India and TZed

Reading this article in the NY Times I am seeing the similaraties between India and Tanzania. When I first arrived to TZ I thought it was similar..but now I am sure..the culture is the same which is a good thing if I plan on going back...I am already adjusted.

NY Times Article

Thanksgiving

Today is thanksgiving and there is alot to be thankful for. A great site, being here one year, not getting too sick, not having any major problems, and of course making the move of quitting work to be here in TZed. I think I made the right choice and I am on the correct path in life.

I have been in Mbeya for one year and I remember the first time I came how there was no electricity for weeks. I also remember how it was to meet all the previous volunteers and now these same volunteers have left. I can imagine now how they must have felt a year ago as we welcome new ones to the region. And at the same time I am trying to imagine how sad they must have felt leaving. How would it be to leave my site? I can't even begin to describe the feeling but it is like leaving a home that you may not come back to. It's not like when I left the States knowing that I would see my mom in 2 years to come (or even sooner now that I am visiting home). It's going to be different because I don't have a blood-related family to come back to, but at the same time I have the family that I created in TZ. The neighbors that treat me like their daughter, the kids that treat me like their sister, and the students and fellow teachers that treat me like their friend. I hope to come back to see them after my two years, but I don't know what the future holds for me after this commitment. And that is scary.

But for now living in the present I don't have to think about that thankfully as I have a year left, and for that I am very thankful.

Balozi

The new US ambassador to TZ came to Mbeya region! :) He had only been here in TZed for 2 weeks and already was traveling outside of Dar to the Mbeya region. He was here to see the Walter Reed foundation which is an excellent organization partnering USA and TZ to fight against HIV/AIDS. The other reason was to visit the Peace Corps volunteers in the region. On Sunday we met him and showed him a presentation of some of our work here in the region. He seems like a nice person and very enthused about helping with non-profit work which is awesome. He came to my site on Tuesday and the people at my institute liked him alot. He saw the department where I worked and met some of the heads of schools. MIST is trying to expand so they were honored that their institute was one of the few visited in the ambassador's time here.

Bday TZed Style

So for my bday my department got me a kitenge. I was laughing the whole time they sang me happy bday..it is funny to see men singing happy bday in English..they even added in the how old are you part..I think that is part of the song here. Then at night celebrated with my favorite TZ family so far..the mama carried me in her arms like I was nothing..it was a sight to see.

The Prez Has Come

So us volunteers down south have spotted the president of TZed as he makes his grand tour. Some got to meet him, me not so lucky..but I did get to attend a "beer" fest..that is some South Africans have opened a beer factory near me. Funny 'cause I don't like the stuff..but great for friends that visit! :) Maybe some day I will get a tour of the place. :) Anyways, I got to see the president speak but it was mostly about how this modern technology has come to TZed (there aren't really any manafacturing plants or industry here in TZ). Having industry like this is good for TZ because it imports most of it's processed food from Kenya, and it makes mechanical and electrical engineering students obtain jobs more easily. Here in TZed people with an undergraduate engineering degree don't make much money, those who do studied arts or business. I think it is the opposite of America. But without engineers there is no innovation in technology, so this could be a great stepping stone for Tanzania in the global market place.

Also, had some interesting forward thinking conversations with some fellow co-workers about how to budget money, which is a strange concept here as most people spend their money on day-to-day stuff without saving. I think the modern educated Tanzanians are forward thinking and that this country will prosper in the years to come.

Send-Off Party- Wedding Celebrations TZed Style

Recently I attended a send-off party in Tanzania. This happens before the wedding and after the engagement/kitchen party. It is equivalent to the time before a wedding in an Indian wedding. They had dancing (mostly to religious songs), presents, food, speeches/introductions of the families, they also had something where the bride searches for the groom, etc. The wedding traditions here seem to emulate that of Indian weddings more than American weddings. Of course with western culture coming into Africa there is a combining of the two. In wedding celebrations there is a engagement party, a kitchen party (similar to a bachelorette/wedding shower), send-off party, and the actual wedding. A kitchen party is where women get together to advise the bride of martial responsibilities and give gifts of that nature.

Umeme again..new books to be read..

So now we have increased to 3 times a week so about every other day I have no power from 9 AM till 11 PM. It doesn't hinder me too much as I try to get everything I need power for accomplished on the days I have power and before 9 AM on the days I don't have power. But besides that it forces me to read books instead of being on the computer all day. Of course as usual I visit my neighbors. Some books that I have read: Three Cups of Tea, Into Thin Air, Zahir, and various others. I am trying to look for more upbeat "junk" books but right now all I have is the well-written, somewhat philosophical variety which is nice to expand the mind but tends to leave me a bit sad.