Chiungutwa kids handclapping games

Chiungutwa neighbor kids hand/singing game

View from the top of plateau, Newala. Now my new banking town.

Path up to Newala from my friend/volunteer Jenny Beth's site

Road up plateau to get to Newala (thankfully I live on the plateau so I don't have to travel up & down it)

The Christmas Trees in full bloom

Indian Ocean near Sister Andrea's place, Mtwara.

Fish market in Mtwara

View of "Christmas tree" & ocean from Sister Andrea's place in Mtwara. My long lost relative in TZ.

Thanksgiving Dinner. We had it in town where one of the volunteers & her 5 students were staying at the hospital after bus accident.

Thanksgiving Dinner w/ the Deep South Volunteers.

This guy just sunbathing in my courtyard.

My lizard friends in new site, Namiyonga...it's either lizards or cochroaches. I'm trying to appreciate lizards more.

Thanksgiving Dinner with Missionaries in Newala. We had everything from pumpkin/peacan pie to sweet yams & cranberries. We even had ice cubes!

My student groups from Chiungutwa Secondary school educating neighboring village on envr/ag/health issues.

My Secondary Students presenting environmental/ag issues to villagers

Yum...TZ's main course: Ugali, spinach, & beans.

Me in my g'ma skirt & friend Anna preparing ugali

Typical home in the Deep South

Trail I used to run in the morning

Trails in Chiungutwa I took when running every morning. Usually I'd start a snowball effect of kids joining me when they saw me run by.

Chiungutwa neighbor kids...yes, that kid in the blue is wearing a snow suit. clothing motto here is if u have it, wear it. no matter color or style.

Sunset in Masasi (was main town for going to food market, post office, bank)

View from Chiungutwa and in the far distance is plateau that my village is on

Wood carver in Chiungutwa. I bought some really great carvings that I hope to bring home.

My neighbors (man is primary school teacher) testing out the cake

I made a cake for Nasma's b-day (girl in orange). Tazanians rarely celebrate b-days, & often don't know their age for sure.

Kids preparing beds for cassava, one of the main foods

View from Chiungutwa

Termite Hill. They're all over the place and they can be at least double the size of this one.

Mango tree in front of Chiungutwa Secondary School

Boys playing pool...the whole time I was in Chiungutwa, I never once saw a girl play

People bring out all their buckets to catch as much rainwater for washing, cooking, drinking, etc.

Kids having a blast running in the rain

Chiungutwa kids strip down & play during the rain

Cute Chiungutwa kid I held while waiting out the rain

Chiungutwa homes made of mud/bricks and tin roofs

View of Chiungutwa, my first village

My two favorite girls, Mary & Nasma, from Chiungutwa wearing my hats!

my house in Chiungutwa

New Mailing Address!

So plans aren't exactly official, but due to a recent theft incident in my house that involved my counterpart, Peace Corps wants to move me to another site as they believe Chiungutwa can not provide adequate security. I currently have a guard, but Peace Corps rules state that if a site requires a guard, the site is not considered appropriate for the volunteer. So, it looks like I will continue living in the south, but move about 2 hours from my old site to live near Newala (my new village is on a plateau...and I've heard the temps are a tad bit cooler). I will still be going to masasi for internet and volunteer get togethers but it will take me about 3-4 hrs to get to masasi compared to just one hour from Chiungutwa. That means my trips to internet are going to be even less frequent.

Here is my new address:

Kristi Scott
Peace Corps Volunteer
PO Box 440
Newala, Mtwara, Tanzania

If you happened to have already sent mail to my old address, don't worry, I'll still be able to retrieve it. It will just take me a little more time in order to travel to masasi to go get any mail. I should be moving to my new at the end of next week. I'll let you know more once the plans to move are definite.

Neighbor kids who fetch my water (with a little bribery using candy)

The kids get really silly whenever there's a camera...ha, they're a lot fun

I had one of the kids try to take a pic of us cracking cashews

Kids helping me crack cashews

The fire grows huge from the oil of the cashews

Roasting cashews (kids always get excited when I bust out the camera)

Soccer Match in Masasi

neighbors playing soccer near my house (it's a good time playing soccer with these kids)

main room with view of courtyard

kitchen (i cook either with the green kerosene stove or a charcoal stove outside)

main room with view of bedroom

main room with view of kitchen