2 weeks have passed since I last wrote? That has flown by! I have been so busy working, I have even done a number of 12 hour days... though I actually jump at the chance to do them. Well you don't learn anything about babies, mama's or Tanzania sitting at the Volunteer House do you?
This past fortnight has been good, busy, I have laughed, smiled, grinned like a Cheshire Cat.. and no tears! Actually just a couple, but for a good reason.
My Swahili is coming along well. I have an amazing teacher, a mama from the baby home who works her backside off constantly, deals with all the stress when volunteers don't do as much as they should yet still smiles and laughs when I ask her for the 10th time what that Swahili word was again! Wednesday is 'Kiswahili only' day, and not a word of English is spoken for entire shift (well maybe one or two by me!). It does work, as I just clarify any issues in English on the other days I see her, and getting to know the language makes me feel even more at home here. I am so proud of myself when I say something in Swahili and she hugs me (probably amazed that I got it right!) - Cheshire Cat moment.
I stepped on the bathroom scales the other day, and am happy to discover I have lost 13lb since I arrived! However I need to watch that I don't need to slip into old habits... I have taken to making cakes for the mamas, and of course you have to take one piece for yourself! I also had a 'food exchange' with one of the mamas last week... she brought me bananas (not sweet ones), boiled with beans and fish, and I brought sweet bananas, baked in their skin in the oven with chocolate melting in the middle. It was an amazing feast and a wonderful half hour chatting and laughing with a girl I now call my friend.
There have been a range of volunteers coming and going these last couple of weeks, since I arrived in June I have said 'welcome' or 'farewell' to almost 30 volunteers. Let's be honest, you cannot get on with everyone, but some I have been genuinely sad to say goodbye to. Currently there are 9 volunteers, and saying there are 'a range of volunteers' is enough of a comment I think!!!!
I have been mocked by the mamas for having cracked heels! We go barefoot in the Baby Home and the Volunteer House and it has had a painful effect on my poor Mzungu skin, to the point where I could not put one heel on the floor. Far from getting sympathy, this caused great amusement among the staff, as it is a sign here apparently that you do not wash properly. For someone who showers and washes my hair daily this causes me great worry so I am currently obsessing over soaking my feet, applying copious amounts of E45 and wearing socks!!!
On Friday I had the great privilege of going to visit the Bethany Project with a staff member who used to live there. The Bethany Project is like a family, it does have that feel, but basically is another orphanage. We took a dalla dalla (local bus) and a bigger bus there, and 4 dalla dallas back. One of them, which has 11 seats, held 22 people at one point, and I was sandwiched firmly between 2 people and standing on one leg for over 20 minutes! Anyway the point is it was a lovely day, all the kids were ridiculously polite in greeting us and showing us round, and we were so happy to attend their choir practice. They sat us at the front and you couldn't help but sway to the music and smile as they blasted out a number of songs, many led by two fantastic singers. This is where I shed a tear... I can't explain why, I was just caught in a moment. You get that a lot here (well I do).
Finally, last night I fulfilled an ambition ha ha... I did a night shift! I always wanted to know what went on, how soon the kids went to bed, how early they got up. The answers are - you sort out clothes, nappies, give milk to any children that wake, watch a video and (in yesterday's case) temporarily braid some of my hair! There are obviously a number of quiet hours, even with so many children, so I also got to chat to the girls on shift about a range of subjects. Oh, and eat ginger and banana cakes that I had made. The last child fell asleep at 10:15pm, and the first child woke up at 4:50am. I have an invite for next week's night shift... we'll see how my eye bags recover!!!
Baadaye for now.... off to a mamas house tomorrow for lunch. I am so bloody privileged.
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