the way and staying in a hotel. I wonder what the shower conditions will be like there! We won’t be back until Sunday. My phone may be out of service as I had no service in Mt. K! For the most part, the internet and BBM’s work amazingly and it appears to be safe on my bill! Who knew!
14) NERVES…my body isn’t sure what to think/feel/do in certain situations and sometimes I feel like I am leaching myself to Amanda. Typically I am not afraid and when at home feel completely safe unless I think about a fire, but tonight at the reception when I had to use the restroom for the second time (hey, I brought a napkin to wipe this time) I was frightened. It’s outside the building, down a long dark alley, with a bunch of guys trying to talk to me in Swahili or English. I am walking with a 150$ bag, a 300$ camera, 30$ cash, passport and my blackberry…easy target and I hate to ask Amanda to tag along, but I think I will until I get more comfy. She knows some of the language and two of us is better than one. I just never know how to respond. Do I say hello in English, do I say asante or si jambo in Swahili and what happens when the conversation proceeds that? Do I smile and walk away as if I was in the states and some guy was trying to hit on me or is that considered rude/impolite here? Because I can’t understand them and I don’t know what they’re saying, I don’t know how to respond! Are they just truly trying to be friendly? I wouldn’t mind having a conversation in English since we all know I can’t speak a lick of Swahili yet, but how do I know?! So I shake my head and keep walking while thinking, they probably think I am being a snoby American and lets go rob her or do something cruel. Maybe it was just dark out and maybe I don’t know enough people or the language yet, but holy shit is an understatement for the fear I had in that moment tonight. I couldn’t stop shaking and felt like I could have vomited what little food I had just eaten and no, I didn’t take time to enjoy the hole and laugh at the mere thought of how I was going to urinate again. I hauled ass…
9/13/08
Ok, so I was going to read over this before posting it today but because of the internet difficulties I am able to just post…hopefully. It was a quite a hike to the tree Amanda speaks off but nothing a fat American like myself won’t benefit from! The campus is quite an amazing sight. Keep in mind I wrote this through the night half asleep and my host family already knows how much I love sleep as I didn’t wake till 2pm! Yikes. Will try some Tylenol PM tonight. Big day tomorrow…must be up by 9:30! Oh…and I have been informed that the toilets or the same on campus as the toilet I had to use last night. I suppose I will start collecting napkins and look like a hoarder or something of that nature because well, it’s just a tad different! Will also make sure to potty myself before I leave the house. Too funny! I will keep rambling while I wait ever so patiently for this internet to work. As Amanda said, why not Europe?! Well, till I get connection again...hope all is well!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sigh, and in terms of Adam Whitebook...BIG sigh
Finally, I am off to the far east lands of Africa! Who would have ever thought this to actually be possible? Certainly not I and after this summer of procrastination, I mean serious procrastination, I started to wonder if this was really going to happen. To everyone who has helped me in this process (the list is too long to mention), I owe a huge thanks to each and every one of you!
So I am typing this on my first flight to Detroit and I just realized, I am a tad cold and not to my surprise, I have forgotten the ONLY sweater I was going to bring. Crap, where is my heating pad when I need it? Sigh…I live in my sweaters and to sacrifice all of them except ONE and then to forget the damn thing. Argh! On the brighter side of everything, I have my music!
Anyhow, I am extremely excited to be taking baths with buckets, figuring out how to work the bathroom sink, and laying on the cement to cool down. Perhaps when I get there, it wont be nearly as funny as I think it is, but till then I will continue to smile and laugh! I think Amanda and I will get along great…she seems to have a great sense of humor and though I know I will be much entertainment for her while adjusting the first week or so, I will be laughing too. Maybe I will not only come back weighing less, but I just might develop some abs from laughing so much!
Sigh, another big sigh. Hopefully these big sighs and deep breaths go away soon. Slowly but surely everything is starting to happen. I suppose that’s Africa timing for you. I am going to post the link to Amanda’s blog on here…she might write more than I and I actually think you’ll enjoy reading her writing. She writes very well and has been kind enough to inform me of a few things…such as the day after I arrive someone from our host family is getting married. Whoa!
www.amandatatum.blogspot.com
Joe, sorry I was unable to call you. I hope you are ok…I will email you soon if my phone works as planned.
Liz, totally meant to respond to your text…I owe you one when I get back to the states.
EVERYONE, please, please, please do not text my phone or even call it! AT&T specifically said even if I don’t answer your call (Crystal!) I will be charged! Email me: lphill22@fau.edu or lphill22@att.blackberry.net OR if you have a blackberry and know how to set up your BBM or PIN you can message me through the data service.
So I am typing this on my first flight to Detroit and I just realized, I am a tad cold and not to my surprise, I have forgotten the ONLY sweater I was going to bring. Crap, where is my heating pad when I need it? Sigh…I live in my sweaters and to sacrifice all of them except ONE and then to forget the damn thing. Argh! On the brighter side of everything, I have my music!
Anyhow, I am extremely excited to be taking baths with buckets, figuring out how to work the bathroom sink, and laying on the cement to cool down. Perhaps when I get there, it wont be nearly as funny as I think it is, but till then I will continue to smile and laugh! I think Amanda and I will get along great…she seems to have a great sense of humor and though I know I will be much entertainment for her while adjusting the first week or so, I will be laughing too. Maybe I will not only come back weighing less, but I just might develop some abs from laughing so much!
Sigh, another big sigh. Hopefully these big sighs and deep breaths go away soon. Slowly but surely everything is starting to happen. I suppose that’s Africa timing for you. I am going to post the link to Amanda’s blog on here…she might write more than I and I actually think you’ll enjoy reading her writing. She writes very well and has been kind enough to inform me of a few things…such as the day after I arrive someone from our host family is getting married. Whoa!
www.amandatatum.blogspot.com
Joe, sorry I was unable to call you. I hope you are ok…I will email you soon if my phone works as planned.
Liz, totally meant to respond to your text…I owe you one when I get back to the states.
EVERYONE, please, please, please do not text my phone or even call it! AT&T specifically said even if I don’t answer your call (Crystal!) I will be charged! Email me: lphill22@fau.edu or lphill22@att.blackberry.net OR if you have a blackberry and know how to set up your BBM or PIN you can message me through the data service.
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