Hujambo Friends!

It’s hard to believe I have only been here for four days yet have seen and learned so much. One of my roommates has her laptop, so this evening that I am able to use to type a longer entry without wasting my limited internet access. I will try to share everything but much of what I have already experienced is difficult to describe.

First I will talk about the country of Tanzania. The weather is unbelievable, and the sun has been out for long periods each day so far. It is chilly at night but long sleeve shirts provide ample warmth. The noise is so different than in America, not the cars, sirens, or even the dull hum of electronics I am so accustomed to. Instead there are primarily animal sounds since the neighboring homes around the homebase all have cows, roosters, goats, etc. There are tons of stray (and apparently rabid) dogs all around, but they are not out too much during the day luckily. I am living outside the city of Moshi, probably a 15 minutes drive. There is one main road (one of the few paved roads I have seen) that we took all the way from the airport (45-50 min away) to our homebase and continues all the way into town. The side roads are dirt and are not well maintained, with many potholes that make the ride very bumpy to say the least. There are many different homes on the short drive from the main road to our homebase, ranging from the large gated properties to the shack-like structures that are much more common. Fields of various crops line almost every road and during the day there are always people walking. Other volunteers have warned that we probably will never get used to the breathtaking sight of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The mountain is very visible on clear days and I have already taken many incredible photos of it. The city is much more crowded and a little frightening. There are many dala dalas (their form of public transportation) which are essentially overpacked vans that transport people in and out of Moshi. Emily, who also works with me at TAFCOM, and I were the first volunteers in our group to experience this. We took the van, thankfully accompanied by the two women who serve as our mentors (Nee and Teddy), out to a more rural area called Pasua to the children’s center they run. Heading out of the city was not bad, but on our way back we counted close to 25 people in a van meant for 12 or 15. And unlike America, pedestrians DO NOT have the right-a-way. You can imagine how dangerous this makes crossing the street.

The people of Tanzania are very animated. They are full of smiles and “jambos” (hello), and perhaps most importantly they are very patient with a mzungu (white person). It may seem a derogatory reference but that is not their intention. Since most of the kids speak no English, they shout out this term to get our attention. I was relieved to find so many adults speak English, even if it’s only enough to greet one another. Nie and her husband Jonas, the founders of TAFCON, both speak English very well, unlike many of the adults who lead the other volunteers’ placements. However, we all still recognize the importance of learning basic Swahili, and CCS has organized lessons three times a week for the next three weeks. I have already picked up many of the greetings and learned basic terms such as thank you (and no thank you, which is even more important walking through the streets).

Since I have made many references to my volunteer placement I will also briefly share some of my experience. I imagine I will have much more to write in the next seven weeks once we really begin, but so far we have only spent 2 days there. There are two other CCS volunteers also at TAFCON, which stands for Tanzanian Organization Facilitating Community Development Projects. It is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that was started in 2005, and when I asked Nie today her motivation to found it, she said she felt the community’s need for help deep inside her. Their biggest focus is on alleviating poverty and all that is associated with it (include health issues such as HIV/AIDS) through education. This may seem broad, and right now it’s hard to really grasp all that they are attempting to achieve. I definitely understand their vision but the barriers are significant, most obviously financial obstacles. Their two biggest projects right now are the children’s center that provides schooling for orphans affected by HIV/AIDS, ages 3 to 7, and a tailoring apprenticeship group that encourages female empowerment through teaching of a skill. Today we visited the children’s home and it was amazing. The kids are so spirited and unaware (or perhaps undaunted) by the simplicity of the one room building, minimal supplies, and overall impoverished lifestyles. We had a speaker brought in by CCS this afternoon who addressed the education system in Tanzania, explaining the government corruption and overall failure of the nation’s schools. It was very upsetting to hear that the large majority of kids cannot afford even a year of school, although it equates to less than $20 a year for the government schools (like public schools). The speaker’s description was very moving and really left us all in a state of shock. For the next 5 weeks we are planning a fundraiser for TAFCON that will move them closer to reaching their financial goal for building a better children’s center. It will be attended primarily by the many volunteers in the area, with local artists and vendors present to sell their work with a portion going to TAFCON. I am excited to work on this project and am very hopeful that we raise enough funds to continue their projects. I will keep you posted on our progress!

This weekend a group of 20 of us (nearly all of the volunteers here right now) are going on a safari. I am very excited, and although I will see one of the parks with my mom in two months, I am very confident each time will be unique. Not only will it be a great bonding experience for the group, but we are camping on the edge of this giant crater that is famous for containing hundreds of animals. The animals are free to roam, with no “designated” camping area, but I was comforted by the fact that many of the large predators such as the lions are on the Serengeti since the great migration is occurring. Hopefully our guides are right! There is so much to see and do but the safari seems to be the biggest expense, so I am glad to get it out the way early. I hope to take a day hike of Kili and see other local sites such as the hot springs, waterfalls, and a coffee hike where you actually get to do the coffee-making process. This area has so much natural beauty but honestly I am looking for to spending a few weekends simply absorbing all the culture of Moshi.

Well, I suppose I have lost many readers by now but thanks to all who are following along. Tomorrow I will accompany TAFCON workers on a home visit where they evaluate and counsel a family with members sick with HIV, and from what I hear this is a pretty emotional experience. I most likely wont be able to update my blog until next Monday, but feel free to send e-mails and facebook messages until then. It’s really nice to hear what’s going on at home too. While I cant say I am “homesick” since the days here are just so busy, I do miss regular conversation with everyone. If anyone wants to hear my voice, however, I can receive calls on my cell phone, so shoot me a message and I will give you the number! Check back soon for another update!