A year later - GULU Walk Update

I miss this blogging thing. It's just that when I don't travel I don't find words.

(Not to say that I haven't travelled in the last year - I have - let's not talk crazy... but nothing had me emotionally riled up which is I guess where I find my words most times).

Anyways, I just wanted to talk about something that's REALLY exciting that is finally happening, confirmed and details sorted (well, mostly).

Four years ago I went to a documentary film about a place called Gulu. Let's just summarize the situation there as "hell". Your typical senseless war involving children, rape, murder and innocent people. Totally ignored by the world.. where on earth is this Gulu place right? So needless to say I was touched, fascinated, angered (read my very first blog) - so I researched, I learned and I visited..and now all this time later (on October 16th 2009) I will be presenting the opening event for the walk with my first photography exhibit. The gallery is on Queen West (like really West - Parkdale. So trendy ;)). I will be exhibiting my photography from the IDP camps and helping GULU through fundraising and creating more awareness.

I hope. I'm pretty excited and nervous. Mostly I'm nervous nobody will come and I'm trying to think up creative bribery to get you all there... I'll keep you posted... more details to come.

In the meantime do as I say:
1. open your day planner
2. turn to October 16th
3. get out a PEN (no pencils)
4. Write "Gulu Fundraiser"
5. Close the day planner
6. Stand on your head..(I'm going to far right?)

xx
Andrea

Back on track..

Originally uploaded by An Smith

The only sound in Stonetown at the moment is the constant hum of power generators. The power went out just over three weeks ago and rumours are that it could be more than two months before it gets switched back on and a sense of normally returns. It means that water prices have doubled, petty crime is on the increase and normally meagre incomes are being spent on things such as petrol, kerosene and candles. Surprisingly, as Zanzibar prepares itself to head into high season, I haven't found that many businesses have increased prices (perhaps a ten percent petrol charge on your bill is the most you will find) and it seems that life is resuming as normal. I think about the drama we experienced a few years back after our epic four day 'black-out' but in fairness power outages here are common place (just not for this long). Let's say Zanzibar experienced a snow storm - now that would create drama! It's all about what you're used to I guess. You adapt and move on, but especially in the developing world where 'discomfort' is a daily event. In the west (and more developed nations) we live as conveniently and comfortably as possible. Any small change to that and we completely freak out!

I've just returned to Zanzibar after a few weeks in Malawi and a road trip through the south of Tanzania by car. Well, actually, "by car" is a bit impersonal. Her name is Mavis and she's a tough lil 'ol white four door Toyota with the determination to drive a significant portion of Africa's pot-holed dirt roads. We met her driver - an Aussie by the name of Will - and he was on his way to Dar and was looking for company and a share on petrol costs so we gladly accepted. Will had already travelled through about half a dozen countries in southern Africa and was just getting to the end of his journey (Arusha to teach for a few months) when we met him. Him and Mavis were my BFF's for about eight or nine days as we wandered through random African cities, enjoyed spectacular scenery along the way and even camped on the edges of a wildlife park for a few nights freezing our butts off and trolling for animals during the day. No radio leads to great conversation and overall.. a fantastic trip! Him alone (one of the more real and honest people I've met in a long time) actually helped to salvage the end of my disastrous trip this far (erm, I'll get to that part in a minute). Again, Tanzania always manages to completely blow my mind with the diversity and beauty of the landscape and seeing it by car just makes it that much better (not to mention toilet breaks are unlimited! amazing!). I was reminded again why Denise and I 'stopped' travelling to get to know this country better.

This trip, overall, has been pretty long and random for me. I've been homesick the entire time (a first for me) and my mental attitude sucked as I spent almost five weeks on my butt and hobbling around on crutches after breaking my foot two weeks into my trip. I was more than lucky to have friends like Mardia and AJ who did their best to keep me amused and carried me great distances, helping me with just about everything (guys - you're awesome - thank you again!). When you come to a place for two and a half months intent to really give photography a go it's mildly spirit breaking when you spend most of it on your back watching movies! Anyway, things are looking up. I did re-hurt my foot in Malawi and it seems to be acting up a bit.. but I'm almost home and that means good doctors and hospitals.

At the moment I feel back to my old self. I'm really enjoying being back in Stonetown and trying to enjoy the last few days as much as possible. Mardia is working her butt off trying to get the restaurant re-opened and we've got friends arriving tomorrow morning for a quick Mwanza reunion before I fly out on Sunday.

xx

Malawi

Originally uploaded by An Smith

When you cross the border from Tanzania to Malawi there is this immediate sense of calm. The lack of infastructure indicates a life of simplicity and peace that is perfectly idylic in it's solitude. The yellow-green hills are dotted with mud brown huts, typical of east african countries i've visited, yet the the difference here is intangible. The towns seem less hectic and are noticebly vacant of the crumbling 1970's architecture i've become used to seeing everywhere. Local busses are new with floors that don't have gaping holes and the entire structure doesn't threaten collapse at every grumbling turn!! I've witnessed a few manicured round-abouts and a few garbage cans scattered around (mind you, they are empty but it is a start!).

We bought a direct bus ticket from Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania those of you who are geography challenged) to Lilongwe (south part of Malawi), a twenty-seven hour journey. Our intention was travel south to north along the lake stopping for a few days in each place to check it out. We arrived at 4am (for our scheduled 430am departure) and we were immediately informed that buses in Tanzania do not legally leave until 7am and that is when we would be leaving as well. Rolling our eyes and craving the extra two hours of sleep we pulled up chairs to wait, wondering why we'd been told 430am just the day prior. Africa!!! An hour into our journey and the bus conductor is handing us a $15 refund explaining that the bus will no longer be travelling to Lilongwe and that they would drop us off at the border. Twelve hours later and a dozen of us are standing on the side of the road, scratching our heads and waiting for a Dala Dala ride to the border crossing, not having a clue where we are but 'assuming' we are close. Three bumpy and mushed hours later, after picking up just about every Tanzanian, their cousin and their chickens we arrived (at 9pm in the pitch black!) to the border. Which, of course, is closed. Anyone who has done an African border crossing by foot knows that even in broad daylight it can be a harrowing experience. Border towns run rampant with thieves, pick-pockets, scam artists and all of the above who are trying to persuade you to exchange currency at black market rates. So here we are, two white girls with backpacks and no clue where to stay, what to do or who to trust. Twenty people are pulling us in every direction trying to convince us to climb on their bicycles (to go where exactly?). I can't see a single thing in the darkness. A few tomato stands are lit by candles and that is virtually the only light. Luckily, a Malawian who had been riding with us realized our situation and quickly escorted us to a guest house where he assured us we would be safe and taken care of (which was the case) before he resumed his journey.

We ended up crossing the border the next morning and headed to Nkahta Bay to relax for the week and decided we'd had enough of buses and relaxing by the lake would be preferable! The lake itself is incredible. It's the colour of an ocean and it's so clear that you can go snorkeling and diving in it with great visibility. It's also filled with tons of colourful fish (blue, yellow, spotted, stripped.. you name it) which was so cool for a lake! My week there was enjoyable but frustrating, as I managed to re-hurt my foot so spent most of my time lazing and reading. I guess I shouldn't complain!

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.

Beaches, Rainbows and Christmas Cards..

Originally uploaded by An Smith

I love the drive back from the beach to Stonetown (we just spend the weekend at Kendwa beach resort). The drive is only about an hour and it's the best if you do it an hour before sunset so you have that perfect soft golden light touching everything as you wind your way past the villages to town. Today in particular it is beautiful because it's raining but the sun is still shining and the sky is clear. There is a perfect rainbow arching over us as we weave along the road; both ends disappearing into a jungle of dense palms far off in the distance. A few small children, about six years old, are walking in a line down the road. They are using giant palm leaves, as big as they are, like umbrellas in a futile attempt to keep dry. They are totally drenched! I saw them earlier this morning playing in a field. Same palm leaves to sheild themselves. Still soaking wet!

The steet is busy, people are walking and bicycling in every direction. Going to mosque or coming home from a visit with family or from work. I have no idea. Two boys sit on the back of a makeshift wagon with one wheel which is being pulled by a donkey. They look incredibly amused with themselves and have an empty cart. Likely they are finally on the way home after a long day of delivering firewood or fruit. Or something.

Back in Stonetown we are treated like the tourists we appear to be, despite the fact that everyone I am with lives and works on the island. The colour of our skin makes us a constant target. They have surrounded our car as we get out and are trying to sell us spices, cd's and necklaces. "Crack-pot Harry" is trying to sell us a Christmas card. It's the only thing he has. I laugh to myself wondering where on earth he picked it up and again at how funny it is that he is trying to peddle 'Seasons Greetings' in the middle of April on the predominantly Muslim island of Zanzibar. (In hindsight, perhaps I should have bought it). In any case, I am soaking wet and still covered in sand from our day at the beach and look a bit out of place standing in the middle of town while Mardia haggles our taxi rate for the day.

The 'other' local crazy decides to follow us as we find our way home and is temporarily thrown off his plan of action when we split into two groups heading in different directions. He's mumbling incoherent Kiswahili to us but decides to follow Katie and I. We loose him moments later as we (while laughing) kick it up a notch and start into a sprint and dodge around a few corners and through alley ways to find our street where we live. He's totally harmless but there is no need for him to know where we live. That's the thing about Stonetown though. After a few days here they know who you are, where you stay, if you have a nice camera and laptop and what your daily routine is. It's a little bit unnerving at times, but if you're smart you should be fine.

I am home now to pack because tomorrow I'm heading to Mwanza to visit the children. I can't wait to see them but I still have some weirdness about the fact that this time I'll be there without Denise! It's ridiculous that I'm actually craving Kuliana's pizza and rolls just as much as the roasted corn and rice and beans that I can get in Buswelu Corner for pennies. I will have to hold out on the mendozi with chocolate bars and sugar dip because (as tempting as it is) it just isn't right without Denise, Suzy and Jessica to ease my indulgant guilt!!!

My first two weeks back in Africa have been really, really (I stress again the really part) relaxing. I spent my first week trying to adjust to the time difference, the heat and the noise. Getting my travel legs back I guess. Unfortunately, my second week was spent sick which threw me for a loop! I'm used to having more of an iron stomach from all of the travelling but I guess it's not as tough as I thought it was!

Ma-hm-bo Vi-eh-phi Ra-h-mboo!

d e a t h.
Originally uploaded by An Smith

I am staying with a Muslim family in an apartment somewhere in the midst of the maze that is Stonetown. I have a 'self-contained' apartment on the top floor (there is not technically what I would consider a real door seperating me from the family but I don't think they go to the upstairs part). There are two bedrooms, a massive living room, great kitchen space (a fridge!) and a flush toilet. Cold water showers only but it's 25 degrees with 100% humidity. Who needs hot water! I have been covered in sweat since arriving but I really don't care. It feels good, familiar. $100 per month.

Sleeping peacefully in the mornings is presenting itself a challenge and I usually find myself with my head wrapped up in my sweatshirt to try and block out the noises for just a few more minutes of peace. The first call to prayer begins at about 5am. I love the haunted, eery sound of it. I try and sleep a few more hours but people start walking past my window and the noise gradually increases to a maddening choas of voices and customary greetings as people pass each other and start their days. A motorbike screetches to a stop narrowly missing an older woman as she shuffles through the streets and two men compete (every morning) to win the title of 'loudest bicycle bell'. Men and boys of every age sit together looking bored, contemplating life. Children scream and laugh and chase each other through the streets and I give up and drag myself into the shower. First thought.. coffee.

I walk down the two flights of stairs to the street (wearing a scarf to cover my shoulders) and rip it off and stick it in my bag the second I get out of the house. I'm already sweating and I know I should keep it on but ug..the heat. I wind my way through the narrow cobblestone streets greeting the artists and shop keepers who are trying to convince me to come in to their shop. I love you, please will you be my friendy, where are you from. You are never anonymous in Africa.

Sitting in Livingstones (sipping on coffee) and the place is literally deserted..it is the rainy season so tourism is low. I feel like (if I was a writer) this would be the place I would haunt. Insufferable humidity made (only the slightest bit) easier by rickety cieling fans. Dramatic skies threatening thundershowers, a view of the ocean and the cargo ships unloading potato sack after potoato sack (how can this tiny island possible need this many potatoes?). A fifty (plus) woman does her best to hide her age behind sunglasses that practically cover her entire head, wearing touristy clothes that are just a bit too young and (intentionally) too tight. She swings to the music while paying the bill. The twenty-five year old beach boy accompanying her does his best to look amused and treats her like she is the most beautiful woman in the world (bored to tears when she's not looking). The life of a beach boy, made easier by a European woman twice his age on a two week holiday with cash to burn. Can't really blame him.

Mardia tells me I look 'cleaner' than last time I was here. I'm not sure what that means exactly (Mardia is known for speaking her mind) but I do assume it's a good thing. I do have the same daily shower thing that I did last time I was here (even sometimes twice - I swear! In fact, Denise was the one who loved to revel in her own filth for days and brag about how long she'd gone without a dribble of water to clean herself - hahah!!). It must be the clean fingernails and manicured toes that are throwing her off.

We are spending today at the 'sandbank'. Literally, it is a mile long stetch of sand that is only visible during low tide. There is nothing on it.. only birds. It's a twenty minute boat ride from the town and we are the only people there. Snorkeling and suntanning. Tough life this is..

Footloose

---
Originally uploaded by An Smith

If you've spent (perhaps) too much time with me (usually at Crego) you will eventually realize that I think Footloose is the best song EVER. Like ever ever.

Here's why (only the funniest episode of Will and Grace to exist):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pi4U1u4LSdY

I still think it kicks butt as a Kings option ...

Conclusions

Goa, India
Originally uploaded by An Smith

I am at the computer in the den of my sisters new townhouse wearing Jess's clothes, eating a bowl of homemade chili (by request of course) and I'm uploading pictures, doing laundry, shopping on line to buy a new laptop, organizing 'stuff', airing out my backpack, drinking coffee (instant just for the memories of Africafe) and haven't showered since Zanzibar (again, for the memories of being a former dirty backpacker). I keep talking to the dogs in Kiswahili by mistake.

We arrived last night at about 10pm after 22 hours of flying. It was the most luxurious traveling on the entire trip. People complained we smelled (I suspect this is what happened) and we had two seats each for all three flights. I watched 8 movies, ate 12 meals (including all the desserts), slept like a baby and made a stop in Boots to stock up on favorite products followed by a stint of slathering myself with the most expensive eye cream / face cream / anti-wrinkle / anti-aging / uplifting / tightening and toning free samples I could find. I am now 3.2 years younger.

We left Dar at 5.30am and the horizon was a bright red-orange glow as the sun started to rise so that it literally looked like the sky was on fire. Just as we flew over Kili (the same time that the crazies who are climbing it would get to the top) a bright neon pink sun appeared (and we giggled knowing how terrible the people who are watching the same sunrise, but are at the top of Kili, are feeling because they are cold, starving and have altitude sickness. Maybe they even had to take a poop on the top in front of many strangers - it happens). In any case, we had our noses glued to the window so we could take it all in because the view was absolutely breathtaking and a fantastic final image of Africa.

Denise and I were top form delirious for the entire time we weren't asleep (possibly cause of all the desserts) and therefore giggling like kids and doing dumb things like talking with sock puppet hands. "Look!! AN!! British people!" as we boarded our BA flight in Nairobi - yup, just the 'two of us' could not hear the announcement; "Anyone who is currently already using their headphones please refrain from doing so until after takeoff" due to the simple fact that we had our blinkers on our eyes. If you're confused you are supposed to be (I admit I am also).. let's move on.

Flying in to Heathrow in London was completely bizarre because after spending 10 months in the chaos of infrastructure that is the third world the picture perfect Thomas the Tank engine villages and winding roads with colourful cars looked... fake and impossible. I'd never really noticed before. However, and despite appearances, my world suddenly felt really hectic and fast paced and I was kind of overwhelmed by the people who push by in a hurry and then run over Denise with their suitcase, don't take a second to apologize and avoid eye contact cause you might have some sort of communicable disease (actually Denise does have a disease but it doesn't really count).

There are a million things I know now that I didn't know before. About myself, the world, different cultures. For example, I realize that I look really terrible in most shades of green and that the majority of food items begin with the letter "P". (I can almost guarantee that nobody else - but D and I - have laid in our middle of nowhere guest house and named all the foods we can think of going through each and every letter of the alphabet. If you're ever bored try it.. see if you can actually get to P. That's more the challenge right there my friends..). I know that bananas are the most versatile food in the entire world and I now consider myself kind of a connoisseur (the red ones and/or Moshie bananas are the bestest). Here is a list of all the things (I can think of and ate on the trip) that involve banana: banana milk shake, banana pancake/crepe, fried bananas, banana soup, banana split, banana&avocado sandwich, banana fritter with chocolate, banana smoothie, banana pizza, roasted banana, banana with muesli&yogurt, banana chips, banana in coconut sauce. I think that is it. I also know things like high altitudes make people very gas-o-liscious, there is someone in every country that looks like Morgan Freeman, chocolate tastes best first thing in the morning while you are still in bed, sunsets are better in Africa (especially if they involve a beer and a hammock and a box of Pringles) and climbing mountains is dumb. Seriously though, I really am taking a lot with me from this trip (but I will charge for my knowledge - by the hour). My memories right now are a bit foggy due to experience overload and I expect I will keep learning from my trip for a long time to come. It's definitely helped to shape my perspective on the world, including what I want for my life and I saw things that made me smile that I will never forgot and of course things I wish I didn't because they make you sad and you start realizing the world can be terribly cruel.

One of my best memories is sitting on a bus in India with a little girl (she couldn't have been more than four and she was what they would consider an 'untouchable', which basically means she is of the lowest class in Indian society and likely won't have the opportunity to amount to very much). She was sitting behind me with her parents and baby brother, wearing only a t-shirt. She probably hadn't bathed in a week because she was filthy. I decided to share my iPod headphones with her and we rocked out to Western music for a good hour until they got off of the bus. I won't forget her smile or the fact that the family waved goodbye with big grins until I couldn't see them anymore. I do have a million and a half memories like that.. but for some reason that one has always stood out the most in my memory.

Finally, I couldn't have asked for a better travel compadre (as we said many times, our friendship is a low risk business agreement and therefore there was no pressure). I would definitely do it all again in a heartbeat, maybe even the Kili part. We had a hell of a lot of fun, we should have wrote down more of the ridiculous things we giggled about (cause there were so many) and we should have ate more (kidding!). I doubt that is even possible! It was pretty friggin fantastic though, wasn't it ;)

Tomorrow Lost

Lake Kevu, Rwanda
Originally uploaded by An Smith

'Tomorrow Lost' is the memorial that is dedicated to the children
that died during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The name is eerily
fitting and the memorial itself is tastefully put together and
extremely informative but being there and seeing it first hand doesn't
change that it is impossible to swallow (or believe) what happened in
this country just over a decade ago.

The photos are life size and hang tastefully on the wall. Immediately
the spirit of the children in the photographs jump out at you - they
remind me of all of the children I've met in Africa. Big smiles,
happy, playful, mischievous eyes and mismatched grubby clothes.
Innocent as hell. Beside each picture is a small description which
details the child's name, age, favorite food and a characteristic that
would best describe their personality. The last detail is the method
in which they were killed. Shot, bludgeoned to death, stabbed in the
eye. However it was, it was brutal and cruel and disgusting. It
goes without saying - none of it should have happened and you can't
help but walk out of there with the sickest feeling in your stomach.

I think most people (are now) aware of what happened in Rwanda, thanks
to movies like 'Hotel Rwanda' and Romeo Dallaire's novel detailing his
personal experience during the crisis. (And if you still don't know
just keep an eye on E! Now because Paris Hilton, is like, visiting
there, for like charity stuff, like, this month! Wicked!).

Anyway, to give a Cole's note semi accurate history lesson tensions
built during colonial rule when the Belgians pitted the more dominant
Tutsis against the Hutus in order to have a political advantage. They
switched 'sides' when people began to push for Independence and
basically all hell broke loose after that. Originally Germany was
'awarded' rule of Rwanda during the late 1800's when the Europeans
decided to divide Africa - it was then 'won' by Belgium as a result
of WWI. (Don't assume that Africa was even aware of it being divided
let alone having a say in what was happening).

We spent some time in a really sleepy village in Rwanda, very close to
the Congolese border. It was your typical African town with a small
market selling not much more than designer jeans, tomatoes, cocoa
butter and colourful kangas. There were no tourists, no restaurants.
There weren't even street vendors or cars let alone bicycles. "Rush
Hour" was a line of people walking home from work, or whatever it was
they were doing. On April 1994, 11,400 people were massacred in this
town. In one day.

There wasn't much to do there. We spent most of our time detoxing,
trail running and exploring mountain villages. We realized that a lot
of people 'hung out' at the gas station. So we did to. We sat on the
bench in front of the small shop that sold cool drink and did what
they did. It was actually pretty entertaining as far as people
watching goes. We met a little boy who was three years old. He
didn't speak English, French or Swahili so the lines of communication
were hugs and smiles. We couldn't figure out if he 'belonged' to
anyone because he was just always there hanging out wearing snowpants
and a ripped t-shirt that had seen better days. A man gave him some
money, and he immediately went to buy muffins because he was clearly
starving. He sat down on the bench with us, and in typical African
fashion he offered us his food before he even took any. This lil guy,
who is half starving..with 'nothing' in the world, except really
impressive manners.

Looking at Rwanda now you see a relatively more affluent society than
what we have seen in other African countries (sort of). The roads are
paved, the people are better educated and there is a lot of
positivity. It seems like there are a lot of opportunities and that
people are moving forward. The international community has pumped a
lot of aid because of the guilt from ignoring the genocide and perhaps
that is the only positive thing you can take from the experience. It
doesn't make it better that 1 million people had to die but it's
comforting to know that nothing like that will happen to these people
again.

Rwanda

IDP Camp - Gulu
Originally uploaded by An Smith

The Boda Boda {1} drivers wear helmets but that's not the most shocking part. They actually require you to wear one as well! The intersections have traffic lights, they work and they are obeyed in an orderly fashion. Traffic (including the matatu's {2}) will actually stop if they see you trying to cross the road and wave you across safely. This includes the times that you aren't standing at one of the numerous 'designated cross walks'. The sewers have grates over them so you don't have panicky thoughts about losing focus and falling three feet head first into an oozy, bubbling, grayish mess of unidentifiable refuse while innocently strolling the streets. Nobody calls out 'mazungu' {3} and when we got off the Matatu from the Uganda border at the bus station not a single person paid attention to us. Nobody wanted to sell us faux watches or stolen sunglasses from their portable shop on a piece of cardboard, nobody tried to convince me I needed a set of encyclopedias for only 10,000 shillings - nobody even tried to pickpocket me!! Even the boda drivers didn't rush us and try and put our bags on their boda first. We had to approach them! Bizarre really. Doesn't sound like Africa does it? Obviously you haven't had the pleasure of visiting Kigali (pronounced Chigali) in Rwanda then.

It's a country where you can ask a question in Swahili and they might surprise you and answer in French (or vice versa). My limited knowledge of both these languages means I can get by quite nicely with this method and it makes things fun because speaking english fluently and without confusion is rather boring (really).

We sat and had dinner last night in the food court at a mall (a mall!!!!) and not one person took notice of us. Nobody stared. Nobody asked me for my email address. Nobody pointed and giggled. In fact, we were the ones gaping and looking rather ridiculous in our grubby backpacker clothes while everyone else was decked out in funky fashion with cool hairstyles (a mix of western, African and Erykah Badu). Might I add that the majority of people here are all over six feet. The men and women here are so tall, Denise actually looks short!

So the first thing you notice when you cross the border from Uganda is the stunning scenery. It's manicured, the roads are paved and there are brick wall things {4} that line the roads (every time we passed a brick wall thing Denise would point, mouth agape like a small child, in absolute amazement). Then there are the people. They are fantastically friendly and go out of there way to help you if you appear even the slightest bit lost or have a question. And the rest.. well, I wrote about it already.

Of course, in many ways Rwanda still has it's challenges like everywhere else we have travelled. We are at the end of the trip so money is getting tight and we are trying to stick to a very small budget (which we know we will blow in Zanzibar at the end..) so we are going a bit cheap on food. Dinner last night (mall food court) was a bun and a smoked sausage from the supermarket. It set us back pennies and was yummers. Today we decided to go with the same scrumptious plan, because it was all we could think about all day. Splurge 0.20cents on an avocado and 0.50cents on a slice of Havarti (!!!!Havarti cheese!!!!) and a jar of English Spicy Mustard and it becomes a gourmet meal that Eric and Berenice would have trouble competing with.

Anyway, we get back to the guest house, order a beer ($1), set up shop at the bar with a plate and a knife and sadly realize that, unlike yesterday, the sausages are raw. Not a problem. We ask the extremely friendly bartender if she can arrange for them to be cooked for us; we'll pay. She nods and disappears with the sausages only to return with the sausages 20 minutes later. Still raw and bone cold. She smiles, places the sausages in front of us and walks away. Who knows what happened to it during the in between but.. we didn't eat it. Cheese and avo it was. And that is when you look at one another and say: "TIA".{5}

So just to keep you up to date, we left Kampala (and the amazing food and drink fest that was Eric and Berenice!!!) and had to go to a place called Lake Bunyoni for 5 days to recover. It is at 2000ft in the mountains, quiet, super cheap, the air is clean and the scenery is priceless. We spent our time swimming (in a freezing cold mountain lake free of belharzia and crocs!) and doing trail runs. We detoxed and I read 4 books because they had a fantastic free library.

Footnotes (not sure this is the correct term):

*First, ignore my inability to reference things properly like a school book or book that feels they are oh so special to do so and felt the need to invent a method to do it formally in a manner that all others should follow. I will not.. besides, I can't figure out the french keyboard to save my life. I decided to reference slangy words cause otherwise my sentences turn into long rambles and I forget what I'm talking about missing the point altogether and then.. well, I just thought this would be easier and more fun.

1. Boda Boda: Motorbikes that you hire to take you (preferably) short distances around town and (preferably) on relatively nicely paved roads. It can be scary at most times.. if not absolutely terrifying. Genuine concern for my knees has never been higher as you whiz through traffic, cut across sidewalks and go the wrong way in traffic all the while balancing both backpacks and praying for a safe journey. It gets you there fast and cheap.
2. Matatu: (known as a dala dala in Tanzania) is a mini bus that fits 12 comfortably but you normally squeeze in 20+ and luggage, chickens, babies on laps, giant bags of maize and a conductor who is in charge of making you pull in your tummy, shove your butt and make more room. You can take them far (if you dare) or on short trips around town and they are the cheapest mode of transport. You sweat profusely for the first hour you wait to leave because they require you to wait inside in the midday heat while ten people stand around, scratch their heads and strategically try and figure out how to get in more stuff and people. Generally you can't move once you get in one but that's okay. It somehow makes the bumps more tolerable. Oh and, as a pedestrian you always (Rwanda as the exception) get the f out of the way and fast.
3. Mazungu: translates from Swahili as European tourist, or white person or foreigner. You basically hear it everywhere you go.. locals (especially children) call you from everywhere waving, running and screaming. It's bizarre but I like it. You feel like a celebrity or royalty (as we all should at some time in our life).
4. Brick Wall Things: are just what they sound like. I'm not sure of there purpose, but they are esthetically pleasing so if that is purely the reason for there existence then I applaud the person who built them. Of course, I am sure there is a practical reason for them that some smart person (or Gabe) will notify me of.
5. TIA - Stands for This is Africa. Made famous by Leonardo in Blood Diamond. It pretty much sums up or solves any really frustrating moment you have here.. you say it, shrug your shoulders, smile and move on with it.

xx

IDP Camp - Gulu

IDP Camp - Gulu
Originally uploaded by An Smith

The second camp we went to this week held 11,000 people. It was absolutely massive. It's a mother camp (differs from where we were the first day which was a satellite camp and is closer to their original village and means people have shifted from the mother camp and are getting ready to go home but are still in need of protection and assistance). The camp has been in existence since 1986! Honestly, it's more like a village now, despite the cramped conditions and lack of land there are businesses and bars and a market. I guess after that duration of time normal life is bound to happen.

I was wrong about the food rationing in my last post - I did the weighing and recording yesterday (more like spot checks to make sure it's being divided evenly) and it works out to about 4kg of maize, 1 kg of peas and 0.5kg of oil per person for a month. Do the math.. it's not that much. People who are considered 'extremely vulnerable' (the elderly and those with illness) get about three times that much because they can't do cheap labour to make money to buy more food.

We visited a third camp and helped to remove the 50kg bags of food from the truck. It's complete madness. All the men stand around and do nothing and the woman are lugging these things around with a baby strapped to their back! It was 38 degrees. Honestly, African woman are the strongest (mentally and physically) than any other woman in the world. I was helping as lady who was twice my age and she had ten times more strength and energy than me. It was hilarious!

While we were walking around one of the camps a very intoxicated man came up to Denise and I (and very politely and quietly) offered us 200 shillings each to have sex with him. That'll buy you a banana (should we be insulted??)!! Anyway, we politely declined and he wandered away without a problem. That's just the way things work here..it's not the first time (or the last) that we've been offered money or livestock for marriage and so on.

When we were wandering around we came across the soldiers (who are supposed to be protecting us!) and they were a few buckets deep into the local brew known as "Marwa". It tastes like warm beer and it is made from this grain.. anyway, it's revolting but I guess like anything, you acquire a taste for it. We took some shots of them (which I will post eventually) and the soldiers were really concerned that their wives and our husbands (we always say we are married) will see the pictures and we will all get in trouble. HA. Amusing :)

Leaving Gulu back to Kampala and then we will see what happens next I guess. No plans yet.

When HIV might be the better alternative..

IDP Camp - Gulu
Originally uploaded by An Smith

There is something like two hundred and forty NGO's in Gulu at the present moment because of the war with the LRA (I blogged about this in one of my first entries so if you really are interested in whats happening in Northern Uganda cross reference that and there are some links that will tell you what you want to know. If you already know than hey, I think that's even cooler).

As you wander around town you can't help but notice that the only vehicles on the road are convoys for the UN or UNICEF and so on. We spent today distributing food to an IDP (Internally Displaced People) Camp just on the outskirts of Gulu with the WFP (World Food Program) and had the opportunity to tour the camp and meet the people while they rationed their food. We were escorted by two Ugandan army trucks full of dudes with machine guns (just in case) and then about 4 more UN trucks surrounded the one that carried the food. Bit of an ordeal but once you get to the camp the entire process takes about an hour (normally, but we were there all day because there was a film crew from Germany documenting it). They are allocated 25KG of food (roughly depending on the number of people) per family which consists of yellow split peas and millet (dried corn) and they get a 4 litre jug of oil (fortified with vitamin A!!) that should last them anywhere from 30-45 days. I think it depends on how much funding is coming in.. obviously the more money the more these people get fed.

The camp consists of many small round mud huts where the families sleep and often cook their meals. (The one we visited today has about 1600 people living there but this is a small camp). There are communal showers and toilets and a boar hole where they get clean water for cooking and bathing but no running water or electricity. They do have access to other types of food, that I assume they cultivate themselves or just grow in the area (like cassava, coconut and g-nuts which are like peanuts).

Things here are relatively peaceful right now (the raids on villages which involved rape, murder, mutilation and kidnapping of children to turn into soldiers has thankfully stopped at the moment and the LRA is currently
demanding millions of dollars to sign a peace deal) so most families are trying to return back home (wherever that may be) and pick up the pieces of their lives that have been totally destroyed by the rebel army. They are still safer sleeping in the camps at night because they are protected by the Ugandan Army. There are schools at the camps so the children (and there are tons of children) can get a good eduction. There isn't much to do at these camps so - they make babies. HIV, disease, malnutrition and unemployment are obviously high on the list of issues that the NGO's are trying to manage right now, and one of the saddest things I've learned is that a lot of woman are turning to prostitution to survive within the camps (this obviously being a means of income for them). They actually are choosing to risk contracting HIV because they figure they are going to die one way or another.. and HIV is a slower death than starvation. (Not to mention that they don't have any education about using birth control or family planning).

I sat with one of the families today and attempted to talk to them while they waited for their turn to get their food but they didn't speak any English. (It's surprising because in Uganda the official language is English so I assume because of the war and their displacement these people just aren't educated and only know the local languages). It was impossible to really talk but we managed with dumb actions and sign language and I played with the baby while they laughed at my hair and the cuts on my legs and enjoying looking at the pictures I was taking of them on the digital camera.

As a whole it was an amazing and eye opening day and considering we were involved with fundraising last year it was really nice to be able to visit the people and see the progress that is being made here - we are going back all this week so I assume that means more stories..check out the pics on Flickr for some images of the camp and life within it. They seem to have the most amazing thunder and lighting storms ever up here.. and another one is just starting so I assume that means I will not have power soon :)

No more Moraji!

Sipi Falls
Originally uploaded by An Smith

Denise and I have started speaking in half sentences. (Well, not exactly). What I mean is that she starts a sentence and I finish it and we frequently add in the odd word between breaths and vice versa. It's started happening a lot lately when we tell stories to other people about our experiences but it's developed a really good flow! In truth our conversations (which never end because we are always chattering about something) can become very simple and sometimes a tad embarrassing when we realize the idiotic conversation we are having about how confusing it is that oranges are green in Tanzania is being overheard by someone with an intelligence level higher than a fish. It happens a lot - and we get some strange looks, especially during the frequent (sometimes violent involving lame dance moves) giggle fits. It's kind of cool though because we can still stand each other after spending the last 200 or so days together :)

For example, a real conversation we had the other day:

A: Denise, what was your favorite meal in India?
D: Um, the one at that restaurant.
A: Oh yeah, me too.

Of course I knew exactly where and when she met. Yes, of course we ate at a restaurant every night, but I new she meant the one in
Mumbai (that incidently the waiter had to cut us off from ordering everything we wanted because he thought it would be 'too much'). So, maybe it's a bit of mental telepathy, I'm not sure. Grunts, mumblings and looks are easily translated now a days. I guess we are kind of a faux married couple in a way. We even resort to telling embarrassing stories about each other. :)

So I realize it's been awhile since my last update.. where are we ?? Let me get started here..

We have spent the last week and a half travelling around Uganda and plan on being here until the end of the month. Uganda really is as equally stunning as Tanzania, but everything is just that much more green and lush. It feels a bit more jungly and the soil is red red red.. it's actually like red clay so when it rains (and it does everyday!) everything gets a strange reddish tinge to it and when it's dry everything has a layer of red dust on it. The houses are reddy mud huts and the tin roofs have a thick layer of red dust. And of course our feet are red stained. It's next to impossible to get the suckers clean.

Last week I arrived in Kampala after a 34 hour (yes I said 34 hours by myself with no ipod cause i forgot it in Zanzibar) bus ride from Dar es Saleem. No bathroom stops and no food stops. Not that I had any money to buy food, but that is a really dumb long story. I found Denise in Kampala (with out luggage cause the airline misplaced it) and we immediately went to drown our sorrows in fast food and then caught up while watching a real TV in our hotel room. Met up with my friends Eric and Berenice the next day and stayed with them for a few days (they are house sitting at a gorgeous place with a view of the bay and the entire city and we watched MTV practically the entire time. It was like heaven. Hot shower.. laundry and good home cooked food and excellent company! What more could we ask for really? Personally I am shocked that Jayz and Beyonce broke up.. when did this happen?).

We then went to visit another friend in Jinja and spent most of our days lazing by a pool along the Nile (we saw a real live crocodile *NOT on safari*..it was creepy because we were on a bus and looked down and it was swimming hungrily from one side of the river to the other) and then took a two day trip (smushed with 25 other people in a Matatu - it should hold 12) to a place called Sipi Falls. Probably the most scenic place I've ever spent time in and worth the 6 hours of not moving and severe sweating that getting there and from involved. The view from our cabin (at $10 per night) included 5 waterfalls overlooking a deep valley lush with banana and coffee bean trees and the local village was adorable. We did a half day hike which took us to two of the waterfalls but unfortunately for us (and my sleeping bag which was airing out in the great outdoors) it poured rain for the last two hours. Imagine torrential rain and we are walking in corn fields which tower high above our heads and through jungle forest and absoltely the most remote villages and farm land to see these waterfalls but we are drenched to a point that I never thought was possible before. Since we were on a mountain (and they tend to slope) the red path we were walking on quickly turned into a gushing red river as deep as mid calf in some places. Needless to say, we made it home alive and drenched and frozen and then somehow managed to warm ourselves us with copious amounts of hot tea and a red liquidy thing that they called tomato soup. So it was back to Jinja for more pool time and then we had to celebrate our friends last night in Africa.. and we sent him out in style. We actually saw the sunrise this time.. from our 2 hour taxi ride to Kampala (where he dropped us and then continued to the airport). We really didn't intend to be at a club until 4:30am (the car came at 5am) and we really didn't intend to drink way too much local gin (tastes good but the hangover is like nothing you can even imagine). So we found ourselves at a mall coffee shop at 7am with no sleep and a stomach ache and no place to stay. Had to beg a backpackers place to find us a dorm bed and we slept for a few hours and proceeded to spend the rest of the day on a couch in the common room drinking fluids and eating lots of hamburgers. I hate gin.

Saying good-bye to the children (again) was one of the more challenging moments of my life. I tried very hard not to break down and cry in front of them but some of the older girls pulled me into their bedroom and sang good-bye songs to me in Swahili.. it turned into a bit of a sob fest and possibly one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. I miss them..

Gulu tomorrow..really looking forward to the next week. ..

Zanzibar

Zanzibar
Originally uploaded by An Smith

We just spent ten of the best days of my life in a place called Kendwa Rocks in Zanzibar. (Actually, I can't really complain about my last three weeks.. they were pretty amazing. Safari, Kili and Zanzi...I spent a fortune but it was worth it!!). Zanzi was the ultimate..perfect white sandy beaches, turquoise water, good food, nice people and of course the perfect mix of relaxation and party. We even attended our first full moon party.. 5am and rendered useless the next day. Need I say more? Anyway, because of this I've actually decided I don't need to travel anymore. I found my spot :) Perhaps it's the 7 million destinations in the last 6 months.. maybe I'm a bit travel warped?? Bound to happen I suppose!! Doesn't matter cause I am totally helplessly in love with Tanzania.

So what did I do for 10 days that made them the best ever? Well, absolutely nothing. I got up in the morning, ate breakfast (fresh fruit, eggs, unlimited coffee) and then I would plant my butt in a hammock and read a book (if I had the energy) and lay in the sun. Listen to the waves. Sleep. Around noon I would get a massage ($2 for an hour) and then head into the restaurant for lunch. Homemade soup and the best chapati I've ever tasted. The afternoon would be similar to the morning. Maybe reading, maybe not. Hammock. 4pm required a beer and a pow wow (all three of us in one hammock) and we would watch the sunset until about 7pm and then get ready for dinner. Fresh fish, seafood and sometimes beans and rice at the local joint (we actually brough in lobster for them to cook us!! Goes nicely with rice and beans actually). Some days (if feeling adventurous) we would wander down the beach where all the artists have their shops set up selling Maasia paintings and buy art for my non existent house. I may have bought to much but what the hell.

Now we are back in Mwanza, Denise has malaria again (poor thing) and it's great being back with the kids!! We are trying to spend as much time as possible with them as Denise is leaving this week (for Europe with Martin and then back in 2 weeks when we will meet in Uganda) and I have to leave in 2 weeks because my visa won't let me stay longer. And now.. looking at the time.. I gotta go teach!! There is never enough time in my day it seems :)

xoxo

Notes from a small climb..

Kili..
Originally uploaded by An Smith

Climbing mountains is ridiculous (the really really big kind anyway). You spend a very long time getting to the top, then get sick and find that you don't care about the photo opportunity you've just spent 5 days getting to simply because you are more concerned that you are dizzy and nauseous and completely disoriented from lack of oxygen to the brain and are coincidentally teetering on the edges of a slippery glacier volcano. Then you have to climb down again (I fell eight times) and it takes a week to recover and you then have an annoying cold to deal with while lying on the beaches of Zanzibar in the heat. Okay, so to give you a better idea here are my notes from the six days it took me and Denise to climb Kili..(the abridged version of course);

Day One:Mandara huts 2720 meters

We only hiked for three hours today and it was relatively easy in comparison to what will come (I think). Our guide keeps reminding us to walk 'pole pole' which means slow in Swahili. (You literally have to move at a snails pace so that your body acclimatizes properly. It's actually a challenge to move this slow). I am pleasantly surprised by our accommodations.. we have our own lodge with bunk beds and mattresses and solar power. There is even a flushing outhouse and showers at this camp (not that we plan on showering for the next 6 days). We have to drink 3-5 litres of liquids each day so they are force feeding us hot drinks cause it's already so cold I can't feel my toes and I can see my breath when I talk. The drive to where we began our ascent this morning was incredible and only goes to further confirm my suspicions that Tanzania is the most stunningly gorgeous country I've ever traveled in. The vegetation is so lush and the stone houses that hide in the midst of the banana plantations and fields of sunflowers are so adorable. There are flowers of every colour and millions of things I can't even describe. Just come here yourself.. much easier than me trying to find the right words and identify plants.

Reality: Our park fees for the week total $630 per person, in comparison to a local who pays $1 to enter the park. You have to wonder what the government is actually doing with this money and then when you do the math and you wonder what the guides and the porters get paid, not to mention the company needs a profit and the cost of food..and you kind of get a bad feeling about it in your stomach. The porters actually get paid $7 per day if they are lucky and then they rely on tips from you to supplement their income. They have the hardest job in the world. They carry a load of 30 kg on their back up Kili and then get nothing mainly because the government takes it all. The money is so little the majority of them don't rest between jobs because they need to survive... and just to give you an idea there are three of us climbing (we've picked up a Swedish girl to climb with us) and we have 9 staff; 2 porters each and 1 cook and 2 guides.

Day Two: Horombo Huts

51/2 hours today and it felt good. It was much stronger than yesterday and it's getting easier to chill out and walk slowly. We stop every ten minutes to drink water and breath. We are over the clouds now and the view is amazing. Kind of looks like you could run out and jump on them or have a really cozy nap.. but don't think I will try it. Bit of a headache but nothing serious. Nothing much to do but sleep and read...

Day Three: Acclimatization day

We only did a small hike to Zebra rock today which is just over 4000 ft and then descended back to Horombo and took the afternoon to relax. Tomorrow is the big day and we are suddenly a bit freaked out because one guy just came back from attempting his ascent and was in the severe stages of mountain sickness. He was projectile vomiting blood and had completely lost his memory and had purple lips and fingers. There was another group of guys who couldn't even get to the next camp and had to turn around because of severe nausea and so on.. um, why am I doing this again? I'm not sure. Mountain sickness actually has nothing to do with physical fitness, and actually I don't think you need to be fit to climb kili.. you need mental determination and a bit of luck that the elements don't mess with you. We'll see what happens.


Day Four: Kibo Hut 4700 metres

We got off to a late start today (of course, we tend to doddle more than anyone here it seems). Took us 5 hours to walk to Kibo. Headache is getting annoying and now trying to nap in a dorm room full of people who won't shut up before we ascend at 11pm. YES. 11pm. These people are driving us nuts.

Day Five/Six: Gilmans Point: 5685 metres (um, that'd be the top)

We left at 11pm and I have to say that the first two hours were incredible and felt amazing. All you could see were a million starts and a long line of headlamps weaving up the mountain. It suddenly seemed like what we were trying to accomplish was pretty exciting and the energy and vibe in the climbers was really cool.

I was wearing four pairs of pants, 2 tank tops, a t-shirt, 2 long sleeved shirts, a fleece jacket, a rain jacket and a winter jacket, heavy duty gloves, a balaclava, a scarf and two pairs of socks. I was warm enough for the first few hours but after awhile your energy gets zapped and you can't actually move fast enough to keep warm. You can't eat either (for energy) because you feel like you are going to hurl. It's great. We had to stop every 10 minutes and drink water and breath. Helped with the dizziness and nausea. Sort of. I was like a small child in oversize clothes and could barely move (the pictures are so funny I don't even recognize us). Good thing our guide Julius was awesome. He zipped up our jackets for us, fixed our hoods and adjusted our scarfs. He even took our socks and shoes off and warmed our feet on his belly when necessary! He had the best motivation techniques and new when to get us going and when to keep quiet. I don't think I would have made it without his constant encouragement and positive attitude.

Getting to the top is a bit overwhelming. Denise and I immediately burst into tears (which was a bit bizarre). I didn't expect any sort of emotional reaction but after walking for about 7 hours through the night you are really emotionally retarded. And frozen. The view from the top is really nice but you feel like hell so it is a real struggle to actually appreciate what you have just accomplished. The sun rising is something I will likely never forget and the view of the glaciers is really gorgeous. You basically walk around the volcano once you get to the top from peak to peak.

On the way down the naseau and headache started to subside but our legs were like jelly because you have to skate/run down deep loose gravel. It's really strange actuallly.. and it was at this point Denise and I became seriously delirious and I could not stop laughing (or falling due to laughing). Anyway, somehow we made it back to our beds. We slept another 2 hours, ate something and then had to walk for 5 more hours to a camp for the night at a lower altitute. Day 6 we walked out of the park..took another 5 hours. Blah.. I'm exhausted just writing and thinking about it!

Am I glad I did it? Still not sure. I guess I am.. it's almost three weeks later and I'm still angry at the mountain and just getting over my cold. Our guide really summed it up best "I don't get you tourists. You come here, you spend a thousand dollars and spend all of your vacation time to climb this f'ing mountain.. for what?". Um, yeah.. why'd we do that again :) ?????

No idea.

If I could be any animal I would be..

Don't even until you've brushed your teeth.
Originally uploaded by An Smith

If someone said to me "Okay An, here is unlimited resources and money - now go build a magical paradise", this is how I would do it:

1. Dig a giant circular hole. (No, make it bigger than what you just imagined. How about I give you a number of 264 square kilometres to give you a better idea of what I mean). 2. Lay down vast grasslands, pour in some lakes, rivers and salt fields. At the edges put blobs of enchanted forest, murky swamps with lush marshes, giant cactus and some jungle. If you were to try and climb out of the hole you would be faced with thick jungle-like vegetation and might have fun swinging on vines or climbing miniature waterfalls. If you get lost you might want to climb one of the numerous knobby snot yellow bark trees to try and orient yourself. 3. Add elephants, hippos, rhinos, buffalo, zebras, monkeys, wildebeest, gazelles, warthogs and pink flamingos (for colour) and let them call this home. Of course, there are also a million more birds in all sizes, shapes and colours (but no crocs because they don't get along with anyone and lets let the odd lion, cheetah or leopard wander in so that the population stays in check). 4. Do not let humans destroy it.

Okay okay, so likely nobody is ever going to give me money so I can build it - but it's okay because what I have just described is a place in Tanzania called Ngorongoro Crater. It already exists. What it used to be was a giant volcano until it erupted 2 million years ago. Then it did a funny thing and collapsed. (This is otherwise known as a Caldera). Sound amazing? Well, it is. The perfect African snowglobe comes to mind, minus the chocking plastic roof and oh yeah, the snow.. ;) In fact, it's the type of place you half expect to see the odd Dodo bird or Wolly Mammoth..

Don't hate me. We just spoiled ourselves with a four day camping safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro area. It was beyond words and worth every single penny - and it cost a lot of pennies but I could have happily done it for another month.

Rainy season is just ending and the Serengeti is much more lush than I ever imagined it would be. *As an aside, the rainy season ended early and then started again and now it is sporadically raining so the wildebeest have stopped in mid-migration and are standing around a bit confused as to what is supposed to happen next.. all one million of them*. But, I will get back to them shortly. So the Serengeti isn't a large flat dry plain of yellow grass with one tree like I had imagined.. it's stunningly beautiful and green and there are mountains. We saw every animal I mentioned above (except for the Rhino) and I'm sure there are a few I've forgotten. Like Impala and numerous types of buck. And we did see a crocodile.. in fact one almost ate me.

Tenting is frigging scary (but fun and soooo unexpectedly cosy). Getting out to go to the washroom at night is not recommended. One of the girls in my tent (she will remain nameless) was in tears at about 3am because she had to go number 1.. and so I held out the flashlight and played the brave night watchman while she crouched in front of the tent..she was literally in mid steam when she flew back in to the tent due to a giant animal coming around the side of the tent. We didn't keep the flap open to see what it was but it was big and snarly. Did I mention we had seen the leopard a 3 minute drive from the camp dining on a fresh kill? Eek!!

Every moment really was incredible but the highlights were a cheetah who was not camera shy (Denise has the most amazing video of her contemplating going after some wildebeest for a mid day snack) and a pride of 7 lions who were lazily sleeping on a giant rock (rare for them to be out in the open like that during the day).

Wildebeest and Zebra appear to be the best of friends and migrate together (it's sort of cute - they actually form a single file zig-zag line at times - it's very organized of them). I also have a whole new respect for wildebeest.. not only are they damn ugly (yet super cool looking) but they are also incredibly brave. We watched the cheetah watch them for hours.. and they formed a long defiant line as if to say "hi we know you're there and if you want one of us you are in for a serious fight". Incredible. She still had them at a standstill hours later when we were returning to the camp..but this time she was sitting like a queen on a giant rock over looking the field of them.

Ngorongoro is the area that the Maasia are from (I think I've mentioned the dude who protects us at night in Buswelu - the one who is damn good with a bow and arrow. He is Maasia and incidentally he could get you between the eyes with the arrow, even after a few beers so I wouldn't mess with him). So this is where he comes from. Traditionally the Maasia are cattle herders and were booted from the Serengeti but still have grazing rights in Ngoro.. I don't know that much about them except that they drink blood. Ew.

Ngorongoro is so dramatically different than the Serengeti..it's as if someone drew a line and said okay one stops here and the other starts here so the landscape must be totally different so we know for sure. With that said, if you ever get the chance to visit Tanzania you should - it is the most amazing country and I highly recommend it. The people are friendly, it's safe, the food is decent, the scenery is breathtaking and I can't recommend it enough. I might feel differently in about 7 days when I descend from Kili..gulp. We are being picked up tomorrow morning at 8 am and just paid a $1000US to climb a mountain for 6 days. Apparently it's worth it.. I guess we will see. And yes, this month is proving to be the most expensive of my entire life.. :) Just wait till I buy my new camera...

Asante Sana Squash Banahhna

Happy and Davy
Originally uploaded by An Smith

We spent our last day with the kids on Saturday and decided a games day would be a good way to have some fun before going. We played egg & spoon and wheelbarrow races and ended everything with a waterballoon toss which turned into a kick ass water fight and everyone was drenched by the end of it! It was hilarious!! We also decorated cupcakes and friends of ours visited to play football with the kids (which they loved) and they also brought sodas, chocolate and samosas for a treat. Gloria made us a special lunch (pilau with beef!) and we even had special seats for the day. It was so adorable and a really fun day overall. It was sad saying bye to them.. even knowing we are back in three weeks!

Asante Sana means thank you in Swahili and I want to say a huge thank you on behalf of Joel, Gloria and the children. They are all extremely gracious and almost in shock by the amount you have managed to do. Thanks to your very generous donations Denise and I managed to raise a total of $3100. This is huge!!!!. Normally they don't get much more than the volunteer donation of $300 (times 4 volunteers) that we pay per month. This is what gets them by each month.. and now you probably wonder what we did with the money right?

Electricity: Yup, they will have electricity thanks to you. We took $800 (and topped up another $1200 donation from a company that had done some fundraising in Britain) in order to bring the kids electricity. In total it cost $2000 and it will reduce their monthly costs because the generator is more expensive to run than the monthly electricity bill will be. Asante sana a million times :)

Rice: An entire year supply!!! (another $800)

Those were the big items. We also bought medication for each child (for a month they had to take pills and use a special shampoo) and we managed to clear up the fungus that was all over their heads and bodies (it was pretty nasty and uncomfortable for them). We bought 17 pairs of (used) school shoes, 7 new mattresses (really good ones that won't deteriorate in a month like the ones they currently have), 9 new mozzie nets, 10 new schoolbooks and reading books and a basketball net. We had a delicious chicken dinner (it's real treat to have meat) with sodas for our first sleepover and we also treated them to sodas when they went to the beach for the day. We had a pizza party (most of them had never had pizza) which was a total hit and we had a kick ass dance party after. Those kids can dance like nothing I've seen before. It was pretty amazing and so much fun! We also printed pictures of them and decorated their rooms and did a nail painting party (even the boys joined in). We also took one lil guy for a few doctors appointments (malaria, worms and bronchitis) and bought tons of meds to get him better and organized a full checkup (I am happy to say he is negative for HIV and overall pretty healthy).

We tried to do a mixture of fun and practical... and I still have $250 to spend which I may use in July or save. I am fundraising right now to send them to the Serengeti at Christmas time (it will cost about $500US for all of them to go) so we are half way there.. :)

ps - keep you eye on the mail.. there are some hand made thank you's on the way...I think they will make nice fridge art in my opinion :)

Why aren't the cows wearing shoes?

Hands of Mercy, Mwanza, Tanzania
Originally uploaded by ddboo

Yesterday I was sitting with a couple of the girls while they made Mendozi (basically a doughnut which they eat for breakfast and interestingly enough Denise and I have realized that if you put a chocolate bar inside when it's still hot and dip it in sugar you are eating heaven). We were chatting and watching Happy (one of the twins) throw her pink flip flop at the cow and chase it around the yard (they don't normally have cows in the compound.. they own a few which they keep at the farm next door but Joel decided that he wants the cows to be 'free' for a few days - personally I think they are a lawn mower and why not!?), it donned on me that we miss so much of the kids personalities because, well, we don't actually speak the same language. My Swahili is much more limited than their English and humour is one of those things that becomes impossibly hard to translate. I mean, we have a hell of a lot of fun but basically we miss all the cute things that little kids say. Like when they wonder why the cows don't have to wear shoes or they tell Davey (who is only three and incidentally sitting on my lap nursing a fat lip) that I am going to have to take him to the hospital to have his head cut off *and I'm nodding and smiling reassuringly at him without a clue*. haha. I'm going to have the kids translate more often :)

So we had some of the other volunteers over last week for dinner (apparently I can cook - who knew???) and I came to an understanding about parenthood. It was only after Denise and I spent the entire evening telling stories to our guests about the kids (obsessively) that I had a moment of "oh I get it when parents do that"... I mean we actually had to restrain ourselves from showing them a slide show of pictures on the laptop!!! On Sunday morning we went to church with them because it was kids day and they had been preparing special songs and dancing and performances all week. It was amazing. I was so proud of them.. and Denise and I beamed through the entire thing- I guess the truth is that we are at the mercy of these kids. What I can't imagine is what it actually feels like to be a parent if I can totally fall in love with these guys in a month.. scary and amazing at the same time :)

What else.. oh yeah, so we leave Mwanza on Sunday (for safari) and we have been feeling really beat up about leaving and totally apprehensive. *We had to move out of our house and into another compound until Sunday to make room for the shiny new volunteers - last night our shower turned on by itself and the night before the doors kept slamming shut.. we are SO SCARED in this compound it's a bit silly. And we have two guards this time!! Anyway..*.

To be honest we weren't totally sure how we were going to say goodbye.. and of course as fate would have it we found out on Saturday night that the volunteers for July cancelled (pole for them but talk about potentially lettting down 40 orphans cause you realize three weeks out you can't afford the flight!!) so what else to do but take their spots? :D So the fantastic news is that we leave here June 9th (Serengeti Tour, climb Kili and then recover on the beaches of Zanzibar) and return in July for another month of teaching and spending time with the kids. Denise and I are so happy it worked out like it did and we will cancel a bit of what we had planned (don't know what yet) but that isn't a big deal. There is always another trip :)

Off to have dinner with friends and organize arts and crafts for tomorrow.. try not to be too jealous that i will be camping in the Serengeti in a few days ... and I won't think about the fact that you are stuck in rush hour traffic ... oh wait. No I think your alarm clock just went off. Time to get up ;)

More about my kids..

Happy
Originally uploaded by An Smith.

We had dinner at the orphanage the other night and sat around beforehand helping to peel cucumbers and slice tomatoes and just hang out with the kids. Dinner prep - what a thing to witness!! I can't even imagine having to cook for forty (plus) people everyday. (And keep in mind there is never ever the option to say hey, let's call in for some pizza or Thai tonight I'm tired or hey cook yourself, I'll be out). The great thing is to watch everyone help because they all have a task, nobody complains and they totally have fun. I can remember my dad telling me to set the table after school.. I could barely peel myself away from the Y&R long enough.. and the whining and complaining (um, sorry Dad!! :/). So anyway. We treated to chicken and sodas and Denise and I planned to spend the night at the orphanage. This being a special occasion meant they get power (I guess?). When the generator started with a huge bang the children went crazy like nothing I've ever witnessed before in my life - you would have thought they had won millions in the lotto. The generator going on is exciting for them - it means electricity at night instead of candles and they appreciate it so much that they cheer and jump and scream and run around in circles and it's absolutely hilarious. (Yup, you can learn a lot about the small things in life from these kids).

Speaking of, we took them to the beach Saturday. First time ever. Can you spell FUN children? Ice cream, sodas, swimming and a Dala Dala ride. The look on their faces on the way into town is something I can't ever forget. They take in absolutely everything. (They don't leave Buswelu Village very often. To and from school is pretty much it.. maybe a trip to the doctors). And the little ones.. they don't even really know that there is a world outside of their compound because they don't even go to school yet! Davy (he is three) fell asleep on my lap (on the way home) and had a look of terrified bewilderment on his face all day. He is a really quiet guy, loves a lap to snuggle up in and is a total doll. (Best hugger ever). Doesn't speak much or get into trouble and he does the cutest nose crinkle thing. Anyway, he woke up at one point (remember before I gushed about him for ten minutes he was sitting in my lap on the way home) and he had a complete heart attack when he woke up in the middle of the ride because he didn't' have a clue where he was. It was so funny, and so cute and everyone burst into giggles. After he realized all was okay in his very small world he smiled and nuzzled back to sleep. (Oh, and somewhere on that ride he managed to pee on my lap). Poor Lil guy. Couldn't handle the soda which was practically the size of him.

Okay, so backtracking a bit. The sleepover at the orphanage was SO FUN. It was like having a giant girls sleepover. Well, it wasn't like it. That's what it was.. but it was like being back in camp again. Denise and I each had a bunkie (I got Irene who was a good snuggler and she wrapped her hands in my hair somehow while we slept.. not sure why but it was okay I worked around it). Denise had Hannah who was a kicker and she didn't sleep a wink all night. Anyway, it was really fun. We got in trouble (um, noisy) from Joel a few times because we were doing photo shoots (and it put the kids into fits of laughter when Denise and I would pretend to be scared and dive under the mozzie nets hiding from Joel).

And that brings us to now. I'm sitting at an Internet cafe in town on the way to a bbq and I'm realizing that we only have 9 more days here and then we are done teaching (although we are staying around for almost two weeks longer to help with organization of some other stuff with the kids). I am really dreading leaving and I'm trying to enjoy every moment with them. I realize it's harder on me than them.. they will have a new set of volunteers and forget about us in seconds but I won't even forget the impact they've made on my life.

I hope there is steak and caesar salad at the BBQ! I gotta go :)

Hands of Mercy

Hands of Mercy, Mwanza
Originally uploaded by An Smith.

Every morning we wake up around 8am, make tea and toast with PB (sometimes we splurge and walk to the duka for eggs and fresh chapati and fry em up) and then we walk the twenty minutes to Hands of Mercy to see the kids. We spend two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon playing basketball and soccer, supplementing their school with english and math lessons and most importantly - giving hugs when necessary. (Trust me, they need lots of hugs!).

They have a 'mom and dad' (who also have four of their own including a newborn) and they run the orphanage.. you can imagine trying to care for almost forty children with the help of a few volunteers and a few staff who help with cooking and cleaning. Not an easy task! (Um, actually I guarantee you that you can NOT imagine it. It's mad chaos!).

Eighty percent of the kids at the orphanage were left without parents because one or both have died (or are very sick and living) with HIV. In other cases their parents may have abandoned them (simply because the expense was too high to care for them) or they were orphaned for other reasons. The kids range from 3 years old to 14 (and ps - I am in love with all of them).

I can honestly say that the kids seem to be really happy and they are lucky to be in the care of the people who run Hands of Mercy. The place is full of love and full of fun!! They do need a lot of help though (and yes, here comes the final plea for donation money)... the kids are currently are sleeping four or five to a bed so a few more bunks and mattresses are a must (especially for the older kids as they get bigger), the mozzie nets are getting a bit tattered, they all share clothes and desperately need new ones and they barely have enough money to manage the food bill each month. We're talking basics.. no meat or veggies either. Toys? They don't really have toys... We also are in desperate need for paper, school supplies, crayons, pencils, books.. not to mention more practicle things like shelves so they can all have a cubbie for 'their' school stuff, and a door to keep the girls room locked at night (!!), new flip flops and meds for the skin infections (so contagious I even got some on my chest - right at head on lap level), electricity is a dream, a chainsaw to made chopping wood easier.. I could really go on and on with this list and I'm sure I'm barely even touching the really important stuff.

So.. there is now an organization that you can donate through Canada and get a tax receipt for.. www.hopewithoutborders.com You need to specify that you are donating to "Hands of Mercy" in Tanzania (it is not an official project).. let me know if you have any problems and let me know the amount and if you have a preference for what you would like to provide the kids with because Denise and I can still call the shots on the money expenditure. For example, $1200 is enough to buy the kids rice for a YEAR. Flip flops cost $1 each.. you get the idea !

ps - if you've sent me money already I'll gladly email it back to you and you can get a tax receipt if you want!!

Asante!