Give em what you got

      Today I was given a chicken.

     I guess if you really want to be specific its a rooster, but when you’re being handed a mess of flapping feathers you’re not too concerned with technicalities.  We started the morning by getting picked to go to a nearby village and talk to people who have been affected by the radio FADECO outreach programs. It was really interesting to hear some of the stories from women who have been to Dar es Salaam and received surgeries because of the work being done by this group.  After some Q&A time they announced that they had gifts for the visitors, and a group of women stepped forward carrying buckets of beans, peanuts, and- you guessed it- a rooster. Seeing as it would be rude to refuse a gift we now have yet another voice to add to our all night symphony around here. (or dinner?)  We also met a woman who has been living in the village since having her surgery, but is actually from a town a few kilometers away. Her previous condition had left her pretty isolated from her community and she didn’t have the 5,000 Tanzanian schillings (1,580 TZS= 1 USD) it would take to get back home, so Courtney and I pitched in to give it to her. She was really grateful and it felt good to make some kind of difference in her life.  

     Today marks two weeks left for our time here and I know it will fly by. To commemorate the occasion (and because I don’t feel like writing complete sentences) here are some lists:

5 things I’m excited for:

- attending a Tanzanian wedding Friday

- going on the 2 day overnight safari

- relaxing on the beach at Zanzibar

- touring a spice plantation in Stonetown

- shopping in the Massai market

4 things I miss at home:

- toilets. Enough said.  

- naps in the hammock

- understanding people when they talk

- real pillows

3 things you wouldn’t expect:

- we’re often kinda cold here (evening 50-60s aren’t uncommon- how are the 100s, DC?)

- all our coffee is instant (Tanzania has amazing coffee and we’re here drinking Nestea??)

- we have hot showers (even though the water pressure stinks)

2 things I wont miss from here:

- the dust covering everything

- rice and beans twice a day

1 thing I will miss from here:

-

     That last one is to be continued, I think. Who knows what I will do and see and discover in the next two weeks that will really make me miss it once I’m home? I’m excited to find out- and I’ll of course left you know!