New Pictures

Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:46pm

I just finished eating dinner, the first meal I have cooked at home in awhile. Rice with masala spices spooned over a cut up fresh tomato. I was feeling lazy, and only cooked because I am trying not to eat all of the ready-made food I have received in recent packages. (thank you!!!)

Yesterday I returned to my village after being away for about 2 weeks of training in Morogoro. It was the first time I had seen most of my friends for 3 months, since we were installed at site. It was interesting to hear about how each of them had settled into their different village cultures and what projects they were beginning, and what challenges they faced, and what successes they had. For the last 2 days of training, our counterparts came to learn about the Peace Corps program, and how they could help us in our work. (Program design and management and the like) I asked Flora to come and was happy she could meet my friends and understand more about my culture by observing us en-masse.

In Morogoro I ate pizza, macaroni and cheese, and drank cold crisp apple juice (once – it was REALLY expensive). There were so many fruits! I bought bags of tiny plums and ate them with every meal. I bought pineapples and shared them amongst friends. I tried jackfruit (finesse) for the first time (and found I did not like it – though I was told it was not a good one) and fell in love with little peanut candies that where sold on the street near the circle of chairs men sat in to drink chai and chat amongst themselves.

The internet was fast enough to not only log onto facebook – but for chat to be enabled so I could talk to friends I had not heard from since I left the US. The place we stayed was a short 45 minute walk outside of town, beautifully shadowed by the mountains rising up behind.

I was spoiled for a short moment. But we exhausted ourselves quickly – beginning our lectures and workshops at 8am and going to 6pm and then walking out into town to get dinner and staying out till midnight or much later before we ambled back to sleep.

Everyone agreed that I had the best counterpart. Her sassy and wise answers kept things moving, and gave insight to the topics we discussed. I feel truly lucky to be working with her. I know she also enjoyed coming – her first time to Morogoro – to learn new things and meet the people she had heard me speak so much about.

But nothing comes so easily. The nurse who has helped me a bit since I arrived was very upset that I didn’t invite her. I tried to explain it away (‘but you have to work at the dispensary!’) but she pouted quite vehemently for the days up until I left. Luckily since I have returned home, with a pineapple for her as a gift, she does not seem so upset. She did ask A LOT of questions about how much money Flora got, whether her bus fare, accommodations, and food were paid for. And also about whether mine where. These questions make me even more glad I did not invite her. I know Flora will help me with my work – and works happily along my side as a volunteer – like me.

It is good to be back in my village. I have spent the majority of these past 2 days wandering a bit, hodi-ing (going from house to house to greet people) and inquiring about the time past since we have last seen each other.

Despite rumours otherwise, the rains have stopped in Vumari. The rains have stopped before the crops have finished and the tall proud stalks have shriveled leaves that will soon turn brown and fall to the ground. Another years crop will fail if rain does not come by Christmas. I have heard this now from the mouth of every villager. If only the rains could come, for Christmas, they could all sing and dance.

I will be spending Christmas here in the village with Flora’s family. I will be cooking American food, and she food of her tribe – Wachagga (from around Moshi), and her daughter will be cooking food of the tribe where we live – the Wapare (from the Pare Mountains). I am thinking of making a cake, macaroni and cheese (using the cheese sauce sent to me from my loving parents) and tuna casserole (using the tuna sent to me by Rachel J and packet of dried cream of mushroom soup mix I got in Moshi) Flora also wants me to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which she adored when I made them for the village leaders during the long day of food aid distribution.

Going to email this to be posted – though I haven’t finished writing more. Perhaps soon? I have more pictures too but the internet connection is so slow I have to try multiple times to even send an email through gmail’s html only.

More Pictures! – Jen's AIDs Day Event
(At the bottom)
She's still promising a blog post soon.