Hello hello!
The first real day of Africa Adventure ’09 is drawing to a close and I think it’s going to live up to its name. We got off the flight in Dar es Salaam and found out we were VIPs. That is right. Very important people. We could not be expected to fill out forms and wait in line with the rest of the hoi polloi. I reiterate the perks coming with friends in high places thing. We were whisked through the chaos of immigration and baggage and straight to the VIP lounge. To give you an idea of what the airport was like think of the TV show Wings… and then knock it down a couple of notches. The people there were great and super helpful though. Especially when it became clear that my bag did not make the voyage with me. Fingers crossed it’s on the flight tomorrow. Mom, thanks for all the help packing the carry on!
Once we got the lost baggage sorted out we went outside to meet the waiting fans/paparazzi. But really. Ok, not exactly paparazzi, but there was a nice little crowd of press and photographers and about 15 people from the center waiting for us. We then got a police escort through Dar es Salaam rush hour, shaving a potentially hour long car ride down to 15 minutes. I rode with a photographer and three teens. Jim and Sen. Winters had a gaggle of small children piled in with them. When we pulled up to the center there was a huge tent set up and all 140 kids were sitting together, clapping and singing a welcome song like on TV. We went into the offices, stinky and straight from the airport, and immediately met the former president of Tanzania and the current Supreme Court Chief Justice. I have their cards. Nbd.
After a tour of the absolutely gorgeous grounds (pictures to come) we were seated in front of the assembled center population and were treated with dancing (including a guy dancing around with a FIFTEEN FOOT GIANT SNAKE and putting its head IN HIS MOUTH. Even the kids were scared of this beezy) and singing and then lots and lots of speechifying. I felt embarrassed to be an “honored guest,” especially since there were a couple of other obviously volunteer looking people in the crowd that I’d be willing to wager were not greeted with such enthusiasm.
Post ceremony Jim and Sen. Winters took off to the hotel and I hung around the center, where I’ll be staying for the next few nights. I met a lot of the older kids (15-20ish) and played with some fantastic and super cute younger ones. I have deluxe accommodations in a brand new dormitory that isn’t open yet. Everything is nice, I have a comfy bed, and (wait for it) there are showers and flush toilets! I was also treated to a special dinner of potatoes, fresh veggies from the garden and yummy baked beans, all made in a pot over some hot embers in one of the dorm rooms. I felt terrible that they made me something special instead of the rice and beans everyone else was having, but I absolutely loved watching them cook. (No pictures of this yet either. The bag with my camera in it accidentally took a ride to the hotel with Jim and Jackey… I’ll try to snag some tomorrow) As much as I love foody-food, this was one of the better meals that I’ve had. I think I’ll make it when I get home. The one downer part is that I am slightly petrified that I’m going to get terribly ill because I washed my hands (which double as utensils) with non-bottled water and no soap and I’ve convinced myself that that contact will make me sick as can be, but there you go. I’m wishing already that I brought more than one little bottle of Purell…
Now I am all tucked in to bed and the mosquito netting is all tucked in around me. Not only will it hopefully keep the mosquitoes at bay but it’s totally awesome, too! It’s like camping indoors. But the mosquito thing is a nice perk too.
Nighty night to you all…. can’t wait to share some pictures!
6:45am Day 2-
At 5:00 this morning I was woken up by the roosters. Realized for the first time that there was a chance that my bag wouldn’t be found. Thought for a long time about all the ways that that would really suck. A lot. Fingers crossed that won’t happen. Fell back asleep until 6:40… now I feel like I’ve really slept in.
P.S. These roosters really go nonstop.
9:50pm Day 2-
Praise all things that are good, my bag was found! Not only found but delivered to Dar es Salaam and currently in my possession. I realized once I got back to the center that a foot is missing and two huge screws are sticking out of the bottom in its place. Wish I had some duct tape…
Today was a day for a million meetings for the official American delegation. Fortunately, I was not included. Instead of wanting to kill myself in traffic and pinching myself awake during meetings, I got to hang around the center and play with kids and see their farm area and play with kids and do way cooler things than meeting the first lady of Tanzania. I know that sounds sarcastic, but it’s not. I really was very happy to have gotten to stay here instead. The kids figured out yesterday how to make my watch light up and they realllllly like to do it. After getting tired of them doing it today I let them graduate to camera operation. There are some budding photographers in the group… and some that should wait until they’re at least four before they try again.
Here is a short list of random ways that you know it’s poor here:
- today I played with a very nice little boy and our toy of choice was a bad lettuce leaf that wasn’t going to be used for lunch. Yesterday we played with a couple of empty plastic bags.
- later I was walking down the road and kicked a soccer ball back to someone. It was made out of wadded up plastic bags and two long pieces of tape.
- Ok, this one has nothing to do with being poor, I just wanted to mention that they LOVE Lil’ Wayne, T-Pain, and Akon.
I’m all nestled in under my mosquito netting once again and it is definitely time for me to sleep.
Stay tuned for tomorrow… off to Arusha!
P.S. it was dark by the time we were driving back from the airport and lining everystreet were these evening markets where people sold fruits and veggies or random trinkets or whatever. There aren’t any street lights so it’s very dark and on each table is a little oil lantern and all the various wares nestled around it. Very cool to see.
P.P.S. they have the worst traffic I have ever seen. You could be absolutely dead stopped in the street for 10 minutes for no reason. Then move forward 10 feet and stop again. Glad I don’t have crazy road rage.
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