Visiting the kids..

Originally uploaded by An Smith

Being back in Mwanza is very refreshing!! First of all, it's about 10 degrees cooler and there is no humidity so it is much more comfortable. I've had my best sleep here since arriving back in Tanzania. The noises are familiar to me. The Maasai playing with the ring tones on their phones and making strange noises, singing, laughing.. talking endlessly about who knows what. Shuffling along in the mornings while they sweep the sand and that damn Rooster. Won't someone just eat it? Please. Eat it. I can't believe it's still alive!!

I forgot just how cold the water is in the shower at the house in Buswelu. The tank on the roof doesn't seem to get the sun during the day so it doesn't warm up. Getting in there first thing in the morning takes balls, and I don't normally mind cold showers when it's hot out.

The children were happy to see me, excited.. confused!!! Shy!!! Curious!!! I could describe it in many ways but at the end of the day it's so great to have come back to suprise them.. they are super confused about where Denise is because to them we come together so despite me trying to explain that she is in England and will come to see them one day they don't really get it and still chant her name (together with mine) when I walk into the compound. Super adorable..

A lot has changed since we left and again, nothing at all. I expected the kids english to be a bit better than it is, but I don't think they have had consistent teaching since the six months that we have left (actually, the kids complained to me that they aren't getting taught anymore).

Also, the electricity is still not running (despite it being paid for with receipts to prove it). Apparently the 'bribe' was not high enough. Yup, despite paying for it we didn't bribe enough to actually be high on the list for the electricity to be connected so we are still waiting. Everything is in place and it's been wired.. but (as Leo famously stated "this is Africa"). It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth but Joel assures me that he will get a credit on the rent when they move out, so essentially the money went to help with paying the rent for the orphanage. I'm okay with that. I guess. I'm not sure what else I can be.. In the meantime they have organized solar panels which will ease the cost of the fuel needed to run the generator.

Last time I was here we had to come to peace with the fact that when you get involved in something like this it won't be perfect.. but I can assure you that the children are happy and they are going to school and in my mind that's the most important two factors.