Settling In

So this weekend was my second weekend in Arusha, and things are finally starting to feel a little easier and more like home.  I met my supervisor and was assigned to a case.  I have been assigned to the Bernard Munyagishari case.  .  You can google him or check out the little info on the ICTR website.  I cannot discuss him too much, but there is some info about him online if you want to check out the news a bit.

I did some fun things this week, so I'll fill you in on that...

1. I met up with Wilfred who was my safari guide the last time I was in Tanzania.  He is still working at the safari company, and is super busy this time of the year with many tourist flocking to Tanzania to witness one of the true wonders of the world, the wildabeast migration.  He picked me up earlier this week, and we grabbed at bite to eat at the popular Cinema Complex.  It is a fun little area with a cinema playing Bali-wood and Hollywood movies, and has an awesome patio-courtyard area where you can order and eat from any of the the surrounded four or five restaurants.  It was a lot of fun to catch up with him and feel like I actually had a local friend here in Tanzania.

2.  I experienced the cultural nightclub sweeping the town of Arusha known as Via Via.  We went at around 11:00 p.m. and watched people dance to a live band and had a drink.  At around 12, the real party started.  There is a type of outdoor theatre which is the dance floor.  They also have a huge bonfire, multiple bars, karaoke, and just a lot of fun.  On each Thursday night, around 500+ people, both local and tourist, go to Via Via to dance, drink, and party.  It was fun to be with all the interns, and dance all night.  It was a fun place to dance too because many of the locals participate in "dance-offs" so it was fun to be in the middle of the action and watch the people showcase their dance skills.  We (my roommates and I) ended up leaving around 1:30-2 a.m.  We couldn't stay too late because we had work early the next morning. 

3. A group of interns have made a connection with an orphanage about 30 minutes outside of Arusha.  This has been going on long before I ever arrived, and the responsibility shifts to someone in the new group of interns in order to continue.  We rent a daladala (local bus) and go visit children every Saturday for a few hours.  I decided to go, thought it would be fun to hang out with kids and some other interns from other offices.  It was really great.  You could definitely tell its a bright spot in the orphans week to have so many visitors and play-mates.  We split the group into two smaller groups: one who stays at the house and colors, and the other goes to the field to play games and soccer.  I decided to go to the field and run around with some cute little boys who ended up just wanting to be chased for about two hours.  Needless to say, I was pretty exhausted and filthy when I got home that afternoon.  They were such show-offs.  It was fun to play with them for a few hours.  I hope to return most Saturdays during the remainder of my time here in Arusha.  Here are some pictures I took of them.  They are such sweeties. 

Ali, my little buddy for the day.  After all that running, he was super tired and almost fell asleep.

Loving the daladala we arrived in, they are little monkeys!  Such show-offs.

4.  On Sunday, a group of interns did a Cultural Tourism Program to a local village to visit a coffee plantation.  The idea of these Cultural Tourism Programs is to enable a local village to get some income by showing tourists their villages, agriculture, schools, hospital, and way of life in general.  We were picked up at the ICTR at around 9:00 a.m. and taken to a village at the base of Mt. Meru.  While there we were met by Samuel, a twenty year old local boy with great English.  He showed us the primary school, orphanage, hospital, local church, and we walked miles and miles on the dusty paths between homes on the hills.  We also shown the local "court" which was a shelter-like building. We were told about the torture chamber in the basement (which we did not see), but apparently if you fight, smoke pot, beat you wife, etc, you are placed in water up to your neck.  You have to stay there for two days, eat in the water, use the bathroom in the water, do everything in the water.  And after you come out, most are never bad again.  It was interesting to be UN interns, very much against torture, hearing about this local custom!  We went to a coffee plantation and met a local coffee farmer.  He showed us the entire coffee growing and harvesting process.  I liked learning about the natural pesticides and poisons they plant around the trees to keep the bugs away, it was very interesting! After the coffee farmer, we went to a local house and had the absolute best meal.  It was hands-down the best meal I have had thus-far in Tanzania.  I was so full after we left, which was completely my fault because I kept eating and eating and eating, I just couldn't stop!  After that, we went to the roasting and packaging "factory".  We received one free bag of coffee, and had the opportunity to purchase extra bags for $4.  Having already tasting it at lunch, and appreciating the taste.  I figured my friends and family who actually love/drink coffee regularly would also enjoy the coffee.  I bought 3 extra bags for gifts.  I appreciate that the coffee is organic, and provide income and sustainability to the community, and it's great coffee that is super inexpensive!  Below are some pictures from my day.






Banana Wine--using local bananas.  Still have yet to try it, but I'll let you know how tasty or gross it ends up being.



At the orphanage, they loved trying on everyone's sunglasses.

Our fabulous, incredible, super-delicious lunch.

The fresh fruit, I could have made a meal out of just this, it's so good.

With the coffee farmer, learning about the coffee growing process.  Very interesting.

Here are some of my roommates and I with out loot from the day.  Left to right: Faith, Jane, and Katariina.

I was a bit homesick this weekend.  One of my best friends in the world, Blair Owens now HECKER, got married on Saturday night.  I was so bummed to miss the wedding of one of my favorite couples.  However, I was excited to get to talk to Blair hours before her big day.  I caught her as she was having brunch with some girlfriends.  We talked for a while, she sounded so excited and so happy.  I wish I could have been there to see it, but I have been looking at all the pictures from the big day.  It looked so beautiful.  I am so happy that she has found such a wonderful guy in Shane and I am excited about the exciting future they have ahead of them.  So, Blair and Shane, congrats, I love both of you and I will be searching for the perfect (late) wedding gift to bring home to you from Tanzania.  Also, I got to Skype with some loved ones from home this weekend.  I was able to video Skype with Jesse Hines (another best friend) for a little while.  We caught up on our lives, and it was so good to hear her voice and see her face!  On Sunday nights, I go to Mt. Meru Hotel, a big fancy touristy hotel in Arusha which has the best wi-fi in town.  I am about to video Skype without interruptions there.  While there I got to talk to Eric for a really long time, which was great.  I also got to Skype with my entire family.  I kid you not, on the screen was my mom, dad, oldest brother, two nieces, and Kole (our 3 year old German Shepard) even made an appearance and barked at me.  It was great to see all of them, although it made me miss them even more.  I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such a great family and friends. 

Anyways, I think that is all I have to update.  I miss home a lot, but am settling in and having a great time here in Arusha.  I am excited to get a visit from my Mom, she is planning on coming at the end of October and staying through November 8th.  I cannot wait, I'm so excited to show her around Africa and go on a safari with her.  Much love from Tanzania!