One adventure leads to another

Life in Dar has been busy, busy, busy! While school is (disappointingly) rather unchallenging I have still found myself strapped for time due to a growing list of social, educational, and work-related events.  I am still working with CHAVITA which has gotten much better, though I am still not a fan of schlepping my laptop around Mtongani with it's infamous vibaka ('snatchers' in Swahili). I am quite proud of the growing stack of ethnographic fieldnotes I am collecting from my experiences with CHAVITA. I eagerly await next Tuesday when I will begin one-on-one lessons with an interpreter so that I can communicate better in TSL. Aside from my full day commitments with CHAVITA on Tuesdays and Thursdays classes have (for the most part) continued as normal and a good part of my day is dedicated to learning lots of interesting new things. Who knew, for example, that I could be worth more than sixty cows in the Luo if I wished to be married off! Mom and Dad, what a deal! In all sincerity though I am learning many new things if not mostly from just noting the differences between U.S. education standards and methods and those here in Tanzania. I think my favorite professor is the little sixty-five year old man who teaches Gender and Socio-Economic Development; he is surprisingly liberal, and didn't bat and eyelid when I gave my presentation on transgender, bi-, a-, homo-, and trans- sexual gender identities in contemporary U.S. For someone of his age, and given the gender relations in Tanzania he is refreshingly holistic in his understanding of gender identities and the social construction of gender. On top of all of this there are the oh-so-necessary dinner, karaoke, and birthday events that keep a young gal busy! 

  I know I always say this, but a lot has changed since the last time I posted here. More believably this time because it has been weeks! School has settled down and the protests seem to be news of the distant past. In fact, the UDSM semester has just ended and all of the students are going home or finally getting some sleep. Their study habits put ours to shame in the States! While they have been studying away I have filled my free time with another trip to Zanzibar, a sleepover with a Tanzanian friend at her house in Dar, and having dresses made from kitenge. What a hard hard life it is as a study abroad student, no? Surprisingly enough the people in our group (ten total) haven't had too bad of a time with each other which I think is impressive because we are together almost 24/7. I am developing really good friendships with the girls and I look forward to visiting them after the semester is over and we are all back in our respective states. Four of the five girls (me included) are actually departing on our midterm break adventure tomorrow! 

 I will of course tell you all about my activities and the wild shenanigans that occur in the next ten days (or lack thereof)  when I come back, but here is a tidbit! After a 29 hour bus ride from Dar es Salaam, through Nariobi, and straight through to Kampala we will go white-water rafting at the source of the Nile (and maybe bungee jumping? I'll watch out for those detached retinas mom).  A fun day in Kampala to roam around and then it is off again! But this time we are hopping countries and going to Gesyni in Rwanda to see the gorillas in the Parc National des Volcans.  Of course we will go down to Kigali to visit the Genocide Museum and learn more about the rich but tragic history in Rwanda. After two days in Kigali it is back home to UDSM for a bunch of exams and presentations! It will be a full, non-stop, crazy ten days but I am besides myself with excitement. I even have some sambusa for the bus ride- I am complete!

 Well it is off to bed...we are up at 5 tomorrow morning! And don't worry, I will do everything I can to stay safe. And for any of you that are in Carlsbad/Oceanside don't forget Tess' 21st is on the 22nd so give her a HUGE birthday hug. Love from Tanzania!