Meaghan and Doug were still gone for their Safari and Isaac was leaving in the afternoon, so I had a lot of running around to do on my own. I started my day writing up my blog for the week and then headed to Tilapia to meet with Isaac and Nicholas for a quick lunch before Isaac had to head off to go back to Canada. We saw Isaac off safely and I headed back into town to an internet café to check emails and post my blog. I came home after an unsuccessful time at the internet and put together the English Lesson for the Mamas. I headed off to Mabatini by myself and it was very strange not having Meaghan walking with me. The lessons went well and I got word from Meaghan that she and Doug were just coming into town at that time. I really wanted to go home to see them and hear all their exciting stories, but I had to deliver 7L of yogurt amongst the various people going to Tunza for yoga. The container was extremely heavy and I had help carrying it down to the base of Mabatini by Mama Cesilia. I went to Tunza for yoga and distributed the yogurt and came home as soon as it was over. I was overwhelmed by the photos and stories of Meaghan’s and Doug’s Safari and am so excited for my own in December. (Please read Meaghan’s blog about the amazing animals that they saw, there’s an attachment on my blog page). We all had an early night and Meaghan and I were sharing a bed because Doug was sleeping in my room.
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
I began my day with a quick work out (I haven’t been able to get any in while Ivan and the faculty have been here, so it felt very good to work my body) but I was rained out just as I was finishing up. Our apartment had barely any food in it since we had not eaten at home in a week, due to all the meals out with our visitors. Meaghan and I spent the morning doing project work at home until Mr. Tito came by. Mr. Tito makes various artworks with batiks and we all bought a bunch of cards to send home. Afterwards, Doug, Meg and I went to the Buswelu Primary School to give the head master some cards and letters from their partner school in Canada, Tecumsen School. We distributed some postcards for the children to write for the Canadian children which we would bring home in December when our term is over.
We then went for lunch at Kuliana’s Pizzeria and then to the internet café. Meg and I sent Doug home to go for a trip to the city market with Ruben while we had out Swahili lesson until 5pm. After our class, we went to the international pool for a quick swim before going home to make a nice dinner with all of our fresh vegetables. After dinner we played a quick game of ‘Cow Trade’, Ruben’s favorite game and then went to bed.
A street performance in front of our apartment.Meaghan and I spent the morning doing project work and then headed into town with Doug. We spent the afternoon picking up some souvenirs for Doug to bring home, and it also gave Meaghan and I a chance to get some of those things as well. We bought a few wooden sculptures at the Gatsby Souvenir Shop just down our street and then walked through the Masai market to buy some beads and bracelets. We made a quick stop at the NBC bank to get some shillings out for our Zanzibar trip coming up soon. Meaghan and I got some passport pictures done for our Visa renewal and then went to lunch at a small and very affordable restaurant. We were very dehydrated from walking around in the hot sun and we all chugged a huge 1.5L water bottle. We then headed into the city market to bargain for some masai blankets. Bargaining is one of my favorite things to do, as long as the vendors are reasonable and friendly about the situation. We were very success and happy with our purchases. We headed home and picked up some groceries on our way.
We were all fairly exhausted from walking in the heat and had a short rest at home before going to Mabatini for the English Lesson. Doug had expressed interest in going to see the Tanzanian Brewery and so I made arrangements to go there after the English Lessons with the Mamas. Meaghan’s mom had dropped off several cases of glasses for the Mamas who were far sighted and they had fun trying them on in the Kitchen.
We had a very quick tour of the Brewery and walked over to Tunza for dinner. Ruben met us there and we didn’t stay long before going home to bed.
The mamas and us with the new eye glasses.
Thursday, October 25th, 2007
Meaghan and I had a very productive morning working from home and we were able to put together the yogurt recipe booklet, finished up the Visa extension letter, the yogurt order forms for the hotels and restaurants, and the Tukwamuane information sheet to add to the yogurt package.
Afterwards, Pendo was able to take Doug, Meg and I up Bugando hill to visit Sikitu and her family and we delivered a package from Dallas (a former WHE intern). The hills here are very steep and it quite a work out to climb especially on a daily basis for those who work in the city. On the way home we passed Pendo’s sister who was making and selling buns and we were given one to try. They are very good, but extremely oily.
We then went into town to find an internet café and had to go to 4 different places before finding one that had internet. Meaghan and I then went to our Swahili lessons and Doug went home for a bit of a rest. He would meet back with us to go to Yoga at Tunza Lodge after our lessons.
We met up with a few of our friends to head over to Tunza. The yoga lesson was great and we stayed for dinner. When we got home I was very excited and surprised to find a package waiting for me from home in Toronto because it had been over a month since it was sent and I had lost hope for it to arrive here.
Sikitu and her mother
Friday, October 26th, 2007
Ruben, Doug, Meaghan and I woke up early to go to Sekou Toure for a tour around the hospital by the Matron. We walked through the reception, waiting room, pediatric ward, the operation theatre, and the HIV ward. The electricity was out for the morning and the hospital does not have any generators so the operation theatre was not operable when we visited. The parts of the hospital that we visited were surprisingly clean and each mother and child had a whole bed to themselves in the pediatric ward.
Doug, Meg and I walked home to have a quick and early lunch, made the English test for the Mamas, and then headed off to Mabatini. Most of the Mamas were at the local primary and secondary school selling and serving the students their lunch. Even though the Mamas get a monthly salary from the project, it is only approximately a dollar a day, which is not enough to support their families and so they usually take on additional jobs to help support themselves. In the future, Meaghan and I are working towards expanding the yogurt production so that the revenue can pay for the many bills, generate an income for the project to continue to expand and give the Mamas a better wage so that they do not have to take on other jobs.
We then headed to the ‘Forever Angels’ orphanage and had a great time with the children. We were all feeling very exhausted by the time we were on our way home and I think it’s a combination of the intense sun and the very full days we’ve all been having over the last 2 weeks.
When we got home everyone was feeling very lazy and tired. We had a few friends come over and we got ready for the Halloween party at Tilapia later that night. Meaghan, Claire and I were pirates, Doug was a rugby player, and Manuela was a baseball player. We made a very good dinner of Ugali and a vegetable stew. The Halloween party was a lot of fun, but there weren’t too many costumes. Some included a zebra, roman emperors, a geisha, and a ballerina.
Our pirate costumes for Halloween.
Saturday, October 27th, 2007
Meaghan, Doug and I went to Pendo’s home in the morning with her children, nieces and nephews. We had plans to get produce in town to cook lunch at her mother’s place. We spent some time at Pendo’s home and took lots of pictures all together. I walked with her 3 sons to the local market to buy cooking bananas, tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. I came back to children scrambling all around Meg and Doug while they were reading from their English text book. We set off all together to Pendo’s mother’s place, Maimuna, and took a daladala for a 20 minute ride up an area that I was not familiar with. The daladala was so packed that there were 25 people and 4 chickens in a 14 person seated van. When we finally got off, we walked for another 15 minutes to Maimuna’s house. She is an incredibly friendly and hospitable woman. When we got there, we were put to work straight away peeling cooking bananas and chopping tomatoes and onions. While Pendo was cooking the bananas, Maimuna was teaching Meg and I how to weave straw to make mats. The lunch was very good and also very filling with bananas in a tomato sauce with pineapples. After lunch some of the children cleaned the house and Pendo got her hair braided by her mom. We said goodbye to Maimuna after a long visit and headed home on the daladala again.
Meaghan, Doug and I got home and started packing for our camping night in Igombe. Doug had to pack all his things because he had a flight to Dar the next morning and would be dropped off at the airport. Camping was great and we had a feast of noodles, hamburgers, sausages and steaks. I slept very well that night.
Pendo's family
Sunday, October 28th, 2007
I started a new journal book for today’s entry (my 3rd book now). We woke up early this morning to pack up all our camping equipment (tents, cooking utensils and pots, and our bags) to make it back in time to drop Doug off at the airport. Igombe is only about 45 minutes from the airport and it was a great way for Doug to spend his last night in Mwanza before heading off to Dar, Zanzibar, and then Amsterdam.
We headed off to Tunza afterwards to try wake boarding and were somewhat unsuccessful, at least at getting up out of the water, but we still had a great time. We spent most of the day on the boat and in the evening went to Tilapia for a quick dinner before coming home early to go to bed. I was exhausted from all the excitement throughout the last 2 weeks with Ivan, the faculty, and then Isaac and Doug staying for a longer stay, but it was great fun and very productive.
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