Africa Dreamin'

I have made it to lovely Tanzania. I hope things are well with all of you as I am happy and healthy. Jet lag meant three days without sleep for me but everything is sorted out sleep/wake cycle wise so that is good.

The flight was Dar es Salaam via Amsterdam. We stayed in Dar es Salaam for 2 days seeing nothing but our hotel/convent, the Peace Corps HQ, and the road in between. Then we went to [undisclosed location] where we are staying for our 10 week training. I can tell you where I am in letters, but I'm not supposed to post anything too specific online and, by extension, you are not allowed to post anything online (or publish it) that I send to you in letters. If you want a letter and I don't already have your address, get me your address via Aimee or a blood relative of mine.

I'm staying with a Tanzanian family while learning Kiswahili and learning to teach (I'll be teaching Chemistry, by the way). My family is cool, my dad travels a lot for work so it is usually just my mom, my baby brother, and my preteen brother. I might also have a sister in her teens/twenties, but the word for sister and servant is the same so I haven't yet figured out how to tease out the nuanced meanings. She works a lot, but she isn't always working and she seems cheery in a family sort of way so the jury is still out. I also have about a billion other "relatives" in Tanzania because close family friends are just called "mother", "sister", "brother", etc. depending on age and sex. Extended family takes on a whole new meaning.

It is hard to learn the language, but I console myself that I speak better than the 3 month old, who has had about 6 times as much exposure to Kiswahili as I have (not counting prenatal listening).

I'm pleased to report that East African food is PHENOMENAL. It way more than makes up for the fact that Gmail and Africa have gotten together and decided that I don't get to check my e-mail. Also, I have not yet gotten sick. I came close the day I ate seven or eight oranges, but as we all know close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

I'll update again the next time I can make it where I am.