A whole new world.

Mambo!

Oh my goodness what an amazing few first days here in Bagamoyo Tanzania. It all started with a 32 hour travel from door to door. When we finally got to Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, I was extremely excited to get to the Cross-Cultural Solution House to finally sleep. It's only about 80km away from the airport, and I was told that it would be about an hour drive. WRONG. We ended up in bumper to bumper traffic with no movement. And it's not like Canada where there are multiple lanes and nice roads. These are dirt roads with crazy drivers in one lane. So after the 4 hour ride. We finally arrived. The house is gorgeous and surrounded by palm trees. It's kind of an optical illusion because right outside the gate is more dirt road with clay made huts and palm tree roofs.

The next few days we were introduced to all the staff and the other people who are living in a different CCS house just five minutes away. They are in the US Army doing a cultural experience to improve their ranking and their knowledge for when they get deployed. They are all so nice and the entire group is really getting involved. We were sent on a few scavenger hunts, where I actually went to the local market and bought Coconuts! The staff is also teaching us how to bargain, since the people in this town like to charge us over price because they know we have money.

We also made out way to the Monday Market. Now this is one hell of an experience. It occurs every Monday, and people garther in a dirt area where they sell things like clothing, radios and Kenga's, which is the traditional African Clothing that Women wrap around their bodies and even use them to carry their babies. It's an experience all right.

Today we actually started our volunteer experience. My job here is to help an organization called UKUN, which provides support to those affected by HIV and AIDS by going to their houses and attending to their needs. Now today we visited 5 clients and introduced ourselves, since we will be working with them for the next 3 weeks. All I can say is, what an eye opener. These people have so little and are suffering from such a horrible disease, but still go about their day as best as they can. Some families support the friend or family member affected by it, or completely abandon them. Some of them get complications from the disease such as blindness and numbness, and some of them pass it on to their children. However, beside all these horrible events, they never loose hope. We would speak to one lady and she'd be giggling the entire time. We'd go see one lady and would participate to the fullest with the physical exercises. We would see one lady affected by AIDS, where she owns her own little hotel in the city. I see all this and think how uncomplicated our lives are, and how much we complain about certain things for nothing. I hope to experience this again and again over my next 3 weeks.

Other then all these amazing things I have experienced already, I've been learning Swahili, the language they speak here in Tanzania, and eating some of the food they serve here. I hope to learn how they make certain things so I can come home and make to. Honestly, they made stew out of banana's and make passion fruit and avocado juice. Who would of thought!

I hope you are all doing well at home! Sit tight for the next time I get get on these computers!

Asante Sana (thank you so much)!

Penda (love),
Erica