....it's like meeting Ghandi - Jordan

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So this is my first blog. It's late in the trip, so I have a lot to say.

First off, the kids are awesome. Everything that we do is entertaining for them. At the same time, we can't seem to tire out their limitless energy supply. I often find myself sweating and panting before the five and six year olds. In these situations, I will sit down with maybe a couple kids on my lap; I hope they understand I'm not trying to be rude.

Teacher is the greatest guy I have ever met. It's like meeting Gandhi. He is the most selfless person I know. He came over for dinner last night and we talked for hours. He told us about the corruption in Tanzanian ministers: how some will pocket money because they need it. A lot of aid doesn't reach where it is going because of the corruption high up. He says that the president is doing a good job, but the people around the president are not.

We played soccer yesterday against an actual team. It was six mzungus, or white people, and 5 Africans against a whole team, with matching jerseys. Needless to say, our pride was handed to us on a platter, but it was fun too. The crowd laughed from the sidelines, and we laughed too.

I miss the North Shore community and my family, but it's hard to match with how awesome everything here is. I can't count the number of inside jokes we have made and how dumbfounded people are at how dumb the actual jokes are. We are having fun. The children are having fun. I think that if both sides are having fun, then something good must be happening.

A lot of times, people emphasize the differences between the United States and Tanzania. But I don't think that's what's important. Every morning we wake up, eat breakfast and for a short period of time play frisbee outside the hotel gates, throwing this strange disc to passerbys willing to play. We make friends because actions speak louder than words. We don't speak Kiswahili. But happiness and fun don't need language. Neither does understanding. Neither does similarity. What's important is that we all speak the same language from the heart: that's why Tanzania has been awesome to me.

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