Mzungu Meeshloaf

Well hello there! I have learned about a dozen new greetings in Swahili, but so far my favorite is "Mambo?!" which is an informal "hey" or "what's up" and then you respond back "Poa" (cool) or "Safi" (clean) or "Freshie" (fresh). Since the internet in Kilosa town is scarce, let me just say that Tanzania has been amazing thus far. It took about a day to get to Dar es Salaam, but it was pretty much a blur and we were welcomed in very warmly by everyone at the Msimbazi Centre Wednesday night in the city. We stayed there for 3 nights and got introduced to the country staff and received our sweet medical kits. (The chew it yourself pepto tablets have already come in handy) At this point I still knew no Swahili and was pretty confused when everyone greets you and says hey Mzungu!! and you have nothing to say back. On Saturday we got on a bus and went a few hours to Morogoro, the 5th biggest city in Tanzania. No high rises or anything, but a gorgeous town settled at the base of a mountain, and we got to do some intensive language classes and then pretty much relaxed and enjoyed the training site at St. Thomas center before we headed off to roughing it for the next 2 years! Monday we left for Kilosa, which is where I am now. I am staying in a village called Manzese and living with Mr. and Mrs. Kapeya Kondo. I really like my family a lot and although they do not speak much English (Baba, or the father, can speak a few words), the many kids that either live there or just hang around ( I can't tell which yet) are great teachers and like looking through my books and showing me things and teaching me new words. The smallest child, Harifa, is only 5 and I gave him a ball to play with yesterday and he loves me now and I can understand some of the things he says since he speaks in simple sentences. The family dynamic is incredible...my sisters definitely do most of the grunt work around the house, but I have helped out with some of the cooking already and have been eating great meals since I got here! Rice and beans are the norm, but there are lots of meat and fish and potatoes in stew form, so there is pretty much something for everyone to eat. There are a bunch of vegetarians in the peace corps group but they seem to be doing well.

Mzungu Meeshloaf. The word Mzungu is great. It's not an insult, but some people get annoyed by it. Picture about 30 kids screaming MZUNGU at me and then running to hug me as I walk home up the mountain. they all smile and say HOW ARE YOUUU? The kids say it to any white person they see, but the word actually means "one who walks in circles" because way back when many Africans thought the same white man was walking in circles through all the villages in the country because they had never seen a foreigner before. I'm running out of internet time here but I''m going to try to write more tomorrow and post some pictures of my family!

love and miss you all!

kwa heri!

meeeeesh

p.s. everyone here calls me MEESHIE and i love it. take care!