So I had my first experience of a difference between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere...the BIG DIPPER is upside down...now some of you may not know the significance of this constellation in my life and the many arguments I have had regarding its name and size...but I thought it would still be an interesting concept for those whom won't get the joke.
I am back in Iringa and loving it. I have only 4 more Swahili classes before HIV/AIDS training begins and I will be in village starting the 20th of March. My Swahili is coming along well, but I expect when we are joined my the National volunteers and of course when I go to village, it will get even better.
I am still enjoying the amazing hike to Gangalonga rock which has a spectacular view of Iringa and, of course, my home-stay family is amazing. We've been watching the African Soccer Championship thing...I try to explain how unpopular soccer is in the US, but I am surprised to say I am really enjoying it!
Otherwise things are great! 2 have fallen to Malaria, one amoeba and an ear infection, but I am happy and healthy (with a slight cold)
I am sure I will have much more news next week and will get you all up to status on the National volunteers, and I will tell you as soon as I do the village I am going to and any other news.
Hope all is well in the US and life is good!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Waterfall
Here in Njombe there is a huge beautiful waterfall! We went there the other day with my homestay brother and had a wonderful time. The other day, however, I met a few Tanzanians Israel, Mark, and Eric who decided to take me and a few friends to the waterfall again, but they took us on a great adventure into the brush and down stream. We had such a great time. We were climbing trees to cross the river and jumping rocks! It was a lot of fun!
Njombe is a smaller town with many less mwazungus (white people) so we are a bit more of a surprise to the children and some adults too. There are quite a few Peace Corp people here as well but they do not come to town very often. I leave here tomorrow to return to Iringa where I will live with my homestay brothers for another 2 weeks. Then we have the HIV/AIDS training with the Tanzanian volunteers before we head to villiage. I am getting a bit antsie (sp. sorry) but having spoken to Peace Corp people, they say it is natural and to use this time wisely so villiage will be even better.
Now I though I should answer your questions:
Does anyone have pets?- yes but they have dogs but they are treated poorly- cats very few...pigs kuku (chicken) ng'ombe (cow) all for milk or food
Have you been out in the wilderness? yes-ish I have been hiking a lot to the waterfall in Njombe and the big rock in Iringa which was absaluly beautiful as well
Do people have gardens? yes, but my families do not
Are there markets for buying food? all over the place! the market is crazy and a lot of fun but I as a mwazungu must beware of being ripped off...they have fruit, fish, spices 2nd hand clothes (A LOT) all sorts of fresh great stuff
How is your solar panel? I don't know yet!
What does your house look like? they are nice...no shacks like you may have been imagining at least not in town! Here they have the drop toilets and multiple rooms my home in Iringa is an apartment and in Njombe it is house- rather large actually I will take pics...I should be expecting a lot less in villiage though especially the toilet situation
How often will you be moving around? 2 weeks Iringa then I was in Njombe for 2 weeks 4 weeks in Iringa again...then i will move to village but I have no idea where that will be !
How is the Swahili coming? Mimi ninafurahi. Nitapoenda Iringa, nitakuwa na wiki mbili kwa Kiswahili. Halafu nitakuwa fluent? (I am happy. WHen I go to Iringa I will have 2 weeks of Swahili then i will be fluent). OK...I can get around
Are you going to come back married with a clan or should I not hope for that? I am leaving my options open...haha...unlikely
Have you seen zebras? NO...not yet maybe next week I will go to Ruaha national park near Iringa...they have the largest population of tembo (elephant) in Tanzania.
Have you eaten zebras?? Kitimoto(pork) ng'ombe(cow)...na kuku(chicken) not zebra
How many cars are there? in town quite a few but there is no rush hour or anything
How safe is it to go out at night? Irninga is fine Njombe is a bit creepy, but it is fine...we go in twos...if we are to many people we stand out BADLY
Do you stand out? ummm.....YES
Do you still have hair? yes I have not shaved in 2 weeks and my hair is still growing
Where do your internets come from? cafes around town
Do people make fun of your nub, and are you telling inaccurate but daring tales of how it was lost (because I won't tell)? yes I had a few people whop fell hard for the shark dving story!
How do you spend your afternoons? school...talking...walking around town...and HIKING YEAH
What time does everyone wake up? me: 630 aahhh them: earlier How hot is it? wet and rainy and cold-er in Njombe...Iringa is rather hot
Is there a Tanzanian bobsledding team, and are you helping them make a big Hollywood movie? I wish....
What does your bed look like? a bed
Njombe is a smaller town with many less mwazungus (white people) so we are a bit more of a surprise to the children and some adults too. There are quite a few Peace Corp people here as well but they do not come to town very often. I leave here tomorrow to return to Iringa where I will live with my homestay brothers for another 2 weeks. Then we have the HIV/AIDS training with the Tanzanian volunteers before we head to villiage. I am getting a bit antsie (sp. sorry) but having spoken to Peace Corp people, they say it is natural and to use this time wisely so villiage will be even better.
Now I though I should answer your questions:
Does anyone have pets?- yes but they have dogs but they are treated poorly- cats very few...pigs kuku (chicken) ng'ombe (cow) all for milk or food
Have you been out in the wilderness? yes-ish I have been hiking a lot to the waterfall in Njombe and the big rock in Iringa which was absaluly beautiful as well
Do people have gardens? yes, but my families do not
Are there markets for buying food? all over the place! the market is crazy and a lot of fun but I as a mwazungu must beware of being ripped off...they have fruit, fish, spices 2nd hand clothes (A LOT) all sorts of fresh great stuff
How is your solar panel? I don't know yet!
What does your house look like? they are nice...no shacks like you may have been imagining at least not in town! Here they have the drop toilets and multiple rooms my home in Iringa is an apartment and in Njombe it is house- rather large actually I will take pics...I should be expecting a lot less in villiage though especially the toilet situation
How often will you be moving around? 2 weeks Iringa then I was in Njombe for 2 weeks 4 weeks in Iringa again...then i will move to village but I have no idea where that will be !
How is the Swahili coming? Mimi ninafurahi. Nitapoenda Iringa, nitakuwa na wiki mbili kwa Kiswahili. Halafu nitakuwa fluent? (I am happy. WHen I go to Iringa I will have 2 weeks of Swahili then i will be fluent). OK...I can get around
Are you going to come back married with a clan or should I not hope for that? I am leaving my options open...haha...unlikely
Have you seen zebras? NO...not yet maybe next week I will go to Ruaha national park near Iringa...they have the largest population of tembo (elephant) in Tanzania.
Have you eaten zebras?? Kitimoto(pork) ng'ombe(cow)...na kuku(chicken) not zebra
How many cars are there? in town quite a few but there is no rush hour or anything
How safe is it to go out at night? Irninga is fine Njombe is a bit creepy, but it is fine...we go in twos...if we are to many people we stand out BADLY
Do you stand out? ummm.....YES
Do you still have hair? yes I have not shaved in 2 weeks and my hair is still growing
Where do your internets come from? cafes around town
Do people make fun of your nub, and are you telling inaccurate but daring tales of how it was lost (because I won't tell)? yes I had a few people whop fell hard for the shark dving story!
How do you spend your afternoons? school...talking...walking around town...and HIKING YEAH
What time does everyone wake up? me: 630 aahhh them: earlier How hot is it? wet and rainy and cold-er in Njombe...Iringa is rather hot
Is there a Tanzanian bobsledding team, and are you helping them make a big Hollywood movie? I wish....
What does your bed look like? a bed
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Some News Short and Sweet
I killed a chicken yesterday...yes a real chicken for my dinner. It was crazy and there is footage!!
More to come soon.
More to come soon.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
The food!
I realize I have not told you all much about my living conditions and life in general. So starting now I will tell you about a few things you may wish to know about.
The food is interesting. Rather repetative, but good. Except of course the most recent meal I had at a restaurant that caused me to have two days of close contact with the choo. (I am feeling better now!) We eat a lot of rice and ugali which is a rice like carb made from maize. Here in Njombe there is a lot more food since I have a mother where in Irtinga it is just my brothers. They do not like how little I eat which is difficult especially when you are ill. PLEASE NO MORE! In Njombe they use a lot of curry and peppers. The other day I hade ndizi soup...banana stew. It was not sweet and looked more like bodily fluids of the bad kind than anything else. (Sorry for those with weak stomachs.) Other things like goat and chicken are rather good just beware of the bones. Everything is cooked peanut or sunflowwer oil and often tastes greasy. Also there are things cause chipate which are corn flower pancake like things...they are good when made well and difficult to swallow when too greasy. They make a lot of things in this sauce which is basically tomatoe onion peppers and oil...then they put potatioes, fish, chicken, or the meat of choice in it! That is where the repetition comes in. There is a lot of great fresh fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, mango, etc. It is great! I am liking it but definately losing weight.
Feel free to drop in any question you have about the food!
Also let me know what else you want to know about fro future topics!!!!
The food is interesting. Rather repetative, but good. Except of course the most recent meal I had at a restaurant that caused me to have two days of close contact with the choo. (I am feeling better now!) We eat a lot of rice and ugali which is a rice like carb made from maize. Here in Njombe there is a lot more food since I have a mother where in Irtinga it is just my brothers. They do not like how little I eat which is difficult especially when you are ill. PLEASE NO MORE! In Njombe they use a lot of curry and peppers. The other day I hade ndizi soup...banana stew. It was not sweet and looked more like bodily fluids of the bad kind than anything else. (Sorry for those with weak stomachs.) Other things like goat and chicken are rather good just beware of the bones. Everything is cooked peanut or sunflowwer oil and often tastes greasy. Also there are things cause chipate which are corn flower pancake like things...they are good when made well and difficult to swallow when too greasy. They make a lot of things in this sauce which is basically tomatoe onion peppers and oil...then they put potatioes, fish, chicken, or the meat of choice in it! That is where the repetition comes in. There is a lot of great fresh fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, mango, etc. It is great! I am liking it but definately losing weight.
Feel free to drop in any question you have about the food!
Also let me know what else you want to know about fro future topics!!!!
Monday, February 2, 2009
40 Adults 3 babies 2 kids and a rooster
I arrived in Njombeyesterday on a bus which normally could comfortaby hold 25 people maybe 30 we had 40 Adults 3 babies 2 kids and a rooster. Yeah the bus pulled over for a minute at one point and a lady handed the driver a rooster...I don't know why! I had butts in my face...feeding babies to my right and anotyher seat in front of me which made my knees very unhappy...quite the adventure for 5 hours! It was a blast lookingt back on it.
Njombe is a very neat town as I have seen so far...I have a mother and father figure in this house so things are a lot different. Ihave 2 brothers one is 23and the other is 11. I will e learing how to cook a lot more here. It is oing to be harder much I will be experiencing a lot more. My "brother" Kevin is very nice. He has shown me around a lot and will be great for my Kiswahili learning which is going well for me.
Things are crazy havin to readjust to a new family again., but I think I will settle in soon. I cooked eggs this morning...yes and I do not like eggs so....whoopie! My family said they were veryu good (thanks dad! I learned that from you!)
I will check in soon when I have settled in.
Sorry for spelling errors...this keyboard is rather bad
Njombe is a very neat town as I have seen so far...I have a mother and father figure in this house so things are a lot different. Ihave 2 brothers one is 23and the other is 11. I will e learing how to cook a lot more here. It is oing to be harder much I will be experiencing a lot more. My "brother" Kevin is very nice. He has shown me around a lot and will be great for my Kiswahili learning which is going well for me.
Things are crazy havin to readjust to a new family again., but I think I will settle in soon. I cooked eggs this morning...yes and I do not like eggs so....whoopie! My family said they were veryu good (thanks dad! I learned that from you!)
I will check in soon when I have settled in.
Sorry for spelling errors...this keyboard is rather bad
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