We made it to TANZANIA! Whoo-hoo!

We have been here for a week now and I must say that so far everything is amazing! Well everything except the heat and humidity. One would think I should be used to it by now because New Orleans is crazy hot, but it’s a lot different without AC.

For this first week we have been living and training in the Msimbazi Center, which is a huge Christian Center in Dar es Salaam that is probably a little smaller than the Rhodes College campus. We were asked to stay in the gates of the center for the week so we can get all our shots and get prepared for life outside the gates... We have been learning about the Tanzanian people, the culture, and the language... it has been really interesting...

One thing that they have stressed is the importance of greetings. Whenever you pass anyone on the street or just walking in the opposite direction you are expected to greet them. If not, it is flat out rude. If this person is older than you, you must say: “Shikamoo” which means I respect you my elder, if they accept this greeting they will respond, “Marahaba,” which means I glad that you respect me. Greetings can go on for more than 5 minutes, which means that getting from one place to another often takes much longer than expected. In the U.S. we are so used to just walking from place to place without greeting each other, but here it is essential.

Another thing that will take some getting used to is the food. Everything is starchy and/or fried.... just what I love! Here is the average menu:

Breakfast @ 7:30:
-Fried bananas/plantains
-Fried cornbread balls
-Sambusa (fried ground beef shaped in the form of a triangle)
-White bunny bread with jelly
-Hot dogs (on the days that sambusa is not served)

Chai break @ 10:
-Chia Tea
-Coffee in the powdered form
-Fried circular things with meet or veggies inside
-Muffins (only once did they have yummy muffins)

Lunch @ 12:30:
-Boiled plantains (when boiled they taste just like potatoes, when fried they taste like a sweet hard banana)
-Potatoes
-White rice
-Beans
-Chicken or beef mixture to put on rice
-Stir fried onions with a little bit of greens

Dinner @ 7:00
-Exactly the same as lunch
-On the good days there is watermelon for dessert

Not exactly my ideal menu, but I’m growing to like just plain rice and beans. I must say that I am really looking forward to moving into our own house in two months, because then we can have our own garden and I can have vegetables again!!!

We are actually leaving the Msimbazi Center tomorrow and we will be moving to Mkanyageni, Tanga to live with our host family, Mr. and Mrs. Akida A. Mbaruku. We will be there for two months and have intense training. I don't think I will have internet access while in Tanga, so I might not be able to update you all for a while. Hope life is going well in the U.S. Miss you.

XOXOX

Merritt