Kristi says...
Please don't send any more mail to the Masasi address. The Corps is moving her North, and she will let us know her new address soon.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Hello! Sorry for such a wide time gap b/w blogs. I don't get to the town with internet very often, and when I do, the electricity often is shut off. So I'll try my best to quickly type up bullet points to summarize what I've been up to for the last few months. I never know how when the power will shut off n all my work will be lost.
I'll start off w/ the weather (it's the NE trait). It is hot. It's the beginning of the summer season, so temps are around mid 90's at least. The sun is so incredible intense here, it just zaps out all energy if you're under it for too long. Luckily I live in a cashew forest, so there's quite a bit of shade. However, most people in order to get work in their farms done, head out around 5am. The women also do all their everday chores such as dishes, sweeping, laundry, etc, during the early morning. So not only do I wake up at 6 am every morning b/c of the roosters, but i hear the clanging of pots from the neighbors n swishing of hundred primary school students' brooms cleaning the school ground. It's also very windy during the early or evening hours. Thankfully I'm cold blooded (as many of you know if you've ever ridden in a car with me or stepped into my college dorm room :) ). However, lately I've been waking up sweating b/c it's becoming so much warmer here. My body is adjusting, and I'm still able to get plenty of sleep. I would much rather be hot than cold anyway. ha, like I mentioned in an earlier blog, it is going to be difficult to adjust back to NE winters again.
Cashew harvest is well underway. I love that whereever I go in Chiungutwa, I can always pluck off a cashew apple to eat on the way as long as I leave the cashew under the tree. Many farmers use the fruit to make n sell alcohol. The cashews are collected n sold to be roasted, cracked, n sorted in the bigger cities. However, I think there will be a cashew factory near my village soon that a Dutch organization is funding. Since it's cashew harvest time, I spend a lot of time sitting with the neighbors watching the fire grow huge to roast the cashews n then I help crack the nuts using a stick to hit w/ n a stone as the base. Cashews are so good warm! It's unfortunate cashews are not the most slimming choice of food.
Speaking of weight, one challenge I've stuggle to deal with is being called "unene". In Kiswahili, this word means fat and is supposed to be a complement b/c if you're not ill, starving, and you look healthy, you're considered fat and that life in TZ is treating you well. However, I can't get the American perspective of fat out of my head, so i can never fully appreciate this "compliment".
On the subject of food, I guess I've been eating pretty well...my all carb diet :). Eggs are expensive here, but I've been able to get ahold of duck eggs which are huge! The other day i tried to make bread with chicken eggs, n often I run into the problem of getting eggs that have been fertilized. I also have tried goat meat for the first time here. Goats roam the place here. I woke up at 5am a few weeks ago due to a pig screaming. Found out my neighbor butchered one of his hogs by using a hammer to his head (the other option he explained was using a machete to cut the neck, but he needed more people to hold the pig down for that method). So I'm able to get pork on rare occasions. Chicken is always available. It's just the meat here is very tough n lean b/c the animals have to roam around scavenging for their food, n often find very little b/c it's so dry right now. The cows especially are deprived of food. It's painful for me to look at them b/c they're just bones. Even though I live only a several hours from the ocean, there is only dried fish here. Many families eat dagaa (dried sardines) with their ugali. I can manage to eat a few of them, but still can't say I especially enjoy them. Even the paper cash I get from the bank smells like dagaa, b/c the smell is so strong n people handle dagaa everyday. There's also what people in Southern TZ called "samaki mchanga" which is "fish of the sand". This is actually rat meat, and because people are so poor in the south, some families resort to eating rats. I have not had the chance to taste this, nor do I plan on it. However, I definitely wouldn't mind going to watch a rat roast, since I know some people in my village eat rats.
Like the lack of fresh fish, their is also a lack of fresh fruits n vegs in my village even though there's a huge variety of fruits/vegs 11 miles from my village. It just shows the lack of organization and problem of transportation in TZ. In my village, I had to find 2 people with vehicles in case I had an emergency. I couldn't find anyone with a car, only 1 person who owned a motorcycle n another who owned a tow truck. People hardly drive here nor could they ever afford a vehicle. Most people ride long hours on their bikes or walk by foot. There are also motorcyles, small scooters, tow trucks, n daladalas (small buses they pack to the max), n coasters headed for the bigger cities. At least this means there is not a whole lot of traffic, especially since there really isn't a whole lot laws or police to regulate the speed. I've finally bought a bike n made a 3hr trip from my banking town Masasi (where I go to bank, n get veg/fruit). It's about 11miles. Definitely not the easiest ride, especially since the soil is mostly sand here, n only 1/5 of the way is paved. I've also been able to visit a PCV who lives only an 1.5hr from my village. She evens has electricty, a pump, and a tv. So it's nice to have an American n those luxuries not too far away. We watched Titanic last weekend, which was nice. Only thing was we had to wait until 10pm for the electricity to turn back on n since my body's clock is now set to go to bed at 9pm n wake up at 6am, it was a bit difficult to stay awake for such a long movie.
I've noticed I've made a lot of adjustments to life in TZ. I can finally sleep soundly at night because I've identified all the night noises (the strong evening wind that presses on my kitchen door, the mangoes that drop on the tin roof of my choo, the neighbor's cat trying to get in my courtyard for food scrapes by climbing on the straw roof of the hut in my back yard,the bats (not rats, which I first thought they were) that live above my ceiling tiles that fly out at nite n hang out in my mango tree), the women that wake up 4/5am to get to the water pump near my house before the crowd, etc.)
I've also developed a solid routine of daily activies, so i no longer have to think so much on how to do everything little thing. I know the timing of things better, like how long it takes for things to cook over the fire or the fastest way to get dishes done while conserving as much water as possible. As I mentioned in some of the letters I wrote back home, I feel as if I went back a century. I fetch water from a nearby well (actually I let my neighbor kids do this by bribing them with candy), washing clothes by hand, ironing with hot coals, using a outhouse, bucket baths, use an kerosene lantern, cook using wood or kerosene stove, get to places usually by bike or foot, wear long dresses/skirts n never dare to show any knee. Since I've gotten into such a habit functioning w/o all the luxuries of the modern life, I don't even realize what I'm missing. So it's really not as bad as what it might sound to be.I've also gotten used to the lizards, n only slightly freak out when they're really large n close to my face. Same goes with spiders. However, I don't see either of these nearly as often as I did during the first few months. Overall, I feel like I've come a long ways with adjusting to the TZ culture. I've realized this bc of how I've started to forget about modern luxuries, my kiswahili is much better, i'm able to eat street food w/o getting sick. Now I feel like I'm able to remove the blinders I've used to not get too overwhelmed with all the new things around me, n really begin to understand the people n life in TZ.
It's crazy that even with all the things I've listed that I'm lacking w/ modern luxuries, I still feel wealthy compared to the rest of the people in my village. I try to buy most of my things in my banking town just b/c I don't like the saying no to people asking me for money b/c a family member is supposedly sick n then they see me buy food or things that aren't exactly necessary. Here even instant coffee, or sugar to go with that coffee are seen as luxury items. I conducted a meeting with the village people last weekend, n asked them to prioritize the problems in their village. The very first problem, water. It's hard to imagine what it's like to live not knowing if you'll have the very basic necessity of life (water). That's what I'm dealing with, n that's why people are the way they are here. They're on survival mode, so what's on their mind is what and how they feed their family for that day or maybe the next day.
Okay, sorry this is getting really lengthy. I'll try to do short bullet points now.
~ At least once a week, I look outside my window to see a group of students swarmed around a teacher to watch the beating of another students. TZ's boast about a peaceful country, but I don't see corporal punishment in schools being so peaceful.
~ At dances, if people like your dancing, they place small coins in your hand or pocket. I haven't had a chance to go to dance for a while, but i did go to a wedding during my training n remember being confused why older women kept giving me coins. Ha, I was trying to give it back to them. (Also want to mention that this was a Muslim wedding, and the groom actually didn't show b/c he was driving a truck in Congo. So his friend took his place in the wedding).
~ I actually enjoy my bucket baths. I'm able to look up to see the clear night sky. It's a refreshing way to end the day. (And don't worry mom, I have high concrete walls, so privacy is not an issue).
~ My name is Kristina here, b/c Kristi is too difficult for people to pronounce. Or I go by "Mzungu" which means white person n is what all the kids who don't know me shout excitedly whenever they see me pass by. Most kids n adults in my vill know my name, but everywhere else I'm mzungu. It's going to be quite an adjustment when I go home n people walk pass me without rushing to greet me or try to catch my attention. I seriously feel like a celebrity here. Ha, n I definitely can't blend in very well. Sometimes I forget how different I look from the rest of the people here, but when I look down at my blinding white hand next to 4 black hands, I remember why I stand out here so much.
~ Planted lemongrass in my courtyard so I can make chai n soup later. Good smell n tasting stuff. Like lemon fruit loops.
~ Parents here, especially mothers, are named after their kids which is definitely helpful for me when remembering names. However it does get a little confusing if the are several kids in the family b/c the parents can be called any of their kids names as long as you put "mama" or "baba" in front of it.
~I've gotten to know more people than I have in my whole life living with HIV/AIDS here around my community. It's scary b/c I know I'll probably dvlp close relationships with some of these people and may loose them do to death during my two years of service.
~During these last few months, I've been trying to brainstorm project ideas, work on my kiswahili, and dvlp relationships with the people here. So far I'm working on starting a peer leaders group of 20 secondary students to teach about making good choices and HIV/AIDS. Also waiting for the raining season to start (supposed to begin in Nov until March), so I can teach about Permaculture. This involved digging deeper so plants can be planted closer, and gardens can be planted closer to homes which is good for those families affected by illnesses such as AIDS.
~ I've been doing a lot of baking. So far I've made English muffins, cornbread, pancakes, popcorn, cream of spinach soup, brownies. My neighbors are always so curious and anxious to watch me cook b/c it's so different to them. They are even amused with how i use measuring cups bc they never use anything to measure. However, they only make about 10 main dishes, so it wouldn't be that hard to have the ingredient proportions memorized.
~ I have the convenience of people passing by my house to sell onions, tomatoes, eggs, spinach, coal, etc. I just have to make sure I have small change b/c they never have change.. or so they say.
~ Attended the secondary graduation last week. I haven't even started teaching yet, but they had me sit at the head table in front of hundreds of people. I stood up and shook each graduating students hand after they received their diploma. Luckily I didn't have to give any sort of speech, but afterwards I to say a few words in front of all the teachers n big wigs during our luncheon. My Kiswahili is still at survival language stage, not smooth speech making stage. I also want to mention that I ate with my hands at the banquet. I'm starting to forget that eating with the hands isn't normal in America. However, I still use silverware at my house.
~ The teachers kids come over a lot to hang out in my backyard. So we've had a few dance parties using my radio (no stations work until late evening), eat popcorn (they get so excited n huddle around the fire to hear the popcorn pop). The kids also enjoy looking at all the photos I have of family and friends, and any pictures I've gotten from you all in the mail. The kids have even started writing letters to some of you by pointing you out in the photos. So don't be surprised if you get a letter in kiswahili in the mail. Although I'll include another letter to translate it...or at least attempt.
~ Been helping coach volleyball to the primary students. They've been going to a nearby town (about a 30 minute walk) for a v-ball tourney w/ the neighboring towns. It's crazy how excited these kids get. They have their own stomping/screaming cheers down, and take over the court jumping and screaming if their team wins (ha, and dust goes everywhere!) The court just consists of a lines drawn in the sand by one of the teachers, although the students huddle so close to the court (sometimes into the court) that they provide the more permanent boundary line. Girls play in their school uniform skirts, and many of the kids play in flipflops or barefeet. The net is held up by only two skinny wooden poles, and need adjusting every now and then. My neighbor teacher was shocked when I explained to him that in American my v-ball team would practice at least 2 months before a game. They started coaching the day before the tournament. Anyway, it's been fun, but the kids have a long way to go and there's so many of them and so few balls, so they can't go home n practice. The outside conditions are not the easiest on sport equipment either, so I'm not sure how long the few v-balls we have will last. (The Cedar HS sent me some v-balls which has been really helpful!)
~ Found out I have family in TZ who's been living here for 50yrs! Her name is Sister Andrea Polt and she left NE when she was 26yrs never knowing if she'd see her family again b/c missionaries often spent the rest of their life working in their assigned country. Anyway, it was really nice visiting with her and comforting to know she's only a half a day's journey away.
~ So far 9 volunteers in my group have returned home. TZ just wasn't for them. Also we lost one education volunteer who died in a rock climbing accident in TZ. Joseph Chow was a volunteer in my region and was about to finish up his 2 yrs service. I meet with him a few times before he passed away. Really hard for the volunteers who knew him well. I went to his memorial service in Dar, and it was nice to see how supportive and family like Peace Corps Volunteers are.
~ Been really healthy so far. Not even stomach problems...yet. I have to boil my drinking water everyday. Did have ringworm in my ear, but i had ringworm as a kid back in the states. I don't eat meat very often, which seems to be one of my American family's main concerns. However, rice n beans or peanut butter n bread together provides the protein i need.
~Baba Salum calls every saturday. It's fun b/c each time i can speak a little better kiswahili. It's also nice to know my family in TZ still thinks about me.
~ Overall, just want to say everything has been going well here and I've enjoyed my time in TZ so far. All my neighbors have been very supportive and helpful with my adjustment to living in alone and in a foreign country. There is no possible way for me to get to lonely here b/c there are constantly people at my door or kids in my courtyard. I do miss everyone and life back home in the states, but I feel I'm definitely blessed to have this experience here and hopefully can help do something to make these people's lives here a little better.
~ Last thing, I wanted to let you know I appreciate all your letters. I just recently got Glenn n Joyce's, Paul n Gene, Caleb, Tara, Cory, Sr. Roseann, G'ma T, Kelly. If you don't hear from me in about 2 months, it's most likely that the letter has gotten lost because if you write me I promise I'll write you back. I appreciate all the letters! So write as much as your hearts desire!
Much love,
Kristi
I'll start off w/ the weather (it's the NE trait). It is hot. It's the beginning of the summer season, so temps are around mid 90's at least. The sun is so incredible intense here, it just zaps out all energy if you're under it for too long. Luckily I live in a cashew forest, so there's quite a bit of shade. However, most people in order to get work in their farms done, head out around 5am. The women also do all their everday chores such as dishes, sweeping, laundry, etc, during the early morning. So not only do I wake up at 6 am every morning b/c of the roosters, but i hear the clanging of pots from the neighbors n swishing of hundred primary school students' brooms cleaning the school ground. It's also very windy during the early or evening hours. Thankfully I'm cold blooded (as many of you know if you've ever ridden in a car with me or stepped into my college dorm room :) ). However, lately I've been waking up sweating b/c it's becoming so much warmer here. My body is adjusting, and I'm still able to get plenty of sleep. I would much rather be hot than cold anyway. ha, like I mentioned in an earlier blog, it is going to be difficult to adjust back to NE winters again.
Cashew harvest is well underway. I love that whereever I go in Chiungutwa, I can always pluck off a cashew apple to eat on the way as long as I leave the cashew under the tree. Many farmers use the fruit to make n sell alcohol. The cashews are collected n sold to be roasted, cracked, n sorted in the bigger cities. However, I think there will be a cashew factory near my village soon that a Dutch organization is funding. Since it's cashew harvest time, I spend a lot of time sitting with the neighbors watching the fire grow huge to roast the cashews n then I help crack the nuts using a stick to hit w/ n a stone as the base. Cashews are so good warm! It's unfortunate cashews are not the most slimming choice of food.
Speaking of weight, one challenge I've stuggle to deal with is being called "unene". In Kiswahili, this word means fat and is supposed to be a complement b/c if you're not ill, starving, and you look healthy, you're considered fat and that life in TZ is treating you well. However, I can't get the American perspective of fat out of my head, so i can never fully appreciate this "compliment".
On the subject of food, I guess I've been eating pretty well...my all carb diet :). Eggs are expensive here, but I've been able to get ahold of duck eggs which are huge! The other day i tried to make bread with chicken eggs, n often I run into the problem of getting eggs that have been fertilized. I also have tried goat meat for the first time here. Goats roam the place here. I woke up at 5am a few weeks ago due to a pig screaming. Found out my neighbor butchered one of his hogs by using a hammer to his head (the other option he explained was using a machete to cut the neck, but he needed more people to hold the pig down for that method). So I'm able to get pork on rare occasions. Chicken is always available. It's just the meat here is very tough n lean b/c the animals have to roam around scavenging for their food, n often find very little b/c it's so dry right now. The cows especially are deprived of food. It's painful for me to look at them b/c they're just bones. Even though I live only a several hours from the ocean, there is only dried fish here. Many families eat dagaa (dried sardines) with their ugali. I can manage to eat a few of them, but still can't say I especially enjoy them. Even the paper cash I get from the bank smells like dagaa, b/c the smell is so strong n people handle dagaa everyday. There's also what people in Southern TZ called "samaki mchanga" which is "fish of the sand". This is actually rat meat, and because people are so poor in the south, some families resort to eating rats. I have not had the chance to taste this, nor do I plan on it. However, I definitely wouldn't mind going to watch a rat roast, since I know some people in my village eat rats.
Like the lack of fresh fish, their is also a lack of fresh fruits n vegs in my village even though there's a huge variety of fruits/vegs 11 miles from my village. It just shows the lack of organization and problem of transportation in TZ. In my village, I had to find 2 people with vehicles in case I had an emergency. I couldn't find anyone with a car, only 1 person who owned a motorcycle n another who owned a tow truck. People hardly drive here nor could they ever afford a vehicle. Most people ride long hours on their bikes or walk by foot. There are also motorcyles, small scooters, tow trucks, n daladalas (small buses they pack to the max), n coasters headed for the bigger cities. At least this means there is not a whole lot of traffic, especially since there really isn't a whole lot laws or police to regulate the speed. I've finally bought a bike n made a 3hr trip from my banking town Masasi (where I go to bank, n get veg/fruit). It's about 11miles. Definitely not the easiest ride, especially since the soil is mostly sand here, n only 1/5 of the way is paved. I've also been able to visit a PCV who lives only an 1.5hr from my village. She evens has electricty, a pump, and a tv. So it's nice to have an American n those luxuries not too far away. We watched Titanic last weekend, which was nice. Only thing was we had to wait until 10pm for the electricity to turn back on n since my body's clock is now set to go to bed at 9pm n wake up at 6am, it was a bit difficult to stay awake for such a long movie.
I've noticed I've made a lot of adjustments to life in TZ. I can finally sleep soundly at night because I've identified all the night noises (the strong evening wind that presses on my kitchen door, the mangoes that drop on the tin roof of my choo, the neighbor's cat trying to get in my courtyard for food scrapes by climbing on the straw roof of the hut in my back yard,the bats (not rats, which I first thought they were) that live above my ceiling tiles that fly out at nite n hang out in my mango tree), the women that wake up 4/5am to get to the water pump near my house before the crowd, etc.)
I've also developed a solid routine of daily activies, so i no longer have to think so much on how to do everything little thing. I know the timing of things better, like how long it takes for things to cook over the fire or the fastest way to get dishes done while conserving as much water as possible. As I mentioned in some of the letters I wrote back home, I feel as if I went back a century. I fetch water from a nearby well (actually I let my neighbor kids do this by bribing them with candy), washing clothes by hand, ironing with hot coals, using a outhouse, bucket baths, use an kerosene lantern, cook using wood or kerosene stove, get to places usually by bike or foot, wear long dresses/skirts n never dare to show any knee. Since I've gotten into such a habit functioning w/o all the luxuries of the modern life, I don't even realize what I'm missing. So it's really not as bad as what it might sound to be.I've also gotten used to the lizards, n only slightly freak out when they're really large n close to my face. Same goes with spiders. However, I don't see either of these nearly as often as I did during the first few months. Overall, I feel like I've come a long ways with adjusting to the TZ culture. I've realized this bc of how I've started to forget about modern luxuries, my kiswahili is much better, i'm able to eat street food w/o getting sick. Now I feel like I'm able to remove the blinders I've used to not get too overwhelmed with all the new things around me, n really begin to understand the people n life in TZ.
It's crazy that even with all the things I've listed that I'm lacking w/ modern luxuries, I still feel wealthy compared to the rest of the people in my village. I try to buy most of my things in my banking town just b/c I don't like the saying no to people asking me for money b/c a family member is supposedly sick n then they see me buy food or things that aren't exactly necessary. Here even instant coffee, or sugar to go with that coffee are seen as luxury items. I conducted a meeting with the village people last weekend, n asked them to prioritize the problems in their village. The very first problem, water. It's hard to imagine what it's like to live not knowing if you'll have the very basic necessity of life (water). That's what I'm dealing with, n that's why people are the way they are here. They're on survival mode, so what's on their mind is what and how they feed their family for that day or maybe the next day.
Okay, sorry this is getting really lengthy. I'll try to do short bullet points now.
~ At least once a week, I look outside my window to see a group of students swarmed around a teacher to watch the beating of another students. TZ's boast about a peaceful country, but I don't see corporal punishment in schools being so peaceful.
~ At dances, if people like your dancing, they place small coins in your hand or pocket. I haven't had a chance to go to dance for a while, but i did go to a wedding during my training n remember being confused why older women kept giving me coins. Ha, I was trying to give it back to them. (Also want to mention that this was a Muslim wedding, and the groom actually didn't show b/c he was driving a truck in Congo. So his friend took his place in the wedding).
~ I actually enjoy my bucket baths. I'm able to look up to see the clear night sky. It's a refreshing way to end the day. (And don't worry mom, I have high concrete walls, so privacy is not an issue).
~ My name is Kristina here, b/c Kristi is too difficult for people to pronounce. Or I go by "Mzungu" which means white person n is what all the kids who don't know me shout excitedly whenever they see me pass by. Most kids n adults in my vill know my name, but everywhere else I'm mzungu. It's going to be quite an adjustment when I go home n people walk pass me without rushing to greet me or try to catch my attention. I seriously feel like a celebrity here. Ha, n I definitely can't blend in very well. Sometimes I forget how different I look from the rest of the people here, but when I look down at my blinding white hand next to 4 black hands, I remember why I stand out here so much.
~ Planted lemongrass in my courtyard so I can make chai n soup later. Good smell n tasting stuff. Like lemon fruit loops.
~ Parents here, especially mothers, are named after their kids which is definitely helpful for me when remembering names. However it does get a little confusing if the are several kids in the family b/c the parents can be called any of their kids names as long as you put "mama" or "baba" in front of it.
~I've gotten to know more people than I have in my whole life living with HIV/AIDS here around my community. It's scary b/c I know I'll probably dvlp close relationships with some of these people and may loose them do to death during my two years of service.
~During these last few months, I've been trying to brainstorm project ideas, work on my kiswahili, and dvlp relationships with the people here. So far I'm working on starting a peer leaders group of 20 secondary students to teach about making good choices and HIV/AIDS. Also waiting for the raining season to start (supposed to begin in Nov until March), so I can teach about Permaculture. This involved digging deeper so plants can be planted closer, and gardens can be planted closer to homes which is good for those families affected by illnesses such as AIDS.
~ I've been doing a lot of baking. So far I've made English muffins, cornbread, pancakes, popcorn, cream of spinach soup, brownies. My neighbors are always so curious and anxious to watch me cook b/c it's so different to them. They are even amused with how i use measuring cups bc they never use anything to measure. However, they only make about 10 main dishes, so it wouldn't be that hard to have the ingredient proportions memorized.
~ I have the convenience of people passing by my house to sell onions, tomatoes, eggs, spinach, coal, etc. I just have to make sure I have small change b/c they never have change.. or so they say.
~ Attended the secondary graduation last week. I haven't even started teaching yet, but they had me sit at the head table in front of hundreds of people. I stood up and shook each graduating students hand after they received their diploma. Luckily I didn't have to give any sort of speech, but afterwards I to say a few words in front of all the teachers n big wigs during our luncheon. My Kiswahili is still at survival language stage, not smooth speech making stage. I also want to mention that I ate with my hands at the banquet. I'm starting to forget that eating with the hands isn't normal in America. However, I still use silverware at my house.
~ The teachers kids come over a lot to hang out in my backyard. So we've had a few dance parties using my radio (no stations work until late evening), eat popcorn (they get so excited n huddle around the fire to hear the popcorn pop). The kids also enjoy looking at all the photos I have of family and friends, and any pictures I've gotten from you all in the mail. The kids have even started writing letters to some of you by pointing you out in the photos. So don't be surprised if you get a letter in kiswahili in the mail. Although I'll include another letter to translate it...or at least attempt.
~ Been helping coach volleyball to the primary students. They've been going to a nearby town (about a 30 minute walk) for a v-ball tourney w/ the neighboring towns. It's crazy how excited these kids get. They have their own stomping/screaming cheers down, and take over the court jumping and screaming if their team wins (ha, and dust goes everywhere!) The court just consists of a lines drawn in the sand by one of the teachers, although the students huddle so close to the court (sometimes into the court) that they provide the more permanent boundary line. Girls play in their school uniform skirts, and many of the kids play in flipflops or barefeet. The net is held up by only two skinny wooden poles, and need adjusting every now and then. My neighbor teacher was shocked when I explained to him that in American my v-ball team would practice at least 2 months before a game. They started coaching the day before the tournament. Anyway, it's been fun, but the kids have a long way to go and there's so many of them and so few balls, so they can't go home n practice. The outside conditions are not the easiest on sport equipment either, so I'm not sure how long the few v-balls we have will last. (The Cedar HS sent me some v-balls which has been really helpful!)
~ Found out I have family in TZ who's been living here for 50yrs! Her name is Sister Andrea Polt and she left NE when she was 26yrs never knowing if she'd see her family again b/c missionaries often spent the rest of their life working in their assigned country. Anyway, it was really nice visiting with her and comforting to know she's only a half a day's journey away.
~ So far 9 volunteers in my group have returned home. TZ just wasn't for them. Also we lost one education volunteer who died in a rock climbing accident in TZ. Joseph Chow was a volunteer in my region and was about to finish up his 2 yrs service. I meet with him a few times before he passed away. Really hard for the volunteers who knew him well. I went to his memorial service in Dar, and it was nice to see how supportive and family like Peace Corps Volunteers are.
~ Been really healthy so far. Not even stomach problems...yet. I have to boil my drinking water everyday. Did have ringworm in my ear, but i had ringworm as a kid back in the states. I don't eat meat very often, which seems to be one of my American family's main concerns. However, rice n beans or peanut butter n bread together provides the protein i need.
~Baba Salum calls every saturday. It's fun b/c each time i can speak a little better kiswahili. It's also nice to know my family in TZ still thinks about me.
~ Overall, just want to say everything has been going well here and I've enjoyed my time in TZ so far. All my neighbors have been very supportive and helpful with my adjustment to living in alone and in a foreign country. There is no possible way for me to get to lonely here b/c there are constantly people at my door or kids in my courtyard. I do miss everyone and life back home in the states, but I feel I'm definitely blessed to have this experience here and hopefully can help do something to make these people's lives here a little better.
~ Last thing, I wanted to let you know I appreciate all your letters. I just recently got Glenn n Joyce's, Paul n Gene, Caleb, Tara, Cory, Sr. Roseann, G'ma T, Kelly. If you don't hear from me in about 2 months, it's most likely that the letter has gotten lost because if you write me I promise I'll write you back. I appreciate all the letters! So write as much as your hearts desire!
Much love,
Kristi
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