3/18/18 This is a pretty important week for the volunteers here in Tanzania. It is the week where we get to learn where our  assigned site is located. We will be a this site for the next two years, so it is important to get something close to what you are looking for.  The Peace Corps has tried very hard to assign us to a place we want through numerous interviews and observations of our classroom performance.  Many volunteers have very important criteria such as climate and geography, I personally have requested a location with an active zahanati (dispensary), and a secondary school. It is important to me to go to a place where I can have the most impact.  So we will learn where it is on Thursday and leave for a week long visit on Saturday so I am not sure when I will be able to make my next post, but hopefully I will bring back plenty of pictures.

My post today is about my trip to the butcher shop. I promised Rehema that I would buy some pork (nguruwe) to celebrate the visit of Pascal's brother.  He is on a break from university where he is studying electrical engineering.  We have had some interesting conversations on a wide variety of topics, and he shared with me some local music that is called Bongo Flava.  Many young people are listening to it now.  I will try to upload the little video that shows the inside of our house, at the very end there are two five gallon jugs that are the filtering system that the Peace Corps gives every volunteer.

What can I say about the butcher shop, a very different experience here in Tanzania.  The first place is beef, the second is the pork.  The meat is out in the open air for an unknown amount of time, but the locals (and visitors) eat it without too much of a problem.  The meat is cut with an axe or a machete.  Pascal says that the meat is refrigerated each night, so with that promise, I'll let you know how the pork is.

The last photo is of a little guy who joined me in my bedroom.  I know they are friendly, but I didnt like how he was looking at me.

Sorry, not sure if the video made it or not.  Between this site being not too user friendly and the poor internet connection, this is pretty frustrating.  I don't think it will be getting better at the new site either.  I am learning though.

Talk to you in a while.
Brian

3/11/18 Going to the city this week. My host family finally decided to shut down their little shop (duka) today so we could go to the city of Morogoro for a little shopping.  There is only a few ways to get around in Tanzania.  The first picture is a Bidaji, it is a three wheeled little motorcar that is very similar to riding the bumper cars at the fair, although with a few less bumps. The Bidaji is a little more expensive then the Dalada in the second picture.  This is a van that can fit quite a remarkable number of passengers.  It is not uncommon for people and children to actually be squashed in front and all around you (next picture).  All of that for the price of 400TSH which might sound like a lot but is actually abour 25 cents.

So Morogoro is a busy city with people walking, buying, and vehicles whooshing bye.  You really have to keep your eyes open at all times. We went to the supermarket for a few items (I'm cooking spaghetti tonight).  In the supermarkets there is no bartering, but with all of the venders on the sidewalks it is open season.  I noticed that the prices that were given to Rehema for food were good prices so I dont think that applies to the fresh veggies, but it certainly applies to the shirt I bought for 10,000TSH (about $4 or $5).  I also bought a nice pineapple(nanasi) that we will be eating later.

Well, it's time to go whip up some good old spaghetti.  I think they are really looking forward to it.  I hope the sauce I bought is good because it almost cost as much as the shirt.

Kwa heri.
Brian

3/4/18 This weeks post is going to be about a trip we made to a zahanati (medical dispensary) similar to the ones we will be assigned to in about two months.  In Tanzania the rural population is served with these small dispensaries that might or might not have a doctor, some nurses and community health volunteers.  This one was reached after a pretty tenuous drive up the side of a mountain.  It is in a beautiful valley and has both a nurse and a doctor.  The first photo is of the building itself, the second is the maternity ward (with one bed) and then third is the emergency room with two beds. I also put a photo of the stock room which is well furnished with malaria and HIV medicine, as well as other essential supplies.The doctor gave us a tour and was quite proud of her little facility, and both her and the nurse were happy with their work.

The rainy season has started here.  I'd like to say that it has brought the temperature down, but that wouldn't be accurate.  It has gotten a little more humid though.  I see in the news that the northeast has gotten another big snowstorm, I wish I could get just a little piece of it.  The daily classroom instruction on swahili, local customs, and health continue, and we have our first recorded exam tomorrow. We will see how it goes.  My host family continues to be very helpful and friendly and I will miss them when I move on to my assigned site in mid April.

Kwa Heri, Brian

2/25/18 One week down, and what a week.  We have had some pretty intense daily Swahili instruction with our small group, and we travelled to our central training facility for more collective cultural instruction, and to start training in our respective job fields (mine is Health).  Things will continue on in this fashion for a few weeks, and then we will depart for a week at our site.  This is a pretty important week because everyone is wondering where we will get assigned for the next two years.  I was surprised to learn the size of Tanzania, twice the size of California.  Within its boundaries are many different climates.  Hot and humid along the coast by Zanzibar, cool in the mountains, and hot and dry in the savannahs.  People are wishing to get a variety of climates, I personally wouldn’t mind the cool, but we will see what happens.

Daily life is a grind here.  I’ll just use the cooking(kupika) and water(maji) as an example.  Our mama cooks three meals a day on a charcoal stove.  She has to buy the charcoal daily, light the little charcoal stove, and keep it going through the cooking process, and to boil water.  It usually takes some time to get the coals ready, and things can only be cooked one item at a time.  The water needs to be transported from somewhere (not quite sure where the spigot is yet) since the well just outside of our door ran dry some time ago.  This water is used from everything from bucket bathing and laundry to cooking, and has to be thoroughly boiled before I can drink it or even run it through my filter.  A long process on a little charcoal stove.

The photos I have provided are of my room, my bathroom(choo), and my little brother (kaka) Ivan and his friend.  You can see the little charcoal stove that is so important to our life here in that picture.  I am one of the lucky ones to have an attached choo to myself, as many people use a common one that you have to go outside and use.  Not much fun in the middle of the night.

Well, that’s this weeks post.  Time to go wash that laundry again.  The red dirt gets into everything here.

Kwa heri, Brian

2/18/18 I figured I would just do another post today because Sunday is really the only day we have to ourselves.  The rest of the week we are in classes and busy most of the day.  I took some photos of my host family and of me peeling mangoes to make fruit juici.  It drew quite a crowd, but not nearly as big as the crowd that gathered this morning to watch me wash my clothes in buckets.  They were all joking with me, and of course, I was giving it right back. It was fun, but it is amazing to me how hard the work is.  I was tired after washing my clothes, mama washed her whole families, then the dishes while she kept her charcoal stove going for the meals and ran her business in between. So impressive, and yet so happy.  Reinforces my belief that we don't know how lucky we really are.

The photos are: my host family Rehema, Pascal and Ivan. Rehemas shop, my host home, me and the mangoes, and Rehema cooking on her charcoal stove.

2/17/18 things are going well. My second day with my host family. They are a young family with a 1 year old little boy named Ivan. They own a small shop where they sell small items for daily consum


ption. Pascal, the father also has a pikipiki (motorcycle) that he transports people and goods around on. They were identified as entrepreneurs on my form. They are very nice and welcoming just like the rest of the Tanzanian people.

I am trying to get settled in, a real challenge since this is our third move. I have also had an upper respiratory infection that has just knocked the wind out of me. I'm not complaining though compared to some of the other things that a few of the other volunteers have. Such a shock to the system: the heat, the new food, lack of sleep (not for trying though).  We just have to get through this adjustment period and I think we will all be better off. The Peace Corps staff are very knowledgeable and friendly so things should get on track soon.

Now that we have been placed in our communities our training on language and customs continues on a daily basis.  I have attached a photo of my group of four (the best group) and the tiny classroom we meet in each day. Joseph is our mwalimu (teacher), and we have already had a long conversation about America and the world in general. It is always interesting to get a different perspective on some of the things we just take for  Tomorrow I need to wash my laundry (by hand) and start using this filter system the Peace Corps provided each of us. 

Now that I have gotten some of the kinks out of the system I think I will be able to post more regularly.  Don't hesitate to ask questions, and I will answer them as soon as I can.

Kwa heri (good bye) Tutanoona baadaye (we will see you later)
Brian

One week down and it has been a whirlwind. Classes on swahili, health, and culture as well as getting familiar with our surroundings. The temperature and humidity has been a big challenge. Both readings have been in the 90s. Dar es Salaam was especially challenging because of its closeness to the Indian Ocean. That is the first time I have ever seen that ocean. It was from afar, but I think that still counts. Things are cooler here in Morogoro, the night was especially pleasant down in the 70s. We meet our host families on Monday, this will be a big step in adapting to our new home since it is total emersion. I'll get better with the postings when I have more down time.
PS, Nancy, Shikamoo is said frequently in Tanzania, but I have been instructed not to say it. I hope that doesn't mean I'm the oldest person here. For those who don't know, it is a formal greeting of respect usually reserved for an older person.
Brian