zamani...

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hmmm. so since i last updated...

i visited lake singida with justin and jacob. that was nice. we climbed up on these really big rocks and sat down in the sun. its really pretty up there. there used to be a flock of flamingos but apparently they all disappeared with the drought a few years back. and there are lizards that are bright blue and red aka superman lizards. anyways we got some snacks from the safi (nice) duka and ate them. aka chocolate milk and cookies.

i returned back to my village from town on tuesday. took the dala dala back for the first time. and i was super tired/sick ish. and of course there were numerous delays. like a truck broke down in the middle of the road. then i dont even know. but got home. and went to bed before the sunset aka before 7. but woke up numerous times to hit the bathroom. that was fun.

but woke up feeling a lot better. and explained to dory the whole working situation. and i think that got through. but its weird now eating by myself. i tried cooking granola but burned the pot excessively because i tried to make an oven out of two pots. and then i used my kanga (gift from my mama-a cloth you wear on the outside of your clothes as a shawl or around your waist) and burned a whole through it. that was cool. then i spent a couple hours scrubbing this pot. that was ridiculous. and dory thought i was an idiot probably. especially after i was trying to funnel soap into a bottle and spilled it all down my leg. i guess it was my clumsy day. i dont know. then i visited my mama. and hung out with all the people that live at the house. and realized that i do not know kiswahili. the first week in the village i was introducing myself and repeating everything and everyone kept commenting on how great i was and i guess that inflated my head a little bit. but just sitting with people and talking i realized how much i dont know. which brought me back down to earth a little bit. which was good.

then yesterday was my first day where dory didnt come. i woke up and tried to start the charcoal stove. and was very unsuccessful. someone had told me that if you put old corn husks in the center it would help light. nicole the girl i shadowed put a plastic bag in the center and then kerosene on the charcoal. i tried that as well. i probably went through about 10 matches. and then was just really annoyed. and then i got one of my neighbors to help me. and she gathered a bunch of dry sticks. and used a plastic bag. it took awhile but it got started. and i heated up water to bathe. made chai. then i made rice and beans my way. which was tasty. then later in the afternoon my veo and his wife, mama asha took me up the mountain to see drawings/pictures from a very long time ago.

that was really cool. we picked up this old man on the way. and then stopped by this house to pick up a machete and ladder. there are a bunch of rocks in singida and a bunch in mgori too. and my veo explained to me that it is believed that when you die you follow the footsteps of your ancestors and go to the top of the mountain where inside there is a house and you live there. and then we used the machete to clear a path and climbed up. and then used the ladder to cross a path. and ive found pride rock. its a little cave and then the rock extends. and instead of a picture of simba there is this drawing of a giraffe (twiga). and they dont know how old it is they just say zamani (long time ago). and it was pretty cool. my veo kept telling me how i needed a camera. yes i know. thank you. and how i can invite my friends and we can have a picnic. haha.

and now i am back in town today for kories birthday. she is in the manyara district in the town of katesh. her birthday was yesterday and her and a bunch of other volunteers are coming to singida to celebrate. which reminds me...my brother is 18 now...wooo AJ!!! and i took the dala this morning by myself. and we got dropped off at the new bus stand and i had no idea how to get to town. and i tried to pay and they wouldnt let me. apparently my baba says i dont have to pay. and he is in charge of the dalas. so i guess thats cool. but im def someone who can afford to pay. i dont know. but my brother tataa walked me into town. the old stand used to be in town but the new one was devised a 30 minute walk outside of town. i dont know why.

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