Almost...

So,I'm back home now and it was a bit of a shock the first day. It feels like I left home and came back to this city full of sky scrapers. I've come to the conclusion that the reason I liked it there so much is because I'm the type of person who likes being in a place where I know my neighbors and sit on the porch and say 'Hi' to people and have the community know when something is wrong with me and wish me and my family best wishes.

My last few days in Tanzania were great Friday I taught the women at Jipe Moyo about black American culture - about CP Time which gave them a laugh since its similar to there TFT Time; about food and family reunions and dating and body types. Then they dressed me in kanga and carried me around shrilling lilililillili!

One group also prayed for me... for a long long time. I think that was my fault because I told one student Grace that I was not Christian. tsk tsk tsk.

After that we went to Makwaiya's house which is really nice except that her husband's family claim that the children aren't his and may take it away from her at any moment) and to see her kids at school.


That afternoon I went to the Kili Center orphanage and played with the kids there. I taught them the hand clapping game and song to go with it. They have had a ton of foreign volunteers so they know all games and etc. so it was so cool to teach them a game/song they DIDN'T know. My sister will remember this one b/c our cousins taught us when we were little "Ronald McDonald had a hamburger..." It was so cool b/c Manka, the little girl in the picture I'll post was like 'Faster!' just like we did as kids. funny.



On Saturday I met with Lule to set up a face book page. He is a fantastic painter so I'm hoping to help him advertise his work online so that he can sell it and send it from there. ( If anyone's interested in seeing a few pieces let me know - they are pretty cheap considering how beautiful they are).

Then I hung out with Amani and had the greatest time just walking through Moshi with him talking about Tanzanian culture, American culture - dreams, etc. I told him he could be a translator professionally and get paid a lot of money but that he should really go into International Relations (I'm going to send him some magazines and books about that to increase the strenggth of my hints)

On Saturday night Beth and I had our 8 pm hot chocolate tradition. I don't know how that started but just like our friendship it just sort of did. Then we WALKED (risky business - no one walks around at night) to Malindi b/c it was so close and taking a taxi seemed ridiculous.
We arrived to meet Amani, Living and Kileo watching football (soccer)with hundreds of other men and no women and us dressed or the club in our kimpy dresses. Yes there were stares. I was like 'Amani, ummm I'm going to sit behind you thank you'. Mancester United was playing and won so it was a good night for the soccer fans.

Then CyPy came and joined us after taking the girls who had been in the accident on safari. He said he was so nervous and needed to get a little tipsy early so he could then take us all to the airport later that night. So we went to Laliga, did shots and danced. Then CyPy and I went out and talked in the safari truck until Beth came out of the club and took her to the airport. It was a loooong night. We left at 3:30 and waited with her until she left at 4:30/ 5. We were so sleepy - I was aking CyPy stupid questions on the way back to try and keep him up. When I got back to CCS I just crashed... on Beth's going away card with glitter over it. So I had glitter on me the next day :D

Sunday I didn't do much. I met CyPy and had an odd time but think that he has got a great life - seriously he's got it made. I think people here probably strive for what he has yet they wouldn't realize it to see it. Anyway I also walked around in the heat for a long time - tried to see if Amani was playing soccer and then Athmani drove me to the airport.


Now that's the end... except that I think I'll go back next year :D in fact CyPy was like 'See you next year!'