I don't have too much time to write today, but I wanted to share a little so far with everyone! Excuse the typos as well, I have to write as fast as I can to get back to our house by 2!
First off, words cannot express how sureal it is over here! Pictures will still do it injustice, but when I have time I will upload some.
I am working in the mornings at a nursery school (3-6) called Kilimani. It is an hour walk to the nursery through dirt roads, etc. It is unreal how underdeveloped it is in Moshi. I teach english from 9-12 and then I am going to fund and complete a gate at the front of the school to keep the students safe from vehicles. Local materials should be reletively cheap. The teacher is called Moma Leah and she has been a teacher for 40 years. She invited me into her home, which was basically a concrete box, for some cookies and a Fanta drink. She told me stories for an hour about the life she has lived and I was just blown away with her life story! I could write a novel just on her life. More to come on that.
Anyway, after the nursery project, I am working with a local soccer team! I am going to play with them on their Sunday games since they are 16-22 year olds. They train with little children every day and we have a practice today at 5. I am going to fund soccer nets for their "goal" which is basically just poles coming out of the dirt. They play on dirt with shapr rocks and little spurts of grassy areas. Some play barefoot and it made me cringe when I saw a game two days ago on Saturday. I funded jerseys for them (yellow/Red) for training scrimiges!
I am also going to try and replace my 5 day safari with a 3 day safari. many of the vlunteers here have suggested that, and it makes sense. It is way cheaper and that way I can stay and volunteer in Dar es Salaam for 2 more weeks. Dar is on the Indian Ocean and has some great projects that need help, not to mention how beautiful it is. A weekend to Zanzabar island right off the coast will cost less than $50 total!
I am in a local home here with 20 volunteers from around the world. I am envious of most because most have traveled literally all around the world to the most exotic places, and some are going all around Africa for months/years.
I really cannot explain in writing the scenery around here without pictures. For now just picture what you see on TV and times that by 10. Wild dogs everywhere, houses made from tin and concrete, huts, maasai warriors in cloths. PS our house gaurd is a maasai warriors with a sword stick. We have two female chefs that cook and will hand wash all our clothes for 3000 Tanzanian Shillings, which is about $2.70 USD!.
I will upload pictures this week. It is sureal here and it still hasnt sunk in all the way. the most amazing view of Mt kilimanjaro is right our our house.
Still safe and all is good,
Chris
