Kwanza: The Beginning

And so we have made it! We have journeyed thousands of miles, crossed an ocean and landed in this beautiful, exotic land called Tanzania. It's only been 4 days since our arrival, yet it feels like we have done so many things. Maybe because we have. Just so you know, our internet is a little shaky, so we get on when we can, which is a big reason why this post is number moja. So let us begin our little tour while the signal holds.

We are staying in Morogoro at the Lutheran Junior Seminary, which is a few hours from the big city of Dar es Salaam. There are several guest houses on site, and we have been split up into groups, many rooms of one or two people. My room for example has two bedrooms with queen sized beds, a common room in between and a bathroom attached to my bedroom. Most rooms I believe are like this, but one group of 6 has a separate bathroom facility they must use. The grounds are expansive, and we have all done lots of exploring. There is a dining hall, where we eat and have tea (x2), a lounge and a language school. Another boarding-type school exists across the way, and we have already met some of the students that attend it.

I will try not to make this too long (as I have a habit of doing), so here is a recap of the first few days. Feel free to ask questions or post comments.

Moja(1): Our first taste of Tanzania was a hot and sticky mixture of diesel fuel, humidity and wilderness. After 20 some hours in a plane though, land was quite the welcome relief. With stamped passports and carts full of luggage, we loaded ourselves into our assigned bus and headed for the night's lodging. We arrived at a Catholic guest house and were welcomed in the lobby by a gust of cold air, however it did not last for long. After dividing into groups of three, we dragged ourselves to our rooms, which contained 3 mosquito net-equipped beds, a desk, wardrobe and small bathroom, which was both bathroom and shower stall (making for quite the mess post-shower). However, we were not concerned with much except the concept one gets when exhaustion meets bed.... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Mbili(2): After a decent night's sleep (thanks to the rain and heat), we grabbed some breakfast and moved the party elsewhere. The drive to the seminary was very scenic and slightly entertaining. They drive on the left side of the road here, roads are very narrow, and there are all kinds of bikes, motorcycles, small pedestrians, etc. It would seem as if the U.S. is one of the few places where traffic may be somewhat structured. We finally arrived at the seminary, got
settled, and then had the rest of the day to ourselves. Most people explored and used the free-time to take pictures and make friends with the local centipede population (they are huge!). Perhaps the main excitement of the day was at dinner, when one of the black-outs I've heard happen occurred, and we got to eat by candlelight. Very romantic.

Tatu(3): Habari gani! Nzuri; Hujambo? Sijambo. Asante. After 5 hours of Swahili, this is what we have mastered. Basic greetings, along with some nouns and adjective structures. Brain overload only barely touches the real feelings of most. But greetings are very important in Tanzania, so in order to start a conversation, you must meet and greet. Then you can proceed with your business. However, all news is good, so even if you don't think it is, it never gets worse than "a little good." Perhaps my favorite part of the whole day was our trip to the orphanage. As soon as we walked in the gates, a swarm of little children ran up to us and wanted to be held or talked to. Even the heat could not melt a heart like the big, innocent eyes of a child. Or maybe I'm biased... Anyway, we spent about an hour holding, talking to, swinging and blowing bubbles with our new children. Even though we could not really say much to them, there is so much communication that can take place in a smile or a hug. You don't need words when you have laughter and love. It was hard to say goodbye, but the children needed to eat, and so did we. The walk to and from the orphanage as many will tell you, is one of beauty and splendor. It's so green here, and bananas and coconuts grow along the path we walk. There are also many people sitting, swimming and walking along the path to wave to and smile at. Most are extremely friendly and very curious.

I actually think this is long enough.. SOrry for the rambling. I will write about Day 4 later. =)