Moving on Up.....

Moving on up…..

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful week. I am having a great week, so far. The Swahili is moving along….I think I got left at the station but the language is still moving…..LOL. Remember Ku Ku, my little friend, well he is no longer little and I think he’s a she. Man you think you know someone, anyway we are still friends but she has been spending a lot of time with the birds next door so I’ve decided to give her the freedom she needs. I’m still not eating chicken but I’m also not eating a lot of other stuff, I am tired of rice, beans, cabbage, rice, beans, cabbage, rice, beans, cabbage, rice…well I hope you get the point. What I wouldn’t give for some nachos from Chili’s or some fries from McDonalds…..OMG…..a slice of pizza from Bottom’s up in Richmond. I would even pay top dollar for a pack of ramen noodles! It’s so bad that I saw a mirage the other day while I was walking 45mins to Muheza to use the freaking internet, I could have sworn I saw a Wet Willie’s sign…I’m serious! I know I saw it…..I would give my next meal of rice, beans, and cabbage for a “call a cab” with a splash of sour apple on top *sniff sniff*
Speaking of freedom, I wanted to talk about my Ba Ba situation. It’s hard for me to explain it to you, but I will try my best. The host family that I am staying with for the next 2 months is comprised of a Ma Ma, Ba Ba (father), Da Da (sister), and Ka Ka (brother). The Peace Corps has instructed the family to keep the volunteers secure while we are here in the village completing our training. I think it’s a wonderful situation and so far the Ma Ma has taught me how to cook Tanzanian food, the KaKa has shown me some of the games that the children here play, the Dada has been helpful in my studying Swahili, and my Baba……he has taken top flight security to another level! I can’t do shiznit without him being at least 5 feet away. My own Dad isn’t even that protective. I can’t walk to school by myself, All of the other kids at school can go play but me, I have to come straight home. Even when I try to sneak away, 40 mins by foot to the next village, I will be damned if he doesn’t appear out of nowhere on a bicycle asking me what’s up in Swahili…..wth! To make matters worse, he’s the chief of a village up the road, the same village I was trying to sneak to with the other trainees. The other trainees laugh at me and make jokes about my BaBa hiding in the bushes. When I come home late from class he asks “Unlichelewa kuwenda shule, Kwanini?” In English, “Yo, Why u late coming home from school?” I act as if I don’t understand what he’s saying and I just smile…..actually I do that a lot because most of the time I don’t know what he’s saying. It’s bad enough that he speaks no English but he also stutters. So imagine me trying to decipher the few words I do know in Swahili while someone is speaking a mile a minute and stuttering. I’m so lost most time, and I’m sure my facial expression shows it. The family is really nice though, honestly I don’t have to do anything, they cook for me, heat my bath water, clean my room, help me wash my clothes, they take really good care of me. I just can’t go anywhere without a security guard, it’s cool but kinda weird.

Speaking of weird, if I hear one more Michael Jackson song on the radio I am going to scream! I think all of Michael’s fans live in Africa and they won’t let him rest in peace. I’ve heard “We are the World” every morning since they announced his death. Not to mention, every other hit he’s ever made. I think they have an hour dedication every night on the radio. I stay in most nights listening to the radio since I can’t go out and play…LOL. I am dog tired most of the time because I cant get a moment to rest, or a moment alone. From the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep I always have to speak to someone, or do something. Sunday is the only day that I don’t have class so I try to sleep in, YEAH RIGHT! The roosters start crowing at 4am, then they hit snooze. After that the prayers start at the Mosque, followed by the baby next door crying, the cow mooooing, the goat baaaaahing, and the donkey making a very awkward noise. By this time it’s 5am and MaMa is up sweeping the porch, backyard, and house, she always seems to spend a lot of time right outside of my door….hmmmm. The roosters have proceeded to crow again and by this time my BaBa is up with the radio blasting, music, news, I dunnoh it’s not like I know what they are saying. So by this time, it’s getting close to 8am and I’m still hiding out but I have to pee sooooooo bad and I don’t want to leave my room. I found a solution to that this morning, a water bottle. I cut the top off so I wouldn’t have to perfect my aim, and there I was still able to hide away in my room with all of the sounds outside and no one realizing that they were successful in waking me up. Once you let them know you’re up it’s over. You have to remain up for the rest of the day. There are no naps, no rests, no nothing, I can’t even study alone or for a long period of time without having to say what I’m doing. The reason is mostly because they have never seen an American, and the ones they have seen are white. They are so amazed that I am American; most of the elders think I am from another African country or that I am pretending that I can’t speak the language. They are familiar with the slave trade but they would never think to meet another person who looks like them and is able to travel from America back to Africa. I feel like a new toy that they can play with whenever they get ready. They want to do my hair, dress me, bathe me, feed me, and show me off. I hope the newness wears off soon or someone kept the receipt.

Now for the topping on the cake…..drum roll please………I have a cell phone. That’s right a cell phone. I think it was one of the first cell phones ever made but hey, it only cost me $30 bucks brand new and it works. My cell # is 255(country code)76-585-3032. You may have to dial 011 prior to entering the country code. It costs me $1.00 a min to call to the US, so it’s cheaper if you get a calling card and call me, they cost about $5 for 58 mins, I think it’s called island flavor. Other options include skype calling and international plans on house phones are usually pretty good. I get free incoming calls but all of the cell phones here are pay as you go so I have to purchase vouchers and add time. It’s kind of a hassle but at least I have a steady form of contact. I look forward to hearing from you soon. It’s always nice to get handwritten letters too. Get some kids to draw me pics or something…LOL.
I love you all and be safe!

Word of the week:
Swahili: Kunywa

English: to drink

Until next time…..

Shani C.
Peace Corps TZ
p.o. box 9123
Dar Es Salaam, TZ