My daughter is doing her fall semester in Tanzania. Just wanted to share her first email from there [View All]

Hi everyone!

I don't have much time. We've finally been turned loose in the city of Arusha and I have less than 30 minutes with lots more still to do on the computer.

For the last 5 days we've been camping in Ndarakwai Ranch, with views of beautiful hills and wildlife, with Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru flanking. So far I've seen LOTS of zebra, impala, elephants, waterbuck, wildebeest, jenets, African hares, lots of birds, many many birds and bugs, and giraffes. It's been so incredible to see these gorgeous creatures where they actually live and not in some artificial habitat on the other side of the world.

We moved this morning from the campsite to Klub Afriko, a hotel in Arusha. I'm in a small room with two other girls. There is a flushing toilet, shower, and one bare bulb hanging on a cord from the ceiling. Something that would be considered meager accommodation in the US, but the girls and I spent 15 minutes barely speaking and just letting our bodies soak into the mattresses of our beds. A shower will be incredible tonight, whether or not it's warm water, because filthiness has fst become a way of life.

We also visited a Maasai boma last night and I was blown away. We will be spending 4 nights with a Maasai family later in the program. The huts we saw were made of mud/cow dung and thatched roofs. They were very dark, with extremely narrow hallways. The smell of kerosene pervaded the home and the smell of cow dung and dust was in the air outside. I can't be more excited to be a part of their way of life if but for a few days.

Right now I'm wearing a khanga, the cloth wraps all the women wear here. I'm planning to get a few more as they are very versatile. I'm using it as a sarong thing at the moment, but it can also be used as a head wrap, baby carrier, purse, knapsack, etc. (up to 101 uses, according to a book our academic director, Baba Jack, mentioned).

I feel really happy and at peace here, moreso than I've been able to say for a long time. I may shave my head today; I was going to wait until the stay with the Maasai, but on the ride into town some of the girls said I should do it today (I've been talking about it to the rest of the group). It's hot enough (and it's winter here!) and it'd be an excuse to get another khanga to protect my scalp form the sun while I'm outdoors.

Well, I'm going to blaze through my other e-mail accounts and see what's left to be done. There is a USB port here, so I can send pictures next time!

Kwaherini,

J