Moss and I are doing well. We are feeling settled into our house. We got furniture and it’s starting to feel like a home. The local fundi made us bedside tables, a coffee table, and the lovely sofa below.
We have also been working on the garden. I say ‘we,’ but we all know who the true gardener is… We planted squash, beets, onions, various greens, watermelon, muskmelon, herbs, and catnip. The pumpkin plant in our back yard has also taken over, and we have 2 pumpkins growing. We are very excited about that and I look forward to making a yummy pumpkin dish.
So I never thought I would be able to say this, but life really is starting to feel normal, things aren’t so strange and foreign anymore. Our language skills have been improving and we are getting to know the people in our area; they don’t call us ‘muzungu’ (white person) half as much. Most people actually know our names now, and that’s a huge step. In fact on my daily walk home from work, I have about 3 or 4 little kids run up to me with excitement saying ‘dada (sister) Mary, dada Mary.’ They are pretty cute! Since most Swahili words end in vowels, Merritt is too difficult to say, and so everyone in our neighborhood calls me Mary and most people call Moss, Mossy.
Lately I love giving our neighbors zawadi (gifts). I really enjoy how simple little things make people so happy. We gave our mama next door some fruit from our fenesi tree and it made her day. Later we brought her a loaf of bread and her little 5 year old granddaughter did a mkate (bread) dance. Holding the bread in the air and turning in circles- it was adorable.
Moss and I have been busy with work. Moss has been working non-stop on a research project for the marine park. He finds it pretty interesting so that makes his life more enjoyable. It is almost the end of the semester at my school so I have been finishing up my classes and writing exams. Here are my students taking their Health Promotion exam.
Outside of work we have had a lot of visitors. 2 weeks ago we had 8 other volunteers stay out our house for one big slumber party. It was fun to have them all, but it sure was a lot of people. We celebrated Moss and another volunteer’s birthday and spent most of our time on the beach or playing various card and board games. Volunteers love to get out of their small villages and spend time in town because town offers better food, drinks, shopping, electricity, and running water. Moss and I feel pretty fortunate to live in town and have so many resources.
Well I just wanted to say hello and that life is going well here in Mtwara. Moss and I miss everyone a ton and want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the goodies we received from our wish list and beyond.
We will definitely work on blogging more… it would be fun to do a Tanzanian food/cooking picture blog or a Swahili lesson blog. If you have any other ideas or want to know about anything specifically just ask and we can write about it.
XOXOX
swahili lessons please! one can only use mbuni in specific situations! the cooking blog is also a great idea! we want to see what you can make for 1000 shilingi :)
ReplyDeletexo
The Western Slope seconds the motion, Sister Mary ! Beautiful furniture .... Tanzanian Modern?
ReplyDeleteDear Mary and Mossy,
ReplyDeleteLove to see you guys settling in....really settling in. Your house looks great. Merr - love the picture from your class of students. How old are your students? Also, thanks for the voicemail last week on my bday.
Moss in the garden sounds just like Chris. In fact, Chris got asked to go to San Francisco for an education sustainability conference in March. (It's related to his classes and the garden he takes care of at his school) and I am just going along to play in San Fran! So excited because I've never been.
Anyway, miss yall dearly.
one blog idea : I like when things get lost in translation. It's frustrating when it happens to you, but funny.
Thanks for the blog suggestions!
ReplyDeleteLauren, I hope you have a great time in SF. You asked about my students, their ages range from 17 to 19.