Mambo!

For all who are wondering I made it to the TZ (after 30hrs of travelling from Philly to NYC over MA and Boston, England, Paris, Zurich, the alps, Egypt (yes I was thinking of you Kristy), a stop in Kenya and in Dar). We got in at night so my first impression was that it was dark. There were a few weddings and send off parties when I arrived. I'm staying in a christian center that is like a hostel. I have my own room and shower!
It seems like all I do here is eat and sit. I've eaten fried bananas, bread, muffin, champati (like injera), chiken, beef (yes JulieAnne beef, but I passed on the chicken liver--only because I knew it was an organ), fish, sweet potatoes, veggies, and chai. I get a soda today.
We've been doing trainings and meetings, learning Kiswahili and getting laughed at when I try but it's cool. The weather (to fulfill the old person conversation) is supposedly cool with humidity (~80 not sure but it feels like IN) and it rains when it's sunny like IN and maybe only on one side of the compound.

For background of the program: Pres. Kikiwete of TZ was the first (and current president) that met Pres. Obama and the first thing he said to him was can you send TZ more Peace Corps Volunteers? (Like 400 --we currently have 131 serving). also TZ was the first PC program ever (it's a controversy though with Ghana). Apparently they put the selection process for volunteers to be rigorous here and if we don't meet their qualifications we can't come. So I am honored to be here (said to be the best place they send volunteers). The people are friendly and welcoming and the staff is awesome.
I also determined that my Microbiology major is a bunch of witch craft because if you can't see it and do not suffer from the illness that you are dealing with witch craft which I thought was amusing, but see their point of view.
I'll try to post pictures later. I also had another post written with more details and such so if you want to know more I'll tell you later.

Kwa Heri
Carolyn

Kwa Heri

“We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”

In a week I will be boarding planes to Atlanta and Philadelphia where I will begin my service in the Peace Corps. One week—it’s hard to believe. I’ve been saying for a month now that I am moving to Tanzania, yet it’s unreal because I’ve been thinking about this for years. Seven years ago I decided I wanted to join the Peace Corps, but I knew that I’d have to wait before I applied. I applied last July as advised for when I wanted to leave. After a long online application, fingerprinting paperwork, phone interview, medical and dental paperwork, waiting, waiting, more paperwork of sorts, and waiting I finally was invited to serve in the Peace Corps. I was assigned to Tanzania to teach Chemistry and probably Biology in secondary schools for 27 months and then received more paperwork.

Although I’m excited and ready to go it still seems unreal and won’t be real until I board the plane and arrive at orientation or training in TZ. It’s hard to imagine how life will be the next 27 months—from daily life to holidays I am not sure what to expect. So here I go...I think the Weepies say it best with their song Can't Go Back Now:
“I can't really say why everybody wishes they were somewhere else
But in the end, the only steps that matter are the ones you take all by yourself”