Pole sana

Pole sana! Sorry I have not posted in a while. The Internet is not exactly reliable here! Please send me emails about your lives it makes my day!!! :)

8/2/07

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch! I should have reminded myself of this just before we left for a walk when I said to Lacy, “I am probably not going to have anything to blog about today beside learning that Jenga comes from the Kiswahili word Build(command).” BOY WAS I WRONG!!

We started our walk taking pictures around the college. I took several pictures of the huge trees here (which fascinate me). It looks like several smaller trees near each other got together and decided, if we join together we might have a better chance of standing forever. I feel like these trees have been here since the beginning of time, wish they could talk! I’ve been told there is an American book about them, anyone know?

We watched the young boys play soccer and it made me laugh to see an AIG jersey on one of the children, wonder where he got that? As we were watching the boys play soccer, a teacher (walimu) asked us if we wanted to see her school. How could we refuse? So we begin touring around the facilities. We started at the Kindergarten classes where she teaches and it appears they are several years behind in their curriculum.

Our next stop was the dining hall. I don’t remember seeing tables, just benches for what seems like thousands of students to sit on. The food was cooked out back; pots full of beans, rice, and not sure what else was been heated outside. Sanitation, well…not sure if there is any because I think every bug on campus gets to eat the food first. I wondered if our food was cooked like this.

After we had worked up on appetite…she insisted that we come see where she stayed, room three. Of course when I heard room three I thought of our old office at Camp Mikell, air-conditioning, computers, hot showers, and cozy beds! Well, room three will have another meaning for me now. This room was the size of Camp’s room 3 bathroom, only she shared it with 3 other girls. Imagine two bunk beds about half the width of twin beds, with foam mattresses (which reminded me of the foam used at the SCA gymnastics pit) and about two feet of room in between. The building had a dusty courtyard and a playroom where the girls played small jimbay looking drums and sang in Kiswahili. I enjoyed the music! They were so proud of there living quarters and I realized that this was one of the nicest places to live here.

8/3/07

Today it is very cold; I think it is in the low sixties and our teacher says it will be like this until mid August- who would have thought Africa got chili!

It’s Friday, which means no school tomorrow and we are going hiking! Boy does my body need physical activity. I am, as usual, restless in class because I am excited about the weekend, but also because I feel like I am in preschool- good bread, mkate mzuri. Also, to add to my lack of attention I found out there is a holiday celebration next Wednesday, nane nane or 8/8. It sounds like it will be Tanzania’s version of Alabama’s game days, or maybe St. Patrick’s Day in Savannah, or the county fair…see what I mean I can’t stay focused today. :)

Later Today 5:00….

There are a new couple here from Chicago, Claire and John. Small world Claire graduated in 2000 from Parkview High School in Lilburn, GA. She will be teaching here and John is doing his internship to become a Lutheran Priest. After talking with them I realized I just can’t escape the constant question of what I’ll be doing after this. John, like Ken, asked me, “Are you going to seminary?” They remind me of my favorite priest and wife couple, Ken and Mel, who I wish were here!

Even later today 10:40 p.m.!

Ok, I’ve written three times today, so proud!

Before dinner I got a little exercise by hitting a volleyball around with the nuns, some Kiswahili teachers and Tatiana from Italy. Not everyday I get to play with nuns, we could have made Sister Act III.

Lacy and I ate dinner with a girl who just came here named Sofia whose from Munich! She is 20 years old and will be volunteering here for a year. I must add at this point I am sick of the food; rice, some veggie concoction, and bread everyday is really getting old. The water tasks like a charcoal stove and I want real chocolate swirl cake, not this semi sweat blah. I have a few English whopper type candies left; I treat myself to one a day (want to make them last).

After dinner we all got together and had a going away party for the Danish couple, Claus and Christina. Claus and Gunter (from Germany) played songs on the Guitar and we sang and danced. Who knew that Frierajaka (sp?) had so many versions and different names for brother John. This scenario made me think, this must be what heaven is like people from all over singing, dancing and laughing understanding each others joy even though we come from the four corners of the Earth.

Everyone’s positive and joyous attitudes are rubbing of on me. There are so many people here I am growing to love. Sister Lalinda, from India, who calls us our nieces, sings sound of music songs with me, and says she will teach me how to meditate! Father Alberto (Bert) the catholic priest from Columbia who is the most peaceful, positive, respectfully caring person and makes me think differently about Columbia, South America!


8/4/07

My feet hurt, my muscles hurt, my ego is big! I climbed one of the tall Ulugro Mountains. I think I was touching heaven because I was in the clouds.

We hiked up the Mountain for three hours. Blue Ridge Outdoor Education center would have been very sad to see this trail. It went straight up and was severely eroding. The trail was so narrow that my two feet barely fit. I swear the natives here can run up this Mountain with buckets on their head, I am not lying I saw it! Of course I was huffing and puffing waiting for my heart to pound out of my chest and my head to explode. Ok it was not that bad, but I did feel the quick change in altitude. It reminded me of Dr. Dulek’s last lecture speech and his analogy about climbing the Mountain.

After literally climbing three hours we got to the top. I felt like making a Tarzan noise, but I refrained. Instead I took off my pack, chugged some water, and sat in the sun hoping my drenched with sweat shirt would quickly dry off before we took any pictures. The group rested at the top of the Mountain, ate bananas and bread for lunch, and took several photos before we began hiking/sliding back down the Mountain.

I say sliding because at one point I just assumed a snow skiing position and slide quickly, straight down the muddy mountain trail. It was worth it, every second, and when I finished I felt more refreshed than ever. Despite my sweaty, dirty full of squashed bug guts body I had climbed that big (kubwa sana) Mountain and survived!!!!

Not to mention the shower, water and nap when I got home was more appreciated than usual. :)