*Hey all! Sorry about the last false e-mail posting alert. I don't know what happened! Please also forgive me for the following blog. I haven't proofed it at all; I'm running late for a flight and just want to get this posted before I leave. I've been wanting to share some day to day details with you but haven't the time now; I'll do it soon--promise! Anyway, here is a brief recap of my last trip.
Three weeks ago my friend and I spent a long weekend in Zanzibar, a Tanzanian island off the Northeastern coast of Dar. We hopped on a ferry Saturday morning and arrived in Zanzibar 2 hours later. Even though it was our first visit to the island, Robin & I decided not to go to the tourist areas of the island, but instead to head to a small fishing village we'd heard about. There is no concrete or even dirt or grass in the entire village. Everything is built on pure white beach sand. We stayed at 'Mustapha's Place', a laid back rastafarian place where Bob Marley cds were on repeat all weekend long. As with the rest of the city, all floors, including our bungalows was sand. It had some lush foilage but overall was kind of like camping: everyone shared a toilet and shower and you had to exert energy to stay there. This was not a come and be taken care of kind of place! Because it was nearing the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, the owners were out of town visiting family and they had a friend running the place. Robin, myself, and 4 Europeans who arrived on the truck with us that morning were its only guests. The young guy running it had all of his friends hanging out the whole time and made it party central.
During Ramadan all schedules are thrown out the window and nothing can ever be assumed. Thus was the case of our stay at Mustapha's Place. The best word I have for our weekend is RANDOM. Thank God we thought to a bag of snacks, otherwis I think we would have starved. The only restaurant in the small village was the one where we were staying. And as our luck would have it, the chef was out of town. Everything that Omar, the man in charge, knew how to cook he could count on one hand, so we ate plenty of rice and fish. *Those of you who know me well know I don't eat anything that comes from the water, so I ate plenty of rice! =)
One morning a man drove us to a nearby forest to see the red colobus monkeys, a member of the critically endangered species list that is found primarily in this forest in Zanzibar. With the help of a park guide, we came upon an entire troop of them. Thankfully, it was morning and they were actively eating and playing. We were able to get within feet of them. I sat and watched them jump amongst the trees, wrestling on the ground and eating, for nearly an hour! After leaving the forest, we stopped by a conservation area that creates a protective environment for tortoises that would otherwise be hunted.
After we arrived back at our 'barracks' as I jovially refered to them, I asked Omar if he knew of anyone who could take us out snorkeling. Because it was Eid, a national holiday celebrating the breaking of the fast and official end of Ramadan, tour companies were all closed. Omar said, however, that he had a fisherman friend who would be willing to take us out in his dhow boat (traditional wooden sail boat). When we walked down to the beach the tide was out. Now, you must understand, Zanzibar low tide is unlike anything I've ever seen before. The water goes WAY out! In order to get to the fisherman who was in his boat, we had to walk out about 500 meters in water calf deep. Once we got to two dhow boats we realized that the men had just gotten done fishing; the bottom of the boat was filled with octopus! In order to make room for us to crawl in, the fisherman had to move the octopus from our dhow to the other one. Instead of walking them through the water he began lobbing them through the air, he began lobbing them through the air to the fisherman in the other dhow. I was laughing so hard that I unfortunately could not pull my camera out in time. While the snorkeling itself was fun, I will always first remember the flying ocotpus.
Later that evening we had a great dinner with Omar and his friends. We had a wonderful feast of grilled fish, rice, and tomato/cucumber salad. All of this was served family style and eaten Zanzibar style, with our hands! It was a nice time of conversation, learning about the culture of these island Tanzanians. During one conversation, Omar was discussing how while most people in Zanzibar are Muslim, not all are devout and follow it rigidly. I loved the way he explained where he is on this spectrum. He said, "Me, I am like half (making a verticle line down the middle of his body). I am half Muslim and I am half Catholic." "Catholic?" I asked, wondering how this could work. Were his parents 2 different religions? "Yes" he replied. "I am Muslim because I believe in Allah and the Koran and its teachings. I am Catholic because I do not do the daily call to prayer and do not go to the mosque every day. I also drink, smoke, and do things like that." At this, I couldn' help but laugh a bit, if only inside. I love his reasoning for being half Catholic. I guess that the polar opposite of being a devout Muslim is being a partying Catholic-lol!
The next morning we hopped into a dala dala (the back of a pickup truck that serves as the public transporation) for our one hour journey back to Stone Town, the historical neighborhood in the capital of the island. After just five minutes into our journey we stopped at another small village and 2 older foreigners got on. The lady sat directly across from me with our knees bumping against each other in the overly crowded truck. As soon as she sat down and I looked at her I recognized her. The funny thing was, I didn't know how I knew her. She looked to be in her 70s and spoke a European language to her traveling companion and a bit of Swahilli to another woman there. All of this told me that this was not a woman I know, yet her eyes captured me. I'd seen her before. Maybe she reminded me strongly of someone else I knew? But who? It drove me crazy trying to figure it out the entire ride back. I thought of talking to her but knew that I really didn't know her. How then did she seem so familiar? This question continued to bug me for the rest of the day and into the next day. All of the sudden, the next evening I figured it out! I did a quick google image search to confirm and I was right: it was Jane Goodall, the chimp lady! I knew I recognized her! She has aged significantly since I studied her as a child and read all about her in various National Geographics and such, but her eyes hadn't changed a bit. Neither had her smile. Then it made sense why she was looking at me the way she had been in the dala dala. I was very obviously staring at her the entire ride and kept smiling back at me with this mysterious smile. She knew I was trying to place her and must have been amused, wondering if I'd figure it out! All of the work she has done with the chimps is at a park here in the western part of Tanzania. I later learned that she actually has a house in Dar and also years ago used to visit my school a few times a year to talk to the kids. It was exciting, but I'm still kicking myself for not opening up my mouth in the dala dala!
Anyways, we spent the last day exploring Stone Town, whose history is quite exciting. For hundreds of years, before the colonization of the Eastern African mainland, it was the main port from which they sent resources to Asia and the Middle East. This was the home of the slave trade, where slaves were brought from the mainland and sold at market. A church in Stone Town now stands on the exact spot of the market. The old cells are still able to be visited. This city was also the homebase for African explorers, including David Livingston. The Germany ended up colonizing Stone Town, as is evident in a very Germanic architectural influence. After WWII the Germany had to give Zanzibar to the British, who then occupied it until the 1960s when it wa merged with Tanzania and gained its status as an independent country.
Because we were visiting Stone Town on Eid, which is the national holiday signaling the end of the month of Ramadan (Zanzibar is 99% Muslim), the town was packed full of islanders who came to the city to celebrate. For this reason, we didn't do as much exploring as we had wanted. Oh well, there's always next time! That afternoon we headed to the airport and jumped in small plane to the the 15 minute ride back home to Dar. It was definitely a random yet memorable trip.
Oh well, I've got to run. I'm off to Egypt for a week to vacation and my cab will be here in 15 minutes. I've got to get ready! I'll talk to you again and will have many more stories!
Here is a link to check out some pictures I took while in Zanzibar. Enjoy! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2487129&id=5132789&l=e3e66aa6f4
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Settling In
Habari! It has been a while since I've posted an update; so many things occur in the first few months of living in a new place! I'll attempt to get you caught up on the shortened version of what's going on in my life in Dar.
I'm actually in the middle of experiencing the worst part of living abroad. Earlier this week my Uncle Frankie passed away after a tough battle with cancer. I knew when I left that it would probably be the last time I would see him, but that prior knowledge and preparation doesn't make it any easier to be away. I miss my family more now than I have since I have arrived; it's tough to be so far away when I want to be comforting those I love. Please pray for my entire family as we grieve our loss.
Having said that, one thing that helps me take my mind off home is the pile of work I have to do at school. I can't believe that I'm already in week 6 of teaching. The year has started out with a few bumps along the road in the way of lack of time to prepare before school started and the limited availability of resources for classroom use. My job has been incredibly time-consuming and often a bit frustrating as I get situated in the international school environment, but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that it will get a bit easier soon. I do, however, have a wonderful class. There are 23 students representing over 13 countries around the world. I am 1 of only 2 people in my entire class who is not fluent in at least 2 languages; many of these students know 3-5! The diversity in my classroom is a tremendous asset to all of the students, and I'm enjoying learning from each of them as well.
Life outside of school is great. A few weekends ago I walked for about an hour through downtown to get to Kariakoo, the biggest market in Dar. It is the epitome of an African market, the heartbeat and pulse of Tanzanian city living, selling anything and everything imaginable. Within a few city blocks I saw more people in one place than I've ever seen before. It is said that on a busy Saturday afternoon (I went Saturday at 1:00!) there are upwards of 500,000 people shuffling about the asphalt roads, pushing and shoving for a spot to view goods sold in the stalls. This gathering represents the most diverse group of tribal populations in one place throughout all of Tanzania. I, however, was the only white person (mzunga) around, and for this I received quite a bit of attention.
As I was pushed through the streets by a sea of people, I inhaled the tangy smell of freshly cut pineapple before the foul scent of decaying trash and formidable body odor hit me like a heat wave when leaving a cool building and walking outside during a Florida summer. I quickly elbowed my way through the stench until I was able to take a deep breath and instead of gaging, only got a high off the diesel and greasy oil fumes that surrounded me. As cars and heavy carts attempted to plow their way through the masses, I realized that I was nothing but in the way. It was time to step aside and take it all in: the rich redness of fresh tomatoes, bright colors and patterns of African fabrics, natives haggling over item prices, and street vendors attempting to out-scream each other, vying for the attention of passers-by. Oh, the organized chaos, the adrenaline that is Kariakoo!
After my legs were literally knocked out from under me by a car that was slowly working its way through the crowds and having to crawl to safety (no joke!), I realized that I'd seen enough of the market for one day. Alas, because of the heavy amount of petty crime in the area, I didn't dare bring my camera. The market pictures you will see in the album with the link below were pulled straight from a google image search. They are, however, what I deem to be the most like what I saw during my visit.
A visit to area beaches must quickly follow thrilling yet exhausting adventures like Kariakoo. Some beach photos are included in the photo album. I've been going to the beach for at least a few hours most weekends. The idyllic, serene local beaches are all that I have experienced thus far, and I hear that the beach quality only gets better as I get out of the city. It is a wonderful way for me to escape with just one or two other people and re-energize my mind, body, and spirit.
I will have a wonderful opportunity this weekend to take a 3-4 day vacation to the island of Zanzibar, which is just off the eastern coast of Tanzania. Monday and Tuesday are public holidays celebrating Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. A fellow teacher and myself will be going to the island and spending a few days at the beach and possibly a day visiting a nearby rainforest; those pictures will hopefully be posted soon!
Last month I attended the annual Dar es Salaam Goat Races. This event is a huge gathering of the ex-patriots who come together to raise money for local charities. It's such a spectacle that I don't even know where to begin! Think Kentucky Derby. Now, think goats instead of horses. Entire tacky costumes instead of simply big, fancy hats. Beer instead of champagne. Dirt and dust instead of box seats, bleachers, concrete, and grass. Now hopefully you're starting to get a better picture of the goat races. Teams of people go in together to "own" (sponsor) a goat for the race. The team gets to name the goat and write a blurb about it for the program. The audience places bets on the goats for each of the 5 races. When it's race time, everyone gathers around the track to watch the stubborn, uninterested goats get pushed and prodded into running by men following from behind. Meanwhile, the rest of the grounds are filled with fair types of activities such as kiddie game areas, food tents, and craft tables. It was an interesting experience that I'm glad I was able to participate in and a great way to raise thousands of dollars for local charities. Pictures are included in the album.
On another note, I've been searching for a local church to attend but haven't found anything yet. I just heard of a few that other teachers attend and enjoy, so I'll be trying them over the next few weeks. I have, however, been enjoying listening to podcasts from my churches in Venice and Orlando and have enjoyed connecting with some fellow Christian teachers here at IST.
I have finally gotten unpacked and settled into my apartment quite nicely. A few weeks ago I had the walls painted, which makes it look a bit more comfy. Although it's not very big and is not as nice as an apartment in the states would be, it suits me fine and I am continuing to try my best to make it home. Over the next few weeks I'll be shopping to buy a few paintings and things to decorate the walls. I'll take some photos or video to post after I've got at least a few pictures up.
One big living adjustment is not having an entirely air-conditioned apartment. This is a huge change for a Florida girl who is addicted to AC! I do have a wall unit in my bedroom, but it cannot cool the whole house as some of my window openings elsewhere in the house have only screen and no glass. Thank goodness the weather is still nice enough to be comfortable with the windows open; it'll be much more difficult when it becomes summer. Also, most of the roads here are dust/sand. This makes cleanliness in the house a constant battle. I've never seen so much dust, dirt, and grime in all of my life. I have tile floors and they are swept every day and mopped three times a week! A benefit to living in a country where labor is so inexpensive is that I have the luxury of having a housekeeper who works for me every day so that I don't have to do spend time doing these daily household tasks. This is such a treat, too; I think I'm becoming quite spoiled. It will be difficult to go back to the states and have to do my own dishes, laundry, etc! =)
Life here is constantly changing and often challenging as I continue to grow accustomed to the cultural differences. Some moments I love it and others leave me wishing to be out of here and in the comfort of the states. This place stretches me, forcing me to become more resourceful, making me question my viewpoints on a range of issues, and compelling me to rely on God more than I ever have in my life. I truly am glad that I am here and know that the lessons I am learning and experiences in which I partaking will benefit me for the rest of my life. Thank you all so much for your continued thoughts, prayers, and comments. I love to hear from everyone back home as it keeps me feeling a bit more attached to all of you who are so far away.
Click the link to check out my photo album; some of them have captions at the bottom. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2462010&id=5132789&l=529aedeff9
I'm actually in the middle of experiencing the worst part of living abroad. Earlier this week my Uncle Frankie passed away after a tough battle with cancer. I knew when I left that it would probably be the last time I would see him, but that prior knowledge and preparation doesn't make it any easier to be away. I miss my family more now than I have since I have arrived; it's tough to be so far away when I want to be comforting those I love. Please pray for my entire family as we grieve our loss.
Having said that, one thing that helps me take my mind off home is the pile of work I have to do at school. I can't believe that I'm already in week 6 of teaching. The year has started out with a few bumps along the road in the way of lack of time to prepare before school started and the limited availability of resources for classroom use. My job has been incredibly time-consuming and often a bit frustrating as I get situated in the international school environment, but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that it will get a bit easier soon. I do, however, have a wonderful class. There are 23 students representing over 13 countries around the world. I am 1 of only 2 people in my entire class who is not fluent in at least 2 languages; many of these students know 3-5! The diversity in my classroom is a tremendous asset to all of the students, and I'm enjoying learning from each of them as well.
Life outside of school is great. A few weekends ago I walked for about an hour through downtown to get to Kariakoo, the biggest market in Dar. It is the epitome of an African market, the heartbeat and pulse of Tanzanian city living, selling anything and everything imaginable. Within a few city blocks I saw more people in one place than I've ever seen before. It is said that on a busy Saturday afternoon (I went Saturday at 1:00!) there are upwards of 500,000 people shuffling about the asphalt roads, pushing and shoving for a spot to view goods sold in the stalls. This gathering represents the most diverse group of tribal populations in one place throughout all of Tanzania. I, however, was the only white person (mzunga) around, and for this I received quite a bit of attention.
As I was pushed through the streets by a sea of people, I inhaled the tangy smell of freshly cut pineapple before the foul scent of decaying trash and formidable body odor hit me like a heat wave when leaving a cool building and walking outside during a Florida summer. I quickly elbowed my way through the stench until I was able to take a deep breath and instead of gaging, only got a high off the diesel and greasy oil fumes that surrounded me. As cars and heavy carts attempted to plow their way through the masses, I realized that I was nothing but in the way. It was time to step aside and take it all in: the rich redness of fresh tomatoes, bright colors and patterns of African fabrics, natives haggling over item prices, and street vendors attempting to out-scream each other, vying for the attention of passers-by. Oh, the organized chaos, the adrenaline that is Kariakoo!
After my legs were literally knocked out from under me by a car that was slowly working its way through the crowds and having to crawl to safety (no joke!), I realized that I'd seen enough of the market for one day. Alas, because of the heavy amount of petty crime in the area, I didn't dare bring my camera. The market pictures you will see in the album with the link below were pulled straight from a google image search. They are, however, what I deem to be the most like what I saw during my visit.
A visit to area beaches must quickly follow thrilling yet exhausting adventures like Kariakoo. Some beach photos are included in the photo album. I've been going to the beach for at least a few hours most weekends. The idyllic, serene local beaches are all that I have experienced thus far, and I hear that the beach quality only gets better as I get out of the city. It is a wonderful way for me to escape with just one or two other people and re-energize my mind, body, and spirit.
I will have a wonderful opportunity this weekend to take a 3-4 day vacation to the island of Zanzibar, which is just off the eastern coast of Tanzania. Monday and Tuesday are public holidays celebrating Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. A fellow teacher and myself will be going to the island and spending a few days at the beach and possibly a day visiting a nearby rainforest; those pictures will hopefully be posted soon!
Last month I attended the annual Dar es Salaam Goat Races. This event is a huge gathering of the ex-patriots who come together to raise money for local charities. It's such a spectacle that I don't even know where to begin! Think Kentucky Derby. Now, think goats instead of horses. Entire tacky costumes instead of simply big, fancy hats. Beer instead of champagne. Dirt and dust instead of box seats, bleachers, concrete, and grass. Now hopefully you're starting to get a better picture of the goat races. Teams of people go in together to "own" (sponsor) a goat for the race. The team gets to name the goat and write a blurb about it for the program. The audience places bets on the goats for each of the 5 races. When it's race time, everyone gathers around the track to watch the stubborn, uninterested goats get pushed and prodded into running by men following from behind. Meanwhile, the rest of the grounds are filled with fair types of activities such as kiddie game areas, food tents, and craft tables. It was an interesting experience that I'm glad I was able to participate in and a great way to raise thousands of dollars for local charities. Pictures are included in the album.
On another note, I've been searching for a local church to attend but haven't found anything yet. I just heard of a few that other teachers attend and enjoy, so I'll be trying them over the next few weeks. I have, however, been enjoying listening to podcasts from my churches in Venice and Orlando and have enjoyed connecting with some fellow Christian teachers here at IST.
I have finally gotten unpacked and settled into my apartment quite nicely. A few weeks ago I had the walls painted, which makes it look a bit more comfy. Although it's not very big and is not as nice as an apartment in the states would be, it suits me fine and I am continuing to try my best to make it home. Over the next few weeks I'll be shopping to buy a few paintings and things to decorate the walls. I'll take some photos or video to post after I've got at least a few pictures up.
One big living adjustment is not having an entirely air-conditioned apartment. This is a huge change for a Florida girl who is addicted to AC! I do have a wall unit in my bedroom, but it cannot cool the whole house as some of my window openings elsewhere in the house have only screen and no glass. Thank goodness the weather is still nice enough to be comfortable with the windows open; it'll be much more difficult when it becomes summer. Also, most of the roads here are dust/sand. This makes cleanliness in the house a constant battle. I've never seen so much dust, dirt, and grime in all of my life. I have tile floors and they are swept every day and mopped three times a week! A benefit to living in a country where labor is so inexpensive is that I have the luxury of having a housekeeper who works for me every day so that I don't have to do spend time doing these daily household tasks. This is such a treat, too; I think I'm becoming quite spoiled. It will be difficult to go back to the states and have to do my own dishes, laundry, etc! =)
Life here is constantly changing and often challenging as I continue to grow accustomed to the cultural differences. Some moments I love it and others leave me wishing to be out of here and in the comfort of the states. This place stretches me, forcing me to become more resourceful, making me question my viewpoints on a range of issues, and compelling me to rely on God more than I ever have in my life. I truly am glad that I am here and know that the lessons I am learning and experiences in which I partaking will benefit me for the rest of my life. Thank you all so much for your continued thoughts, prayers, and comments. I love to hear from everyone back home as it keeps me feeling a bit more attached to all of you who are so far away.
Click the link to check out my photo album; some of them have captions at the bottom. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2462010&id=5132789&l=529aedeff9
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Safari Photos
Here is a link to check out some pictures from the safari I went on when I first arrived in Tanzania. They were taken at Mikumi National Park, which is about 4 hours west of my home in Dar. Enjoy! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2457317&id=5132789&l=9c8ef25e00
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
And So It Begins
Habari zenu! I can’t believe that I’ve only been here a little over a week. There is so much change thrown at me that it’s quite hard to process it all. I encountered a bit of travel delays getting here, but I finally arrived last Monday. God answered my prayers in a huge way in that a day before I left, the airline gave me permission to being all boxes of my household goods with me on the plane. They arrived safely with my flight and since I didn’t ship them via sea, they didn’t have to go through the port and customs clearance. I want to publicly thank my mom and grandpa for driving all of my boxes up to Washington D.C., which saved me an additional $3,000.00. There willingness to help me in such a huge way makes me ever so thankful to God for the people He has put in my life.
Once I arrived, I spent the first week going through new teacher orientation, which included getting me oriented with the city of Dar, shopping and settling in, and introducing me to the school campus, policies and procedures, etc. This week I’m doing my teacher planning as school starts on Monday. I’ve got quite a bit to do and not very much time in which to do it, but I know that it will come together.
I live in one of the six apartment complexes that the school owns. It is literally a two minute walk from my doorstep to my classroom, so the commute is amazing! Mixed in with the entire school campus and apartments is an amazing amount of landscaping. I’ve got beautiful trees outside my 3rd story windows, which provide wonderful shade all throughout the day.
The weather is beautiful as it is winter now. The highs are in the mid-upper 80s and I would compare it to Venice in April where it is warm but the humidity is not torturous.
I haven’t seen too much of the city since I’ve arrived as I’ve been busy getting settled and school planning. Dar es Salaam is a big city of 3.3 million people and is the 3rd fastest growing city in Africa. Despite its growth, it only has the offerings of a small town as it cannot keep up with the sudden population explosion. For this reason, there is much overcrowding and shanty conditions in most areas of the city. The area in which I reside though is a bit nicer as it is in the ex-patriot community. There are grocery stores somewhat similar to those at home (although not as wide an array of goods) and other stores aimed at the upper class ex-pats. There is most definitely a high cost in exchange for these Western conveniences; I recently paid $46.00 for an ironing board and $7.50 for 10 hangers! I’ve splurged and bought these crazy expensive items to help me settle in, but from here on out I plan to seek out street vendors to purchase goods and haggle my way to a fair price though they still end up getting a much high price from the blond white girl!
The one exceptionally positive thing here is that the staff members are incredible. Everyone is so welcoming and helpful, going above and beyond to help me be comfortable. I have met a few people with whom I plan to start church hunting this weekend. I've heard that there are quite a few protestant churches to choose from.
Last weekend my principal took all of the new teachers, roughly 40 of us four hours away, to Mikumi National Park for a safari. It was a beautiful trip and we saw plenty of great animals. My internet goes nearly at dial-up speed when it works at all, so I am currently unable to post my pictures to the web. I will upload them when I can get to another wi-fi area and plan to include them in the next post.
Well, I’m off to continue my lesson plans. I’ll post another update after school has begun. Thank you all for your continued prayers and interest in this new chapter of my life.
Once I arrived, I spent the first week going through new teacher orientation, which included getting me oriented with the city of Dar, shopping and settling in, and introducing me to the school campus, policies and procedures, etc. This week I’m doing my teacher planning as school starts on Monday. I’ve got quite a bit to do and not very much time in which to do it, but I know that it will come together.
I live in one of the six apartment complexes that the school owns. It is literally a two minute walk from my doorstep to my classroom, so the commute is amazing! Mixed in with the entire school campus and apartments is an amazing amount of landscaping. I’ve got beautiful trees outside my 3rd story windows, which provide wonderful shade all throughout the day.
The weather is beautiful as it is winter now. The highs are in the mid-upper 80s and I would compare it to Venice in April where it is warm but the humidity is not torturous.
I haven’t seen too much of the city since I’ve arrived as I’ve been busy getting settled and school planning. Dar es Salaam is a big city of 3.3 million people and is the 3rd fastest growing city in Africa. Despite its growth, it only has the offerings of a small town as it cannot keep up with the sudden population explosion. For this reason, there is much overcrowding and shanty conditions in most areas of the city. The area in which I reside though is a bit nicer as it is in the ex-patriot community. There are grocery stores somewhat similar to those at home (although not as wide an array of goods) and other stores aimed at the upper class ex-pats. There is most definitely a high cost in exchange for these Western conveniences; I recently paid $46.00 for an ironing board and $7.50 for 10 hangers! I’ve splurged and bought these crazy expensive items to help me settle in, but from here on out I plan to seek out street vendors to purchase goods and haggle my way to a fair price though they still end up getting a much high price from the blond white girl!
The one exceptionally positive thing here is that the staff members are incredible. Everyone is so welcoming and helpful, going above and beyond to help me be comfortable. I have met a few people with whom I plan to start church hunting this weekend. I've heard that there are quite a few protestant churches to choose from.
Last weekend my principal took all of the new teachers, roughly 40 of us four hours away, to Mikumi National Park for a safari. It was a beautiful trip and we saw plenty of great animals. My internet goes nearly at dial-up speed when it works at all, so I am currently unable to post my pictures to the web. I will upload them when I can get to another wi-fi area and plan to include them in the next post.
Well, I’m off to continue my lesson plans. I’ll post another update after school has begun. Thank you all for your continued prayers and interest in this new chapter of my life.
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Ngorogoro Crater
Sunset at Ngorogoro Crater