HUUUUGE update!

So I’m back from my trip to Dodoma and of course I’m going to talk about that (at length) but first, some updates. A lot happened in the past few days, but since I didn’t have my computer with me I have a lot to catch you guys up on. If you were looking for ways to procrastinate, you’re in luck b/c today you guys get the 3-for-the-price-of-1 blog post special :~) If not, then pick and choose the parts you want to read from the bolded headings.

This update is sooo big it needs a table of contents:

Post I. Updates

Post II. A little segment I like to call "Adventures on Public Transportation"

Post III. All about Dodoma

I. UPDATES

Housing situation:

I’ve decided I just really didn’t like where I was living and I didn’t want to stay there all year so I got in contact with the family I stayed with last summer and now I’m going to live there. I’m moving on the 13^th and I can’t wait. Their house is super nice (esp. compared to where I’m staying now) and I’ll get to come home to nice homemade meals instead of eating out every meal (like I’ve been doing) or having to hustle groceries on the crowded bus and cook dinner after a long day at work. Plus—wait for it—they have a washing machine!!!!!! I can’t tell you how happy I am to be saved from a year’s worth of laundry done by hand! Also, there’s a maid, guard, etc. Basically all the same amenities as the place I’m staying in now but in a much nicer house, with nicer (read: less creepy) inhabitants, slightly cheaper rent, and in a part of the city I prefer. The only drawback is that it’s a little farther from my office so instead of the 5-10 min taxi to and from work, it’ll be a 20-30 min bus, but I have a co-worker who lives nearby and can accompany me on the commute. But really, either way it’s a sacrifice I’m more than willing to make. Now…I just have to work up the nerve to tell my landlord that I’m outta here after only two weeks….

That whole sadness/ loneliness thing:

Since I was on a five-day business trip I didn’t have much time to sit around and think about how lonely I was and how much I miss you guys. Five days of constant company and activity have gone a long way in terms of improving my mood. In addition to the trip, several heart2hearts with my best friends in TZ also helped tremendously.

On Sunday evening my best guy friends from TZ came over to hang out and he wanted to see pictures of my friends and family. At first I was a little wary b/c I thought looking at them might make me upset all over again. But I took a deep breath and scrolled through my iPhoto library with him. For the first time since I got here looking at pictures and videos of you guys doesn’t make my heart ache. Instead of having my chest tighten and my eyes fill with tears a huge grin spreads across my face. After my friend left, I decided that I’m finally in a place to read the bundle of cards and letters I couldn’t look at before w/ out getting choked up. So I spent an hour reading over the notes, poem, letters and memories you guys sent with me and I smiled the whole time. The panic and yearning induced by thoughts of home have been replaced with simple non-threatening nostalgia.

So after a low period I’m back to being super excited about living in Dar. I’m even starting to feel like a year might not be long enough to take it all in. I’m back to feeling like the luckiest person on earth. The gratitude I feel at being given this opportunity is almost too big to fit in my heart.

Work:

I started work last Monday but then I went on a five-day trip the very next day so I haven’t actually spent much time in the office yet. Today (Monday the 6th) was my second day in the office. I got my first assignment today. I’ve been asked to create a brochure/pamphlet outlining one of Africare’s programs. I completed all the text today. Formatting and images are left for another day. Tomorrow is a public holiday called “Saba saba” (“seven seven” as in July 7^th) so my office is closed. (Yay for a day off in the middle of the week!) Saba saba is a fair trade market day where vendors come from all over Africa to sell goods in a ridiculously huge open air market. Since I’ve been not feeling so great I doubt that I’ll venture into the crowds. I’ll probably just invite some friends over and hang out at the shore all day.

I’m excited about getting my first assignment. It’s a chance to prove myself. Although it’s just creating a brochure I’m hopeful that proving my competence by going above and beyond the call of duty on this project will earn me more involved projects in the future. I pitched my draft to the program manager today (an hour after he assigned me to it) so I’m just waiting for feedback. More work updates to come.

What goes up...

So after a great first few days in Dar, I had my first bad day. And my, was it bad. But first, let's start with a re-cap of the weekend. The concert didn't happen so it ended up being really low key. Just lounging around reading, lots of talking at the beachfront pub next door, etc. The one major that thing happened this weekend was moving out of the hostel at Changanyikeni into my new house in Masaki. Masaki is an ex-pat area full of NGO workers and (at the moment) vacationers. I called a cab, threw my two bags in, and arrived 30 min later at my new place.

All of a sudden I was in a funk. The place didn't seem as great as it had a few days before, my friends didn't seem as close, and my loneliness seemed magnified. The first night I had a friend along so although I slept lightly I was mostly ok. The next night after she returned to the hostel my "funk" got worse. The room seemed dusty, grimy, and lonely. The house seemed empty, despite my 3 housemates. My housemates began to seem creepy instead of friendly and I despised the elitists ex-pats covering the town like a blanket of locusts.

Of course this made me wish I were at home and my eyes began brimming. For five seconds I let the negative thoughts flood in, let the doubt and fear and loneliness wash over me, then I shut it off. ( A technique adopted from the lead character "Jack" on ABC's LOST. lol) After five-seconds of an absolute break down (I'm talking body racking sobs, gasping, drooling, you name it) I pulled out a little note of encouragement written for me by a close friend, dried my eyes, and decided to reassess the situation. I've got food, clothing, and shelter. I'm in a great place, with wonderful weather, and friendly people. And most importantly, I'm going to be fine. I knew that it would be hard to convince myself that everything would be ok if I sat locked in my room crying all day, so I pulled open the shades, threw on a bright sundress, and called a few friends to hang out. Although the tears returned a few times throughout the day, getting out of the house definitely did the trick.

To add to the homesickness (or maybe b/c of the homesickness) I haven't been able to eat very much lately and I've been sleeping pretty lightly. It doesn't help that my stomach has been asking for McDonald's fries and Baja Fresh burritos. This morning I woke up feeling a lot better though.

On a happier note, today is MY FIRST DAY AT WORK. I'm actually at work right now. I've just been touring the buildings and reading background info on my project. I have, however, been informed that I will be leaving tomorrow for a three day trip to the field with two co-workers. lol. Thirty minutes on the job and I've been sent to the field already. lol. That should be an adventure since the area we're traveling to is very rural. wow. lol. I prob won't have access to the internet (much less a computer) while I'm out there so I'll tell you guys all about it when I get back.

Wish me luck in the field!!

...grab a Snickers

So... after nineteen hours on a plane including stops in Rome and Addis Ababa I've finally reached Dar. The flight was uneventful and I somehow lucked out and got entire rows to myself so I could stretch out and sleep (almost comfortably). I'm glad to say there were minimal tears in the airport and just a few moments of choking up (but not acutally letting tears fall) on the plane.
I got in yesterday around 1p.m. dar time (7 hours ahead of EST) and after a little confusion managed to check in to the hostel where I'll be staying until I can find a more permanent residence. I'm staying right upstairs from some Princeton kids and some students from other schools who are in Dar for the summer. I spent last night getting to know them before heading to bed. Unfortunately, a combination of jet lag and anxiety didn't let me get to sleep before 1 a.m. I woke up somewhere around 4:30 a.m., even though I had taken a sleep aid earlier to prevent that exact thing from happening!
I will admit the first night was pretty rough in terms of anxiety and homesickness but today is much, much better. I sat in on a Swahili class in the morning before heading to the mall to buy a phone (e-mail if you want the number!) and an iron (packing/ handwashing do not mix well with the wrinkle-free clothing necessary for a professional appearance). Then I had lunch with the Princeton kids and now I'm at the mall (no joke) in an internet cafe. I'll probably round out the day by teaching English at Mwenge market tonight.
Walking aroung the city has reminded me of how much I love it here and why I wanted to do this in the first place. The weather is beautiful and the people are just as friendly as I remember. I've arranged a meeting with my boss tomorrow to discuss things like housing and stipend distribution. Since the meeting is pretty early in the morning I might head to the orphanage after that to visit the kids I worked with last year.
I'm thinking about you guys, and looking at your pictures, and just generally feeling like I left my heart in the states but I think once I start my job and get settled in things will be great. Although I'm in Dar it still has yet to sink in. I'm still trying to grasp the fact that I'll be here for A YEAR. I've already taken my first cold shower of many to come, ridden in a dala dala (google image it), and gotten reacclimated to the gekkos creeping across the walls in the night but somehow this still doesn't feel real. Since I'm not going anywhere for a while I guess I better grab a Snickers.