Operation: Arrive in Tanzania

It's about time I fully share my adventure (because I pretty much suck at this).

The day before I left, I had 2 finals, and last minute packing. My flight was scheduled to leave at 9:30 am from Dulles. Dad and I were going to drive there Thursday night, but I was too busy with last minute stuff. I went over to visit Gail the night before I left. She gave me a book called Dare to Love Completely by Janine Roberts. It is the story of the time she spent at an orphanage in Zimbabwe, and Janine's brother went to high school with Gail so that's pretty cool. Thank you, Gail, for thinking of me. I loved the book!

I was able to go to sleep at 11:00 pm, and Mom woke me up at 1:30 am to leave for the airport.
Luckily, I was able to sleep most of the way in the car -- my poor father was not. We arrived at the airport, got checked in, and had a last minute meal of Cinnabon before heading to the gate. For some reason, I didn't get the boarding pass for my connection in Addis Ababa. I was told I was supposed to get it there. When I went through security, the TSA guy commented that I had a long trip ahead of me, and I got to inform him that Ethiopia wasn't even my final destination. I felt so cool.

I waited at the gate for my people to arrive. Tony, from California, was the first to arrive, followed by Mike from Boston, and then Madeline. I was able to talk to my friend Katie from sc school before and after the final we had that morning (I took it the day before). While she was walking the halls of school, she ran into our Dean, and then gave the phone to Dean Chase. Dean Chase's last minute advice to me: "Don't fall in love. Come back to us." No prob, Dean Chase. No prob.

For some reason, we were delayed out of Dulles and didn't leave til 11 am. I was sitting next to a very nice man from New York who was on his way to Addis to complete his adoption. His wife was sick and couldn't go. A few rows back was a friend of his also on her way to adopt. She would often come to talk to us. They were both very nice, and made the 15 hour flight more tolerable. However, about 4 hours into this 15 hour flight, I was stir-crazy and bored. I overcame it by watching movies (Harry Potter 6 and Four Christmases).

We eventually landed in Rome (view from the window and Your's Truly).




It was storming, and there was definitely loud booms and bright flashes of light when we were landing. It was terrifying. My poor little sister would have been screaming (2 things she can't stand: flying and thunderstorms). Luckily, she was safe and sound in Scotland. We were in Rome for an hour, but we couldn't leave the plane. Around this time, I was concerned about making our 90-minute connection in Addis (remember we left 90 mins late).

Six more hours later, we finally arrived in Addis, and sure enough, we missed our flight. We hung out in the airport waiting to Ethiopian Air to figure out what they were going to do with the 17 of us who missed it.

(Mike and Brian. Brian and his wife Pourmina were on their way to climb Kili. They are great people. In this photo, Brian is showing Mike how to use his camera.)

(Madeline)

(Tony on the phone to CCS Tanzania to tell them that we were going to be slightly late.)

There was talk about going through Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, but in the end, we spent the night on Ethiopian Air's dime at M.N. International Hotel.

Up next, Adventure: Ethiopia. Stay tuned.

Maybe I will return

Yesterday we were supposed to go to Arusha for the full day and visit the Rwanda Tribunal. As it was, it was closed so we went to placement in the morning, and then to Arusha to shop (read: buy tanzanite). Becuase Bondeni we weren't going to be there at all yesterday, I went to Tuleeni orphanage and helped teach a class of seven 7 to 10 year olds. It was interesting and way fun. We did multiplication tables, sang songs, wrote stories, played outside and they showed me their numerous pigs. What a treat!

The people I've met here are great. Tony has volunteered all over the world in various conditions. He wants to return to Tanzania next year to work in the Congolese refugee camp by Lake Victoria. I said to count me in, and because his thinks that you can put me anywhere in the world and I'd be just fine, he agrees that it would be great if I came too. So, when we get home, we have some research to do and, for me, some Swahili to learn. Any idea how one to learn Swahili in Morgantown, WV?

New Years on the Indian Ocean

We left placement early on Thursday because me, Mike, Madeline, Courtney and Carissa had to catch a flight to Zanzibar. The Arusha airport was ridiculous. Nothing was electronic. They simply checked our names off a list. The fight was about an hour. Zanzibar is the most gorgeous beach I've ever been. I didn't actually think the places on Google Images existed, but they do. I have the same photos to prove it. We took a cab to the hotel. It was easier than I thought it was going to be. The room was nice, but everything was missing. In our room, the shower didn't work, no phones, no wastebasket, no working outlets. The other room at least had a working shower, but none of the other stuff. We were really hoping that we'd be able to talk to our families while we were here.

New Years in Zanzibar was neat. A lot of dancing after midnight, but there was drama with the bill. We may be young Americans, but we're not dumb, young Americans. We spent 2 days on the beach. The sun was something awful. I spent all but 15 minutes on Friday in the shade and I got fried. I was so upset. The next day, I wore a big t-shirt and long skirts. The t-shirt even went into the ocean and pool with me. I was not about to damage my skin some more. We went snokeling and had good food. On Sunday, we putzed around Stone Town. That was really neat.

We made it back to Moshi around 10 pm last night after delayed flights. We were so tired after the long day of traveling and a lot of walking.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful New Year. More when I'm back in the US.

Quick post

Things here have been great. I love new places!

Yesterday was an all-day excursion to learn about the Chagga people. It was a messy day full of rain and mud and possibly a ruined pair of pants. I'll tell you about the whole adventure when I get back complete with photos.

Today, 5 of us (including me) are going to Zanzibar for the weekend. We don't have placement tomorrow because of the New Year. I don't know how we're getting to the hotel from the airport. They're about an hour from each other. Wish us luck!

One week down.

Sorry there hasn't been any posts. Whenever I get a chance to get on the internet at the house, the power always goes out and it takes 10 mins to restart this computer. I'll post more when I'm back in the US.

I left Morgantown at 2 am, slept in the car to Dulles, said bye to Dad, got to the gate with no problem. Including me, there were 4 CCS people on my flight. For some reason we left DC 90 mins late so we missed our connection in Addis Ababa. I can officially say that I've been to Ethiopia. So we got to Tanzania a day late, but had fun getting there and meeting the other stranded people.

We started placement on Tuesday. It is very different from doctors' offices in the US. Patients bring their own charts and everything is prescribed for 5 days. I'm learning that you really have to know the language to be productive. Now, I want to learn Swahili. You can get by with English for the most part, but Swahili is so much better.

We didn't have placement on Friday because of Christmas. We left Thursday afternoon for safari! We went to Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, and visited a Maasai village. It was neat. We camped while we were gone and it rained everday, particularly at evening and night which made for some interesting times setting up tents. The coolest thing we saw were 9 black rhinos in Ngorongoro (that's rare!), and an elephant trumpet when it realized that the leopard was so close.

Enough for now. Gotta eat breakfast and head to placement. more later. :)

Finally the answer

to the question everyone is asking, "What are you going to be doing while you're there?"

I was checking my email right before class, when I got an email from CCS with my placement, that is, where I'm going to be volunteering. I'm thrilled to announce that I'm going to be at Bodeni Dispensary!

It is a government dispesary that was started in 2005 to provide healthcare to all people. Some of their services include prevention of maternal to child transmission (too bad we haven't had that in school yet!), family planning and lab tests. There is a staff of 8 people (doctor, watchman, senior nurse, medical attendent, record keeper, home-based care for HIV/AIDS, pharmacist and lab tech). They speak Kiswahili AND English (yay!), and they see 25 to 30 patients per day.

Here's a list of things I could be doing while I'm there:
- check-in patients, weigh and take blood pressures
- work in a maternity ward; weighing babies and checking growth progress
- observe and assist in various medical departments
- spend time with patients, greet and make them feel comfortable
- help fill prescriptions
- discuss possible treatments with doctors

There is also at least one other girl that is placed at Bodeni Dispensary too.

SO EXCITED!

18 days???

It's here! It's here!

My visa and passport are at the post office waiting for me to pick it up. I guess the delivery person decided not to follow the sign on the door that says, "We ARE home. If you need a signature, go around back and knock on the sliding glass door." That's ok, though. It's just good to know that it IS safe in Morgantown waiting for me. Phew!

I finished the typhoid meds yesterday, so now I just have to gather up everything and pack! Tanzania, here I come!!!