You may all have been wondering where I’ve been for the past month. I literally got dropped off at the front door to my new house and was told to figure out how to live here. I laugh because the first time in my life I live alone is in a village in rural Tanzania. Go big or go home, I always say.
I love my house and village. I live near the Primary School and a majority of my neighbors are teachers. I’ve grown fond of one family in particular. The mama is the Head Teacher and she checks in on me every now and again to make sure I’m eating and taking care of myself. I think I will choose her as my Counterpart. A counterpart is someone in the village I can identify as someone who will eventually help me with my work here over the course of two years.
There is a soccer field attached to the Primary School yard. It’s incredibly fun playing with little African children. I can check that off my bucket list too! It’s like this site was made for me :)
My house has a big living room with three windows (windows are like gold here when you’re living without electricity). I have another room I’m not entirely sure what to do with, my bedroom, and a room I’ll make my kitchen. I have a cement courtyard, a choo (pit latrine), shower room (no more showering in my choo at homestay!), storage room, and a little room I use my charcoal jiko (kind of like a camping stove) in.
I’ve seen my fair share of rats as well. I was awakened at 1:30am one night to the sound of rustling. I’m proud of myself for getting out of bed and dealing with the situation. Now, lizards love my house, and as I figured out where the noise was coming from I thought to myself “maybe it’s a lizard, hopefully it’s a lizard.” No such luck. My flashlight eventually shone on the rats’ beady little eyes and nose. Ugh. I rigged up a cover and carried him and the bucket outside. I tipped the bucket over and whacked the bottom until he flew out and ran away. As I was going back inside I thought I heard something else, but let denial kick in and went back to bed.
Cooking is proving difficult. It’s hard to get fruit and vegetables when you don’t own a farm here. Going to town is sort of a chore, but the current PCV’s here all tell me it’ll become second nature and you eventually become numb to the experience. More stories on traveling and transportation to come.
But, I will never complain about cooking on an electric or gas stove OR washing another dish by hand in the sink EVER again!
Now here in Tanzania, greetings are an important part of life. Even if you’ve walked by their house 4 times that day, each time you go through a few of the many possible greetings. I went for a run the other week and when I exercise I tend to want to be alone. I stumbled upon this road. Now, when you live without running water, electricity, or another English speaking human being close by, it’s the little things in life that you appreciate. This road is quite desolate save for a few houses in the beginning and end. I think I will wear this road out by the end of my service here!
I continue to study and learn Kiswahili daily. Some days are better than others. It’s difficult not to learn something new when you are forced to speak Kiswahili every second of every day as soon as you leave your house. It’s proving quite helpful in learning the language though!
I will hopefully be able to update this more often, for those of you who actually read this. I’m sorry it’s been so long!
You all take care and give the U.S. a hug and kiss for me. Chao from Tanzania!
