Ok, so how often do you find yourself contemplating going to the bathroom? Maybe only when you're stuck at the end of a long line at the ladies room and you really have to. Or, it could happen when you're on a long drive, stuck in the middle of nowhere and you have 4 year old in the back seat that just doesn't fully understand holding it for just a little bit longer. Let's face it, though, this is not typically something we think about - basically, we have to go, we go, and we get back to whatever we were doing.
I, however, thought a lot about these functions of our body while in TZ and have continued to think about how using the facilities now that I'm back in the States.
First, I cannot tell you how much using a bathroom changed while living in TZ. It became a chore, like boiling water, or washing clothes. It was almost dreaded and when the need arose it was almost like "damn it, I have to go to the bathroom!" Why the struggle? Well, squatting over a hole, while not the worst thing in the world, was just not a comfortable experience. At home, it can be relaxing - shut the door, block out the rest of your house, grab a book (or a newspaper) and sit down for a few minutes. Not in TZ. It was more like make sure your clothes & feet are properly out of the way, get in a squat position that will allow you to balance w/o having to touch the walls, make sure there are no critters in the hole, and try to not stand up when cockroaches run out of the hole while you are mid-stream. Like I said - it was a chore.
Now that I've been home for quite awhile, I've come to appreciate the easiness of going to a bathroom. Not only is it no longer a chore, or just something I do as a natural part of the day, but using the facilities can also be an excuse to get up and walk around, waste a few minutes, relieve boredom as well as bladder, and a change of scenery. At work, if it's a slow day and I need something to do for a few minutes, well, hey - why not go to the bathroom (whether I needed to or not is irrelevant). Been sitting too long? Take a walk, stretch your legs, head to the bathroom.
See, it's a great thing to have facilities like we do. It's a great thing to have a normal function like that be so normal that we don't think about it at all. I, for one, will be forever appreciative that I can go sit on my toilet, take a book if I want, and not have to squat w/ cockroaches again... well, at least not on a daily basis!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Multiple Endings
Did you ever read those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books when you were younger? Depending on which adventure you chose, the stories & endings could be extremely varied. In the past week and half I've been informed of 4 different endings to 4 Peace Corps Volunteers' experiences.
First, one of the PCVs who helped counsel me when I made the decision to leave TZ also had to leave TZ in May due to negative reactions to the anti-malarial drugs. He had been in TZ for about a year and half and was just finished feeling like he could snap at any moment. Mental episodes are one lovely side effect of the mefloquin and, as it turns out, was a major contributor to my leaving the Peace Corps service before it really even began. I must admit, learning that someone else had left before their service was over for the same reasons gave me some sort of satisfaction. Although it's I've been home for over 6 months, I still feel the need to explain myself at times and often wonder if people believe the extent to which those drugs were messing with my head.
Secondly, one of my very good friends from PC decided to early terminate just this week. She was in my PC "class", went through training w/ me and did a semester of teaching. After a break from school and some time to travel, she realized she was done giving what she could in TZ and her family in the U.S. needed her.
Next, I found out that a great guy I met in Njombe has extended his service for an extra year. He was to be finished with his service this fall, but will be staying until Dec. of 2010. I had hopes of having an experience so wonderful that I would not want to leave. Although it didn't work out that way for me, I'm glad it does work out that way for some.
Finally, the PCV who lived closest to me in Njombe received his COS date for mid-Sept. This means he has finished his 27 months and will close his service in about 2 months.
It's amazing. We all start our Peace Corps experiences the same way. We all start with the same applications, examinations, orientations, and trainings. We all fly over to our countries together, but in the end, we're all alone. We all end our services differently, we all fly home alone, and we all face going back to an American life that has moved on without us. I guess Peace Corps is just one great big Choose Your Own Adventure.
First, one of the PCVs who helped counsel me when I made the decision to leave TZ also had to leave TZ in May due to negative reactions to the anti-malarial drugs. He had been in TZ for about a year and half and was just finished feeling like he could snap at any moment. Mental episodes are one lovely side effect of the mefloquin and, as it turns out, was a major contributor to my leaving the Peace Corps service before it really even began. I must admit, learning that someone else had left before their service was over for the same reasons gave me some sort of satisfaction. Although it's I've been home for over 6 months, I still feel the need to explain myself at times and often wonder if people believe the extent to which those drugs were messing with my head.
Secondly, one of my very good friends from PC decided to early terminate just this week. She was in my PC "class", went through training w/ me and did a semester of teaching. After a break from school and some time to travel, she realized she was done giving what she could in TZ and her family in the U.S. needed her.
Next, I found out that a great guy I met in Njombe has extended his service for an extra year. He was to be finished with his service this fall, but will be staying until Dec. of 2010. I had hopes of having an experience so wonderful that I would not want to leave. Although it didn't work out that way for me, I'm glad it does work out that way for some.
Finally, the PCV who lived closest to me in Njombe received his COS date for mid-Sept. This means he has finished his 27 months and will close his service in about 2 months.
It's amazing. We all start our Peace Corps experiences the same way. We all start with the same applications, examinations, orientations, and trainings. We all fly over to our countries together, but in the end, we're all alone. We all end our services differently, we all fly home alone, and we all face going back to an American life that has moved on without us. I guess Peace Corps is just one great big Choose Your Own Adventure.
Monday, February 16, 2009
My Peace Corps duplex in TZ
Finally after being home for 7 weeks, I was able to load video of my duplex at Wende Secondary School in Njombe TZ onto YouTube. Follow the link below & have your assumptions about Peace Corps living standards challenged!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0zRi94CLMI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0zRi94CLMI
Rainy Season Video
I tried several times and several ways to load videos onto this blog, but they wouldn't load. I finally got one of them to load on YouTube. If you're interested in seeing a 1 minute video from Njombe during a rain storm, follow the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udnuFDjqjBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udnuFDjqjBw
Monday, January 5, 2009
From PCTs to PCVs: Swearing In Ceremony
My entire CBT with our homestay families.
Newly sworn in PCVs.
My CBT with our two language instructors.
Swearing in cake.
Mji Mpya CBT.
Newly sworn in PCVs.
My CBT with our two language instructors.
Swearing in cake.
Mji Mpya CBT.
November Peace Corps pictures
My homestay family at my going away party.
Tanzanian rainy season.
Seeking shelter from Tanzanian rainy season.
Election day - celebrating the results!
Passing the time - A rousing game of toss the water bottle.
Tanzanian rainy season.
Seeking shelter from Tanzanian rainy season.
Election day - celebrating the results!
Passing the time - A rousing game of toss the water bottle.
More from Mikumi
Brian, me, & Harry w/ hippos over my head.
Picture happy group.
Dave, Linda, & Harry under the Mikumi park sign.
Hippo Pool.
African buffalo.
Picture happy group.
Dave, Linda, & Harry under the Mikumi park sign.
Hippo Pool.
African buffalo.
Mikumi National Park Safari
In Swahili the word "safari" translates as a journey, so what we consider to be a safari is not what the Swahili speaking world thinks of, but none the less, here are some pictures of my safari to Mikumi National Park.
There's a giraffe in this picture. Can you see it? My zoom wasn't as good as I had wanted. If not, just enjoy the pretty African savannah.
Mikumi National Park & African Savannah.
Signs near the entrance to Mikumi.
Zebras
Elephants. Yep, they were that close - this is not the zoom.
Signs near the entrance to Mikumi.
Zebras
Elephants. Yep, they were that close - this is not the zoom.
October Peace Corps Pictures
The dreaded Noun Class chart. Pictured are only 3 of the 7 noun classes with all of the agreements we had to learn. This was harder to learn than it was to learn how to use the holes in the ground as toilets. AHHHHHH!!!
View of some of the Uluguru Mountains from our internship school.
"Studying" Swahili at our internship school.
One of the two buildings that made up Mji Mpya Secondary School. Mji Mpya translates as "new town" or "new city".
The choo at our school. It's pronounced "cho" not "chew" & is basically an outhouse with holes in the ground in each stall. It was not as hard to use as it may seem, but my years of yoga came in handy!
"Studying" Swahili at our internship school.
One of the two buildings that made up Mji Mpya Secondary School. Mji Mpya translates as "new town" or "new city".
The choo at our school. It's pronounced "cho" not "chew" & is basically an outhouse with holes in the ground in each stall. It was not as hard to use as it may seem, but my years of yoga came in handy!
September Peace Corps Pictures
Here are some pictures I took during Sept. The blog posted them in the reverse order that I added them, but I didn't feel like fixing it, so you'll just be going back in time as you look at them.
With my Swahili language group & some of the teachers at our internship school, Mji Mpya.
Our training group upon arrival in Dar es Salaam.
Waiting in Amsterdam for our flight to Kilimanjaro.
Waiting in JFK to check all of our luggage before flying to Amsterdam.
Our training group in Philadelphia after getting our first shots & waiting for the bus to pick us up & take us to JFK.
With my Swahili language group & some of the teachers at our internship school, Mji Mpya.
Our training group upon arrival in Dar es Salaam.
Waiting in Amsterdam for our flight to Kilimanjaro.
Waiting in JFK to check all of our luggage before flying to Amsterdam.
Our training group in Philadelphia after getting our first shots & waiting for the bus to pick us up & take us to JFK.
Cultural Matters
One of the reasons I wanted to try Peace Corps in the first place was to experience a new culture. I didn't realize how much I'd learn about American culture in the process, though. Even more surprising to me was how much I've learned about our culture in the two weeks since I've been home. As Americans we value equality and being fair much more than I even knew. For example, we queue for everything. I never realized this was a cultural thing - I just assumed that people everywhere stood in line waiting for their turn, but that was far from true! In TZ, there is no such thing as waiting in line. People just cut to the front, get their business done, and leave. As an American I had trouble joining in on that as I consider it rude to cut in front of people who were there before me, but it sure got annoying when I was constantly cut in front of by others. I was even told by a teacher at my school in Njombe that they were amazed to watch coverage of our elections on TV and see the Americans line up to vote w/o having armed guards to watch the lines & make sure everyone was peaceful. It's strange to think that something as simple as waiting in line could be part of one's culture.
Other things that I've learned about being American include valuing privacy & the individual. In the States you'd never stand outside some one's window and stare into their house just to see what their lives are like. OK, maybe some people would, but we consider that to be rude, intrusive, and illegal! We also stress the individual accomplishments over community. Although we like our kids to work well with others, in the end it's what people achieve on their own that we remember & value in our culture. Even when making my decision to come home almost everyone said something to me like in the end I had to live my own life & make the best decision for myself. You'd never hear people say something like that in TZ. Decisions there are made in the best interest of the family/community, etc.
Another cultural difference I noticed there, but have thought a lot more about since I've been home, is the love we have for our pets. Here pets are a part of our family & often times we treat them better than people. Of course this is something I've always known, but I never realized how little value pets get in certain cultures. This one was heartbreaking for me. Many Tanzanians have dogs, but they are strictly watchdogs. They beat them, starve them, and do not understand how we could possibly let dogs into our houses, let alone sleep in our beds, and everything else we do to pamper our pets. My host mama could not understand why a former Peace Corps Volunteer she knew cried when her cat ate a poisonous bug & died. Young children there are taught to kick dogs whenever they see them to teach the dogs to fear people. When I was living at my site there was a dog on the campus who would sit on my front porch. Whenever I came outside, he immediately cowered in the corner & whimpered. He was sure I was going to beat him. Now, this is not to say that I don't have any understanding of why animals are not as valued in other countries. When you have work your fingers to the bone just to scrape enough money together to keep your family alive, giving an animal family member status seems a little crazy. Still, the cruelty shown to animals that we love was hard to witness. Again, I know there are Americans who are cruel to animals, but as a whole, we are disgusted by those who treat animals poorly, but in other cultures it's normal and no one blinks an eye. As I sit here typing this with my buddy, Newton, by my side it makes me sad to think how the "where you were born luck of the draw" thing is extended to animals as well as people. Did you ever wonder why you were born American while others were born in 3rd world countries? Animals face the same thing.
Finally, my last cultural observation for now is the fact that culture can be used as an excuse. When we noticed things that differed from our culture that bothered us, like the beating of animals, corporal punishment at school, and constantly being called a mzungu (basically pointing out that we were of a different race), the Tanzanians around us would tell us that these things were OK because those things were just part of their culture. Now, cutting in line can be excused away as being a cultural matter, but some things just aren't OK in my book - culture or not. I think that's probably a very "American" thing, also. We are taught to stand up for injustices & to stand up for those who cannot fight for themselves, to be allies & not bystanders. Again - an American culture thing that I guess I knew didn't necessarily happen everywhere, but this experience has brought it to new light.
In all, I'm grateful for the experience I had in TZ & with the Peace Corps because even in the short time I was there, I learned a lot about myself & American culture by experiencing another.
Other things that I've learned about being American include valuing privacy & the individual. In the States you'd never stand outside some one's window and stare into their house just to see what their lives are like. OK, maybe some people would, but we consider that to be rude, intrusive, and illegal! We also stress the individual accomplishments over community. Although we like our kids to work well with others, in the end it's what people achieve on their own that we remember & value in our culture. Even when making my decision to come home almost everyone said something to me like in the end I had to live my own life & make the best decision for myself. You'd never hear people say something like that in TZ. Decisions there are made in the best interest of the family/community, etc.
Another cultural difference I noticed there, but have thought a lot more about since I've been home, is the love we have for our pets. Here pets are a part of our family & often times we treat them better than people. Of course this is something I've always known, but I never realized how little value pets get in certain cultures. This one was heartbreaking for me. Many Tanzanians have dogs, but they are strictly watchdogs. They beat them, starve them, and do not understand how we could possibly let dogs into our houses, let alone sleep in our beds, and everything else we do to pamper our pets. My host mama could not understand why a former Peace Corps Volunteer she knew cried when her cat ate a poisonous bug & died. Young children there are taught to kick dogs whenever they see them to teach the dogs to fear people. When I was living at my site there was a dog on the campus who would sit on my front porch. Whenever I came outside, he immediately cowered in the corner & whimpered. He was sure I was going to beat him. Now, this is not to say that I don't have any understanding of why animals are not as valued in other countries. When you have work your fingers to the bone just to scrape enough money together to keep your family alive, giving an animal family member status seems a little crazy. Still, the cruelty shown to animals that we love was hard to witness. Again, I know there are Americans who are cruel to animals, but as a whole, we are disgusted by those who treat animals poorly, but in other cultures it's normal and no one blinks an eye. As I sit here typing this with my buddy, Newton, by my side it makes me sad to think how the "where you were born luck of the draw" thing is extended to animals as well as people. Did you ever wonder why you were born American while others were born in 3rd world countries? Animals face the same thing.
Finally, my last cultural observation for now is the fact that culture can be used as an excuse. When we noticed things that differed from our culture that bothered us, like the beating of animals, corporal punishment at school, and constantly being called a mzungu (basically pointing out that we were of a different race), the Tanzanians around us would tell us that these things were OK because those things were just part of their culture. Now, cutting in line can be excused away as being a cultural matter, but some things just aren't OK in my book - culture or not. I think that's probably a very "American" thing, also. We are taught to stand up for injustices & to stand up for those who cannot fight for themselves, to be allies & not bystanders. Again - an American culture thing that I guess I knew didn't necessarily happen everywhere, but this experience has brought it to new light.
In all, I'm grateful for the experience I had in TZ & with the Peace Corps because even in the short time I was there, I learned a lot about myself & American culture by experiencing another.
Time
Earlier I posted a blog on how time worked in TZ. Now that I have been home for just over 2 weeks, I have new insight on time. When I look back on my time in TZ it seems like a dream. I remember specific days or events & it seems as though they either never happened or occurred a long, long time ago. Being home it feels as though I've never left - except for the fact that I don't have my own place to live & I'm not at my teaching job anymore. Then I read blogs of my friends still in TZ & it seems like I was just there. Weird. Regardless, I'm glad to be home & when I try to picture myself back in TZ & know I made the right decision to return home. I now have a job working with a lawyer in wills & estates & am still looking for my own place to live & time continues to move on as it always does.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
After leaving Tanzania at 4pm (EST) on Thurs Dec 18, I finally made it home at 12:30am (EST) on Sat. Dec. 20. After departing Dar es Salaam, a 9 hour flight to Amsterdam, an hour or so layover there, an almost 10 hour flight to Detroit, my travel plans were delayed due to bad weather and an airport line organization system that I'm still not quite clear about. I missed my connection home due to long lines & could not get a flight out to home for two more days. Instead, I took a flight to BWI, rented a car, & drove home. This was a three hour drive after traveling & being awake for almost 48 hours. Oh well, I made it to the winter wonderland safe & sound.
I debated closing this blog, but I think I will keep it up for the time being. My PCV friends want to keep track of me & I still want to post some pictures & video of my time in TZ to give you a better picture of what life was like there. I will be able to get to a faster internet connection within the week, so I'll wait until then to post video & pictures.
As for now, I'm chillin' in PA (literally, it's 10 degrees F today), looking for a job, looking for a place to live, & visiting w/ family & friends. I have an interview on Monday & am looking at a duplex on Saturday, so I guess things are moving along. If you want to get in touch with me, my old cell phone # is reactivated & I'm using my yahoo email for the most part.
Happy Holidays
I debated closing this blog, but I think I will keep it up for the time being. My PCV friends want to keep track of me & I still want to post some pictures & video of my time in TZ to give you a better picture of what life was like there. I will be able to get to a faster internet connection within the week, so I'll wait until then to post video & pictures.
As for now, I'm chillin' in PA (literally, it's 10 degrees F today), looking for a job, looking for a place to live, & visiting w/ family & friends. I have an interview on Monday & am looking at a duplex on Saturday, so I guess things are moving along. If you want to get in touch with me, my old cell phone # is reactivated & I'm using my yahoo email for the most part.
Happy Holidays
Sunday, December 14, 2008
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Yes, that's right. Due to circumstances of a personal nature, I have made the excruciatingly tough decision to terminate my service with the Peace Corps. I should be home within the week, but as of right now I'm not sure exactly when. I want to thank all of you for your letters, packages, prayers, and everything else you have done to support this endeavour. I am feeling pretty disappointed that things didn't work out better, but I know that this is just another bend in my road. My immediate plans are unclear, but I hope to rejoin the MNMS family in Sept. 09 if all goes well. If you've sent things to my Njombe address I am sorry that I won't be here to receive them, however friends of mine have been instructed to get the packages, open them, and spread the wealth. Know that your gifts are going to other deserving PCVs who will truly appreciate them! If you sent things to my Dar es Salaam address that I have yet to receive I may get them when I'm in Dar prior to my flight home. If they are things I believe would benefit current PCVs more, I'll be sure to leave them in the PCV Lounge where you will be beloved by fabulous people you've never met! If you are a teacher interested in keeping touch w/ a PCV in TZ I can suggest some wonderful people who will be happy to take my place keeping State College in touch with the world. I still want to post more pictures & video I took of my experiences here so you can get a better picture of my life here, but I will do that once returning home where it's faster!
Happy Holidays to you all.
Happy Holidays to you all.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Some Pictures
Here are some pictures. Sorry there are so few, but it takes so long to load them that this is what I could get. There may or may not be a video of my new house at the bottom as I don't know if it'll load before my internet time runs out... it's not looking good. Next time I come to internet I'll start loading it first thing & hopefully that'll be enough time!
My homestay house.
Me w/ my Tanzanian sisters and our matching outfits for the swearing in ceremony.
Me with the girls from my language training group in dresses one of the teachers had made for us. We were having Thanksgiving dinner at one of the medical officer's house.
Tanzanian sunset in Mikumi National Park. Notice the sky. What color is it? That's right - it's sky-blue-pink. (That's for my family who're probably the only ones who get that...)
Studying Swahili with the rest of my language training group.
My homestay house.
Me w/ my Tanzanian sisters and our matching outfits for the swearing in ceremony.
Me with the girls from my language training group in dresses one of the teachers had made for us. We were having Thanksgiving dinner at one of the medical officer's house.
Tanzanian sunset in Mikumi National Park. Notice the sky. What color is it? That's right - it's sky-blue-pink. (That's for my family who're probably the only ones who get that...)
Studying Swahili with the rest of my language training group.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Questions & Answers
I've gotten some questions via email that I thought I'd post responses to here for all to read. If you have questions about life here, email them to me & I'll get back to you.
1) How do I get to town? Well, it's 8km by car. I can walk the 8km, or I can walk 3km & take a van the rest of the way for about 30 cents. My other options are to walk the "shortcut" which is 4km over a mountain - did it once, it sucked, won't do it again. If I ever get $ I can buy a bike & bike the 8km to town. Either way, it's a lot less convenient than in the U.S. and it's taking some getting used to. It sort of makes me feel trapped at my site, but, bonus, I can't avoid exercise anymore!
2) Where do I use internet? In town there's a few internet cafes, one that PCVs use most often is the Altek. It's pretty fast. Since I have to come to town to buy groceries, I might as well use internet while I'm here - maybe once a week.
3) What kind of furniture did I get made? I had a wardrobe made that holds clothes, books, medicines, and miscellaneous items. I had a smaller version of it made for my kitchen that holds food, pots, etc.
4) What does it look like where I live? No kidding, it looks like PA. I know, you're thinking "Africa - must look like The Lion King, or desert, or whatever", but no. I live up in the mountains where it's green & there's forests w/ pine trees, etc. Seriously, looks like PA w/o the paved roads. Keep in mind that TZ is a big country & just like the US, the landscapes, climates, etc. vary greatly as you travel around the country. I just happen to live in a part of TZ that doesn't look like what we stereotype as "Africa".
5) Do I have a bug on my nose? The person who asked this knows who they are... I thought it would be funny to post an answer! No, I don't have a bug on my nose, but speaking of bugs, I'm done w/ mosquitoes, bug spray & nets. There are still bugs, mostly flies, but not a lot of creepy crawlies to deal w/ so far. We'll see what happens as the seasons change.
6) When am I going to post pictures? Well, as I have more access to internet now, I'll try to post some soon. I'm still in the phase where I'm internet deprived, so when I come to internet (& have to pay to use it mind you) I'm still wanting to use my time & money to email and catch up on news rather than waiting for pictures to load. I'll try to get to that in December, though.
I can't think of other questions, but I know there's more, so ask away.
1) How do I get to town? Well, it's 8km by car. I can walk the 8km, or I can walk 3km & take a van the rest of the way for about 30 cents. My other options are to walk the "shortcut" which is 4km over a mountain - did it once, it sucked, won't do it again. If I ever get $ I can buy a bike & bike the 8km to town. Either way, it's a lot less convenient than in the U.S. and it's taking some getting used to. It sort of makes me feel trapped at my site, but, bonus, I can't avoid exercise anymore!
2) Where do I use internet? In town there's a few internet cafes, one that PCVs use most often is the Altek. It's pretty fast. Since I have to come to town to buy groceries, I might as well use internet while I'm here - maybe once a week.
3) What kind of furniture did I get made? I had a wardrobe made that holds clothes, books, medicines, and miscellaneous items. I had a smaller version of it made for my kitchen that holds food, pots, etc.
4) What does it look like where I live? No kidding, it looks like PA. I know, you're thinking "Africa - must look like The Lion King, or desert, or whatever", but no. I live up in the mountains where it's green & there's forests w/ pine trees, etc. Seriously, looks like PA w/o the paved roads. Keep in mind that TZ is a big country & just like the US, the landscapes, climates, etc. vary greatly as you travel around the country. I just happen to live in a part of TZ that doesn't look like what we stereotype as "Africa".
5) Do I have a bug on my nose? The person who asked this knows who they are... I thought it would be funny to post an answer! No, I don't have a bug on my nose, but speaking of bugs, I'm done w/ mosquitoes, bug spray & nets. There are still bugs, mostly flies, but not a lot of creepy crawlies to deal w/ so far. We'll see what happens as the seasons change.
6) When am I going to post pictures? Well, as I have more access to internet now, I'll try to post some soon. I'm still in the phase where I'm internet deprived, so when I come to internet (& have to pay to use it mind you) I'm still wanting to use my time & money to email and catch up on news rather than waiting for pictures to load. I'll try to get to that in December, though.
I can't think of other questions, but I know there's more, so ask away.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Random Time to Kill
Don't get used to me being on internet everyday. I just happen to be in town to pick up furniture I had ordered, so I had some extra time before I get the furniture to do some internet stuff. I really don't have much else to post, but I remembered that I'd like a 2009 wall calendar so if someone has one they want to send to me, I'd appreciate it. If I get more than one w/ different themes - hamna shida (no worries) I can use them to decorate my walls! Oh, in case you're wondering why "no worries" is hamna shida and not "hakuna matada" like the Lion King song, it's because hamna shida is Tanzanian Swahili, but hakuna matada is Kenyan Swahili. There's a joke around here, at least all of our language teachers told us this, that Swahili was born on Zanzibar (island of the coast of TZ - part of TZ), anyway, Swahili was born on Zanzibar, grew up in Tanzania (mainland), got sick in Kenya, and died in Uganda. There are some other countries somewhere in the joke, but that's the main idea. Anyway, apparently the purest form of Swahili is spoken in Zanzibar and then the further you get from Zanzibar the more diluted it gets w/ other tribal languages.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
New Address
My address has been changed to:
Rebecca Henry
Peace Corps Volunteer
PO Box 959
Njombe, Tanzania
East Africa
The East Africa part is not always needed, so use it or not. However, the rest of the rules still apply as far as using padded envelopes, filling out the declaration slips strategically, and using religious stuff. Please be sure to write the Peace Corps Vol. on it as it saves me some customs fees! Things sent through the PC address will make it to me, but start using the new one as I'll get it sooner! I hope letters will get here now! Pass along the new address & don't forget to read my other new blogs for more info on my new place. Karibu Njombe (You are welcome to visit me in Njombe!!)
Rebecca Henry
Peace Corps Volunteer
PO Box 959
Njombe, Tanzania
East Africa
The East Africa part is not always needed, so use it or not. However, the rest of the rules still apply as far as using padded envelopes, filling out the declaration slips strategically, and using religious stuff. Please be sure to write the Peace Corps Vol. on it as it saves me some customs fees! Things sent through the PC address will make it to me, but start using the new one as I'll get it sooner! I hope letters will get here now! Pass along the new address & don't forget to read my other new blogs for more info on my new place. Karibu Njombe (You are welcome to visit me in Njombe!!)
Holiday wish list continues
Yes, it's the holiday season, so I'm taking advantage & begging! Here are some other things, in addition to other blog list I made a few weeks ago, that I could use. I love Goodwill clothes, so any clothes I ask for, please don't spend lots of money! Clean out your closets, go to Goodwill, etc. Njombe is about 65-70 degrees now w/ my house colder w/ the concrete floor (remember - no heating in houses here!) so I need more warm clothes ASAP!
CDs: The Weepies (any of them), Carbon Leaf (indian summer)
DVDS: ANY!!!!
Slippers - warm & fuzzy
Leggings/yoga pants (size L any color)
Socks (shoe size 8.5) any color but white!
Long sleeved Ts (size L)
Magazines (Readers' Digest, Cosmo, People, whatever!)
Nalgene water bottle (or any reusable water bottle)
Hot chocolate
Warmer weather clothes (goodwill stuff is great!)
Snack foods!!!
Books - any & always!
Thank you a million times over.
CDs: The Weepies (any of them), Carbon Leaf (indian summer)
DVDS: ANY!!!!
Slippers - warm & fuzzy
Leggings/yoga pants (size L any color)
Socks (shoe size 8.5) any color but white!
Long sleeved Ts (size L)
Magazines (Readers' Digest, Cosmo, People, whatever!)
Nalgene water bottle (or any reusable water bottle)
Hot chocolate
Warmer weather clothes (goodwill stuff is great!)
Snack foods!!!
Books - any & always!
Thank you a million times over.
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