Another Side of Arusha

Today began like any other. We got up, got ready, ate breakfast, and got a can to the entrance to the village. Oh wait...I forgot to mention about the cab. WE (the Americans) had to tell the cab driver (Tanzanian) how to get through Arusha. SWEET! Of course we knew that place like the back of our hand...we've gone to the orphanage everyday by a new road through the village (Olasiti). So anyway, the driver finally got us to the outskirts. The many roads to the orphanage/village are literally just on the side of the main roads. We started walking, which of course took us like 40 minutes, and eventually got to Matonyok. The walks are always the best part. White people (wazungu) are like aliens in these African villages. I mean, everyone sees us and yells and runs to us...I haven't felt this popular since high school! When we got to Matonyok, the kids had already started their classes (there is a Tanzanian who lives nearby and volunteers as a teacher at Matonyok. We don't think Mike, Emmy, Ndemno, etc. like him all that much, because they rarely talk to him. It's really funny.). I found that the best way to teach the little kids is to keep them active (my mom gave her class some trail mix today). You can only do word sounds for so long before it gets boring. Even for African kids. Yeah...I've had little 3 year old African kids fall asleep in my class; apparently this isn't just an American thing. So for "science" we walked around outside, pointing out leaves, grass, dirt (they call it soil), and the parts of a tree: root, trunk, leaves, branch. They couldn't figure out "branch" for the life of them, but they did get clouds, rain, sunshine, etc. (it was all in English). We left Matonyok before lunch, and Nosim (Mike wasn't there today) walked us to the main road again; another 30 minute walk. During our walk we heard a loud shrieking coming from a house. Nosim casually translated and told us that someone had just died, then went on to tell us that it was one of her dad's (Ndemno) friends. No biggie I guess. We got to the road, and left Nosim, taking our first dalla-dalla ride alone. The guy who does the money tried to short change us TZS 200 (200 shillings...a coin), but Ashton demanded in English that he pay us the money, which he eventually did. It was really funny. We had to get back to our hotel by 3 because Alley and Emily, the two TFFT girls who live here, were picking us up to go to the school that they visit every day, called Usa River (TFFT sponsors some kids who go there. Amy and Ashton also were visiting Richard, a boy that they have been sponsoring from TFFT at Myers Park...TFFT=The Foundation for Tomorrow). To get to the school, we basically took a right where we usually take a left. As newbies, it opened up a new world to us. Instead of busy streets it was tree-lined roads with LINES! I mean, it was still obviously African and poor-ish, but nice nonetheless. Apparently it was the same road we came in on from the airport. The difference between dayAfrica and nightAfrica is ridiculous. The school itself is more of a knowledge compound. There is a gatehouse, a school building, a dining hall, dormitories, a place where teachers sleep, etc. Additionally there is about 5 acres (that we could see) of grassy areas, soccer fields, a basketball court, etc. It was really cool. I played soccer with the kids (using a tennis ball), and of course, learned more Swahili. I actually got into a quasi-argument in only Swahili with a girl about whether or not one of my goals was actually a goal (it was). I purposely called the guys girls, which they all found really funny. I did get really attached to the kids as well (you'll find that in Africa, especially with kids, you get attached to everyone), which climaxed as we were about to get into the car to leave. One of the kids, Prince (his full name is Prince Elvis) ran up to me as I was about to get in the car. All of the kids had been telling me Swahili words the whole time, but I guess he felt this last one was necessary. "Nakupenda...I love you." Yeah...I think I'll be coming back here. So we left and went with Alley and Emily (they have a car, remember) to a restaurant called Stiggy's. It was delicious! To keep us warm, they hung small cauldrons full of softly flaming coals next to us (not as dangerous as it sounds, and very effective). After dinner, the girls dropped us off, and so here we are now. Apparently our apartment is booked for tomorrow, so we have to take the one upstairs, but still the same place, etc. Did I mention that on Monday we will be camping at Matonyok? Apparently no one who comes to Africa camps at a Maasai village. YES! I think we're going to roast marshmallows with the kids. Talk to you tomorrow. Kwa heri.