Life is good

Liz in Tanzania

Hi,for those of you who saw me just before I left, and to whom I complained frequently and loudly about the cold weather, you have your revenge. Served hot.

I had the presence of mind to change into Dar es Salaam appropriate  clothes before my last flight and got on the plane thinking As God is my witness, I'll never be cold again. Very Scarlett O'hara, minus the retching and the radishes...We landed at 0730. 

The plane door opened and I was wet from head to toe, my Dar clothes already stuck to me (not a pretty sight at my age and weight.) So, I hightailed it to the hotel, where I had a fan AND AC for 36,000 ths/night. Thats 25 USD. And except for business, food, and an evening walk, I stayed there. Because I have a brain. A boiling brain, but a brain nonetheless. 


Met a nice volunteer from Australia as soon as I got to the hotel, Maureen. She's going to Moshi to work on a permaculture project, so we hung out, mostly in my room, cause she couldn't get a room with AC. 

Bayona from Berega came to Dar in the Diocese car to take me to all my meetings and generally help out, and Asante Mungu for him. This is the first time I've had a car at my disposal, and it made everything a lot less deadly. I still have Every Child, but am working for/ with an org called Hands4Africa.org (check it out). So all the perks I'm now experiencing are thanks to them. Thanks Brad.

Got to Berega 2 days ago, I think. The plane ride was long, and I slept little, then 2 days in Dar. So I had a little jet lag, combined with the heat, so maybe a little fuzzy still. Finally crash landed last night about 5pm and slept till morning. Woke up dizzy and couldn't figure out why till I realized I hadn't eaten for almost 24 hrs and was moderately dehydrated. I have rectified the situation and am fine now.

I'd forgotten about the adjustment period, and remember I'm 2 years older than I was last time, and about 30 pounds heavier. Can't do much about the 2 years, but the weight will go away soon enough, now that I need to cook everything I eat. 

So, you should see my house. I'm livin' large. There's a hospital in Berega, with housing for staff. Although I'm not staff, the Anglican Church is running everything and H4A works with them, hence the house. It has 3 bedrooms, indoor toilets (2!!!) and indoor shower/tub. Brad was here last year and said the shower was in bad shape, but he never saw my choo (toilet) in Idweli. Gas stove, AND a gas fridge. I must have an angel hovering.

I arrived late the first night, was greeted by Isaac and his very pregnant wife Ruth, who fed me and sent me home to sleep. So I didn't get a chance to see much of the house, just went to sleep, but I woke early and went out the back  door. There's a porch, and nothing but trees and bushes and the mountains for my grateful eyes. So that's where I have my coffee in the am. 

Yesterday we went down the road, and what a road it is, to meet the village executives. Nice guys, helpful, didn't laugh at my Kiswahili, which by the way is improving already. I'm not good at judging ages, so was unsure who to shikamoo (polite greeting to an elder, shows you were raised right.) I apologized and as it turns out, there was only one person there to shikamoo. I tell you, by African standards, I'm pretty damn old. I will be meeting two of those men tomorrow to show them pictures of the walls we do. They're both involved in education, so this should be productive.

Took a walk up to the village proper, found all the little maduka (stores). So now I know where to go to get my tomatoes and greens, stuff like that. Only one kid, about a year old, actually started crying. But I've been the first mzungu a kid has seen on previous trips, so I don't take it personally. I will, however, start walking around with little candies (thanks, Joanne) in my pocket to grease the skids. The rest of the kids just stood around hollering Mzungu, Mzungu like everywhere else. I introduced myself and told them all the other ways they could address me besides mzungu. And like always, as I walk away all I can hear is Mzungu, Mzungu. Some things never change.

Took a tour of the hospital, but that's another email entirely.

So, I'm here, happy and healthy. After this I'm going to meet Ute, who runs the orphanage. She came here about 20 years ago, and never left. 

Carlee, binti, pls send me some of those teas we had in Kyela. If you can find the red currant one I will love you forever. Don't have my own PO Box yet, so stuff can be sent to me at PO Box 320, Berega, Tanzania.

I met the Bishop, nice man with a thing for American coffee. So if anyone wants to, send some of the little single serve packets. Thanks. Other than that, I have everything and a back porch. Can't complain.

Re the pictures, just some snaps of Dar. I liked the chairs, just goes to show you there's room in the world for even the old and broken. Dar is about 40 years behind in their traffic infrastructure, and it can take half an hour to go a mile. Every day but Sat and Sun. Most of the road pics were taken from a moving car, but check out the shot of the loaded bikes. Hard work and in the heat. The mats are rolled and placed on tree branches for travelers to see and buy, I bought one.

So, everyone keep in touch. Like always, I can only send gangmails, but that shouldn't stop you from writing now and again.

Nakupenda wote, na karibu nyumbani. (Love to all and welcome to my house)

Mama Liz (again) or Mzungu, if you must.