Back to work

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well we had an excellent few days here in mwanza. it was nice to get away from the village and see some action for a few days! haha but it wasn't all vacation, we did have a meeting with AMREF yesterday about setting up our HIV/AIDS peer education group. we're hoping to get enough $$ together to send a few people from the village to Dar Es Salaam (capital of Tanzania, 30hrs by train) for 4 weeks of training so they can return to Nyamuswa and focus on counselling and educating the people there. There are so many rural areas that just don't have the resources to help all the people in need. But most of the people would like such a thing to happen. so we'll see what we can manage. hopefully this is something we can keep going once we are gone, as 3 weeks is not near en0ough tyime to get much done. so we'l see.

back to the vacation part, we went to the casino last night again. i started with 25 dollars and came out with 50, and jane put in 45 and came out with 90. pretty successful i think! but as with everything else here, sometimes thje people aren't the best. the casino seems to be run by mean, rude white people, and all hte tabledealers are locals. well this big fat indian guy playing next to us was throwing chips all over the place and yelling at the girl, then the white boss lady was yelling at her too. it kinda ruined the fun for us for a while. i guess you just have to get used to these kinds of cultural differences.

we went for a walk down by the lake and discovered the hotel tilapia on the lake front. we sat out at their bar right on the lakeshore for a drink which was BEAUTIFUL. well i hope it is, since a night there is $385US for a double room! needless to say we won't be staying tyhere, but it was nice to poke around (and steal their toilet paper!! haha)

i was taking piuctures out our hotel window last night of an AMAZING sunset over Lake Victoria< when we noticed an armed guard out in the yard behind the hotel. i guess he didnt' notice me, as i haven't been 'invited' to any army camps yet. haha

jane and i bought milkj at the grocery store. it was like the farmers milk (the expiry date was for next march haha) but it tasted OK, kinda sweet. it was just nice to have some milk, as many of you know i'm a bit of a milk fiend. also for breakfast this morning we had the buffet at the new mwanza. i tried the kidney, but i can't say it was too appetizing.

we went to the market here in mwanza yesterday. jane went mad and bought all kinds of things. she is the best bargainer i have ever seen (mom, she might even have you beat). but i got a few souvenirs and things too. its not that touristy around here so i'm hoping the market in arusha or zanzibar will have some more muzungu (white people) things to choose from.

we're heading back to the village this afternoon. we're going to meet up with the UK girls who are coming in to buy some malaria nets (they are working with the malaria project). then we'll all head back to nyamuswa togetyher (2 hour bus on pavement, then 45 mins in a packed minivan on the bumpiest road known to man). i'm going to miss: a) the variety of foods, b)nice beds, c)lack of animals/drunkmen/random noises at night, d)showers that don't come from a bucket and e)ELECTRICITY,m if only for lights at night.

hmmm well i can't think of naything else right now. next update won't be for a while, god only knows when we'll have the intneret again. altho interestingly there is a cockroach that is moving in circles about 4 feet from me right now. The karibu cafe, i'm shocked. haha not really, there are bugs everywhere, and since no place is insulated (why bother if it NEVER goes below 10-15 degrees) its to be expected. some of the spiders are UNREAL in size. Addy really enjoys those> haha

Ok time to go, tlak to you all soon, and call us, seriously! dial 011 255 786 589 647 and don't forget we're 5.5hrs AHEAD of NL.

peace out

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Comments

[mom]

easy on the cow
We do not need to buy much milk right now.(ha, ha). Glad things are going well. Before you know you will be back and it will all be a memory. so enjoy! Mom

[Tate]

Adventures abound
Dude, sounds like you guys are having a "great" time, tell Erin I'm glad her things finally showed up, I lost stuff here in Canada for 2 weeks coming from vancouver to NS? How does that happen? Anyways, can't believe the adventures you're having. Military, bugs, beer, gambling... Can you take Harvey home? Probably won't call as leaving Friday night for AB/BC for two weeks and besides which the charges are on the order of an arm, or leg, or my first born and I can't afford those prices. Take care of each other, and can't wait to see how this African diet works out:P Tate