5/25/18 Welcome to my next installment of life in Tanzania. It has been over a month that we have been at our sites. The process of adapting to life here continues.  I am continuing my tutoring lessons in Swahili, meeting new people, and trying to learn how to cook this type of food. I went from a high protein diet with minimal exercise, to a low protein diet with lots of exercise. The quest to find the calories I need is never ending, but getting easier.  I have dropped thirty pounds since my arrival in February.  I will say that my weight has stabilized and I have not gone down any in a couple of weeks, so don't worry, I've got it under control. I dropped 20 pounds the last two summers I went to summer camp so it's not too unusual, but I have to say 30 is my limit.  The photo is me in my home with a pair of pants that a few months ago fit nicely. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe.
My location here is pretty secluded.  In order to get large supplies I need to go to my "banking town" Shinyanga.  I am going to try and make the trip a couple of times a month.  The first photo is how we travel to town, one bus in, one bus back.  You miss it, you spend the night in town.  If you are going to do this in one day then you have three hours to run around and get everything done in time.  The next photo is a city shot with Peter in it.  Peter has been assisting me with pretty much anything I need. and putting me in touch with the right people.  He has been invaluable to me to this point, and will probably continue this way throughout my time here. I am much appreciative of his efforts and the efforts of everyone who provide me with guidance and support. This would not be possible without their help. The next photo is from the top of a building that has a restaurant on the top floor.  I have to say that it was the best tasting fish fingers and rum and coke that I have had in an awfully long time.
Well tonight it is spaghetti, and tomorrow I'm going to peddle my little bike to a local market that I have just recently heard about.  Looking forward to both events. And if you are wondering if I am actually doing any work yet, I'll save my house to house survey of my village for the next blog.  Until then, Kwa heri.

5/8/18 Well a few weeks into the new site, and boy has the learning curve been massive.  First off, I used to think I could cook.  Maybe in America, but with Tanzanian food I am a novice.  Trying hard to expand my knowledge of beans and rice, but it is a real challenge.  Second off, I didn't fully realize how well off we have it in America.  In Tanzania everything is a challenge: cleaning, cooking, fetching buckets of water, boiling water, washing clothes by hand, wow.  It actually takes a lot of forethought and effort to get it all done.  I used to think I was in decent shape, but doing this stuff everyday is kicking my butt.  Western soft I guess.  Third, when you are walking in the dark and hear what sounds like a horse running toward you, watch out, it might be a hyena.  Eerie feeling seeing one of those run by you just at the edge of your flashlight beam.
The first photo is Stanislaus and his family.  He is a retired teacher and my Swahili tutor.  When we agreed to tutoring he had just one request of me: speak English slowly.  I made the same request of him for Swahili - we talk very slowly, but it's coming along.
The second photo is of a community gathering with a group of volunteers that I have joined. The topic of the gathering is the prevention of violence against women and children (The photo is actually of us dancing before the meeting began). The community participants debated back and forth on things like women's rights, the paying of a bride price, and discipline for children.  It actually got pretty heated, and most of the men had a different perspective then the women, but at least they were talking about it.  I actually got a chance to address the crowd and talked about the cycle of violence caused by an abused child growing up to be an abuser, and the courage that it takes for men to break the cycle.  It was well received for the most part.  The debate was followed by a movie projected on a sheet on the wall.  The movie was about the effect that these cultural beliefs have upon an African woman and her family. It was actually very moving, and there must have been over a hundred villagers crowded around to watch it.  Luckily it had English subtitles. Well that's it for now.  Hope everyone is doing well back home, til next time!
Brian

4/28/18 Hello again from Tanzania.  I have been at my site for about a week now. Getting settled and continuing to try to learn Swahili.  We had our graduation ceremony on the 19th, and left for the closest city to our site the next day.  We spent a few days in the city buying the big essentials: bed, bicycle, stove etc.. and came to our site on Monday.  Now I am trying to get adjusted and meet the local village people.  I start at the dispensary next Monday, start with a swahili tutor next Tuesday (a retired teacher), and will visit a women's empowerment group meeting that same night. Things are busy, especially trying to figure out how to live - the power has been out in the village for a couple of days, no phone, no electricity (I don't have electricity at my house anyway).  The nights are long and dark here, but I don't mind.  It's a lot like backpacking.  I'm going to have to really change my cooking and eating habits though.  Still trying to work through that.  Thank god for Ramen and peanut butter and jelly.
A titantic battle occurred in my house yesterday - I kept hearing a box move, so I looked and found a gecko battling a scorpion. I waited until it was quiet then moved the box and the gecko came running out - my new best friend! Photos: my host family at the graduation ceremony with our matching clothes, my kitchen (I have a table coming today), my new wheels. I have lost a lot of weight, but that doesn't mean I'm in good shape.  Those hills are a challenge.

4/9/18 Hello again from Tanzania.
Been a real busy week.  The end of training is approaching so we have many projects and assignments due.  Today we took our second Kiswahili exam.  It was tough, but I think I did ok.  I hope so anyway.  We move out of our host homes in less than a week and back onto the training post for a week until graduation, then its back to our site for the next two years.  I figured I'd give a little more details of my house for any of you thinking about visiting me.   

It's a a two room little house with an attached storage room, toilet, and room for bucket bathing.  The inside needs some painting and mosquito screens on the windows.  The little courtyard is good for privacy but not much else.  I hope to start a little garden, and my neighbor has offered me a chicken.  Not sure if I'm ready for that yet.  I will be purchasing furniture and solar power when I get there, and a bike is absolutely essential.  Everything is about 2 kilometers away, not a bad walk, but boy does that sun get hot.  Well, I'll let you know how I did on my test, and my next post will hopefully have graduation ceremony photos.  Talk to you soon!

P.S. I came out to use the toilet at night and I saw something move down there.  Oh well, it seemed to move slowly so we can probably outrun it!

Well, I made it back from my site visit. It has been a long week and it's good to be back. Let me tell you a little about my site - it's close to Shinyanga which is a pretty but town. It takes 12 hours by bus to get to Shinyanga, then another 45 minutes by smaller transport to my village. this is a semi arid region that gets very little rainfall, but we are currently in the rainy season. My little house is on a government agricultural site where they run a thresher almost constantly for sorghum, which along with sunflowers and a few other drought resistant crops are the main crops up here. The land is very flat and dry, but there is a river close by where they get their water during the dry season. I got a look at the river and it is more like a small creek, and remember this is the rainy season.
My house has two rooms, no running water or electricity. The nights I spent in the house were just fine, it doesn't get very cool here (although it is 5-10 degrees cooler than here in Morogoro), and it is about 50 feet from the closest (and only close) neighbor who is actually my host. This experience was very much like backpacking for those who have done it, living out of my backpack while moving between the site and various guest houses. One thing they have plenty of here is sun, so I will be purchasing my solar panel as well as all my furniture and a bicycle as soon as I come to stay in a few weeks. I forgot to mention, I actually have a little walled in compound with an attached storage room and chop (toilet hole/shower). It is a decent enough set up, and it definitely has potential.
My host Mshamu introduced me to the various dignitaries in both villages. This included the police, the magistrate, the doctor at the zahanati, the principal at both the secondary and primary school, the village leaders from both villages, and the Economic Development Council from my village. Everyone was very welcoming and I got to practice my Swahili greeting over and over again (I need a lot of work).
My photos: my home, the Economic Development Council, the zahanati, the secondary school.
Well that's it for the edition. I'll write more as time allows.
Until next time!

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