Pole Sana.

Wow – there is so much to say! I have been in Tanzania for two weeks and feel like I could spend so much longer than the six that I will be here. Not only is the scenery here beyond words, but the people have such beautiful hearts. I have been busy with placement at Jipe Moyo, where I have decided to spend all six weeks, rather than change placements for the last three. My fellow volunteer there, Melissa, is amazing. She is so sweet and is helping me get adjusted to teaching, the women there, and TFT (Tanzanian Free Time – people are late all of the time, and it doesn’t ever matter…). I have been working with three boys (Jumane, Ditopile, and Simoni) during the first hour of our day, and then the second we either spend doing home visits to members who are sick at home (due to HIV/AIDS), and other afternoons with our meetings (financial and support group work). We are trying to help the women understand that they need to fundraise for the money they need in ways that don’t rely on Mizungo (white people) money. They have a chicken project, but it isn’t enough to support them every month. There is also a problem with people not showing up on time (TFT), which can also be due to the rainy season which causes roads to become extremely muddy or even flood their homes. There is so much to say about what needs to be done to help the people here, but it is ultimately up to the people themselves to decide what it is that they need in their lives to make sure they are happy and healthy. Speaking of health, I got my first chance to visit a hospital here in Moshi the other day. It broke my heart entering the ICU knowing that we had just put up the first sign even identifying the room as the ICU. I also had a hard time because I had been picturing my brother having needed his medical treatment there and how different it would have been. It was sad, but at the same time we were there for a good reason. A past volunteer had been working there and decided that they need a good organizational boost. She had another placement sew together some material that would hold information at the end of every patient bed and also identify the ward and bed number. We also went around putting laminated signs stating what ward number it was and to what treatment was being done there. It is amazing how all the little things add up and help so much…

Now on to a few weekend excursions. Just one week ago I went on safari to the Serengeti and Ngorogoro National Park. Once again, words cannot describe what it was that my eyes saw. The air was something I had never smelt or felt, the animals were so wild and unforgiving, and the sky was like a blanket of comfort I had never felt before. Our group was lucky enough to have seen the big 5 (elephants, leopards, rhinos, water buffalo, and lions). Not only did we see them, but lots of them! We saw lions mating and giraffes attempt! We saw tons of elephants, and even had a stand off with one of them (some of the most frightening minutes of my life). In the crater we saw over 25% of the rhino population there (six), and got to see two leopards and three cheetahs. Overall it was an experience that not even my photos will be able to describe (you need to go!). This weekend I am doing a day hike on Kilimanjaro (I am heading back to do the whole thing another time), and then going to a beautiful waterfall on Sunday. Our group got to visit a local market and experience our first waterfall the other day. It was so refreshing being able to swim in such a setting, although the hike down was something I will never forget (muddy and steep). The next plan I have is to join two other girls on a flight over to Zanzibar where we will get to enjoy the beach, stone town, the beautiful doors there, and Freddy Mercury’s old home.
There is honestly so much more to say, but the internet café is probably the last place I want to spend a sunny afternoon! I hope you are all well and I send my love. Please if you get a chance, stop by my home and give my brother the biggest hug for me – I can’t explain the loss I feel not being by his side day and night.

Four more weeks to go, so I will try my best to write on this once a week.
Sending my love and fantastic Tanzanian vibes.