August 28

A week at site:
Wow , it is totally different than I ever could have imagined. Life takes a huge change when you are all on your own. I like how I get to cook for myself, but I do not like to do my dishes. I have made some tanzanian dishes along with some american dishes. I have made some spaghetti and peanut and butter and jelly sandwiches. I have made some chipati and peanut sauce which was so good. I have also gone and eaten some kitti moto (pig) and some rice and beans when people have come into visit. The food here has been pretty good wherever I have bought it. I also have access to a large fruit and vegetable market on a daily basis. That is really nice because it will keep me healthy. :) I have also found out where I can get some meat ground up so I can start to put it in may different meals. Tomorrow I am going to a huge market that happens twice a month. I am meeting up with some of the other volunteers and I guess they sell everything at this market. It will be such a cool experience, I am kind of picturing a tanzanian flea market, but we shall find out. I guess they have animals hanging from trees like in the other market which you can ask to cook, but they also have pots, pans, foods, locks, everything you need. I have been running a few times now. The sceanary here is so amazing it is hilly with a huge mountain in the background. Just the other day I went running up one of the hills and got to the top and looked down. The city is so pretty sitting on top of a giant hill. Hopefully soon I will get a group together to climb the mountain. While I took a break and was sitting up there I realized I really was in Africa. I saw a few of those droopy trees from the lion king and just vast openess. It really hit me I was hear and I loved it. It doesn't make missing everyone any easier, but it is so so so beautiful. I want to go around and take pictures to share, but it might be awhile before I pull out my camera. I have a neighbor who is 20 years old. He is so nice and has been showing me around town. The other day we went and meet with some missionaries in the town. They are from Ohio and are so nice. They were talking to me about coming up to watch sports games and to eat american food. It is nice to know I have someone so close that I can feel alittle more at home around. I guess they have opened a school and a church here, and hope to open some hostel for out of school youth where they are able to learn some type of trade work. They really have such huge hearts and are an amazing group of people. I can't wait to spend some more time with them. Along with with the missionaries I have also been visiting schools and clinic. I said before I am very close to two of the primary schools and a secondary school. The secondary school has been talking about maybe having me teach a class a week and I want to set up club there. The clinic is very big. I went there to talk about what I was able to help with. They sent me to the hospital which was alittle over a 2km walk one way. When I got there the guy who I am suppossed to talk with is on safari so I have to return on Monday. I am excited to see what I will be able to do and how much I can actually help. I bought a wireless card. It should be here sometime in the next few weeks which is super exciting. I will be able to read about the news and send emails more easily. I tried one out the other day and it was really slow so I dont think I will be able to skype with it, but we shall see. I think I will have to wait to skype when I go to the larger cities. So since it is after the harvest and there is lots of leftover harvest on the ground there are many rats around. I had a couple volunteers spend the night last night and they slept in my main room. They said they heard the rats scampering around. So today I set up some rat poison with some jelly. I hope it works I will keep you posted. Like always I love and miss you all more than you will ever know. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers because I truely can feel all the good thoughts. I will hopefully update you all soon.