my kids again=)

Africa » Tanzania
October 31st 2007

Published: October 31st 2007

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Lisaann

kids!

I have not been able to access internet for a while and I leave for home tomorrow but i just wanted to let you know how my week was!

The safari was amazing we saw everything and it was so cool to be sitting on top of a jeep and have elephants a foot away from you. We did the safari for two days and then on Sunday we climbed about 2000 feet (i think) and swam in these beautiful waterfalls it was so cool. The hotels we stayed at had brown water and was we were def "roughin it" and the people in town had never seen a foreign person. So it was kinda like we were celebrity.

As far as school....This week went by so fast. This is the first week i really felt like i was at home. It really takes about 2 weeks to get into the swing of things. Today, was my last day at school and i knew it would be tough, but i had no idea. Let me start by saying, that the mama that runs the school walks me halfway home everyday and tells me she loves me. Anyway, I went

kids!

neema coloring

to work today and i found out that thieves robbed the church last night and they really have nothing anyway but they had 3 blue plastic chairs and they stole them! And they made a huge mess in the church, it was so awful.
After we got over that shock, the kids performed songs for me and presented me with flowers. The mama gave me a conga, which like a wrap that african women wear, and the other teacher gave me rose and a book. The pastors daughter and son, Aimbora and Joshua, stayed home from school today because they wanted to say bye to me. They each gave me a present, it was so adorable. To really appreciate how loving and giving they are, you have to see how little they have! The teacher also gave me something, and that almost made me cry because i know how much she makes. The starting salary for teachers is about 25000 shillings, which is equivalent to less than $25 a year!
After the presents, the kids started singing this song and i didnt understand what they were saying because it was all in Kiswahili, but as they are singing the song

kids!

ali and me. i love him

all the kids started crying..like balling crying. Then i realized that is was a good bye song and they were crying because i was leaving! It was so sad! As all the kids were balling, the teacher, the mama, the pastor started tearing up..and that of course was too much for me to take in so i started to cry. It was so overwhelming! I just couldnt believe they were crying! I have some of this on video because my words do not do it justice. I have wished many times during these past 3 weeks that everyone i knew was here with me. Because it such an experience and though I've taken plenty of pictures, videos, and sent emails; it doesn't accurately convey these amazing people, their heart and their spirit.

Saying bye to everyone at home base was also tough. They all work so hard and they are the one who really made this experience great.

Currently, im in dar saleem, at the new africa hotel. This is the first time in over 3 weeks i have felt what air condition feels like.This will also be my first REAL shower in over three weeks so I'm