First couple of days in Tanzania...

I'm alive and well - arrived in Arusha, Tanzania around 9:30 pm on Saturday evening. Two 8-hour flights, a little bit of layover, but we made it.

We settled at MS-TCDC (Tanzania Center for Development Cooperation) around 10:00 pm, had a light snack, some conversation with the staff, and then we went to our rooms. The rooms are great - a single room with a bed and mosquito net covering, a bathroom, and a desk to journal write. Even though I had been up for more than 24 hours due to traveling and time zone changes, I was still wired and not able to sleep. Eventually, around 12:30 am, I was able to fall asleep. I woke up first to a monkey trying to get in my room around 4:45 am, and then at 5:00 am I heard a muezzin (a person "calling for prayer"). It was a beautiful chant/song that lasted for about 15 minutes. I fell asleep for awhile and then headed to breakfast around 8:15...

Sunday, June 7th
After breakfast, we traveled to the town of Arusha to exchange money and stop at an artists market. Arusha is beautiful - nestled in the foothills near Mt. Kilimanjaro. The people are amazing here - very gentle, welcoming, always smiling, and wanting to engage in conversation. I met the Minister of Masai - he is a counselor and wants to speak to me at dinner this evening. I can't wait - what an opportunity.

Well, that's it for now. I am off to my room to rest. Today is a free day and tomorrow we start Swahili language and culture classes in the morning and activities in the afternoon.

Kwaheri,

Jamie